THINKER'S ALMANAC - April 3

Why did Victor Hugo work in the nude while writing ‘Les Miserables,’ and how can his example help us meet our deadlines on time?

Subject:  Ulysses Contract - Victor Hugo’s naked attempt to defeat writer’s block

Event:  Victory Hugo’s novel Les Miserables is published, 1862

On this day in 1862, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables was published.  The novel, which has been popularized through its numerous musical and film adaptations, took Hugo 17 years to write.  

While writing the novel, the French writer struggled with bouts of writer’s block that required him to develop a unique strategy:  he removed all his clothes and locked himself in his room with only pen and paper; he would then order his servants not to bring him his clothes until he had produced a complete chapter (1).

Psychologists call Hugo’s strategy a Ulysses contract, where an individual sets up a deliberate negative consequence to help them avoid another negative consequence.  In Hugo’s case, he created the negative consequence of being seen in the nude to avoid the other negative consequences of not finishing his novel.

The Ulysses contract originates with another writer, Homer.  In The Odyssey, he tells the tale of Ulysses’ plan to be the first to hear the Sirens’ song and live to tell about it.  All others had been lured to their death, for the mesmerizing song of the Sirens caused men to lose their wits and crash their ships into the rocks of a nearby island.  To avoid this fate, Ulysses ordered his men to tie him to the mast.  He then instructed his crew to put wax in their ears to prevent them from hearing both the Siren song and any orders he would give for them to untie him.  To get what he wanted, Ulysses knew he needed to think ahead and bind himself temporarily so that in the long run he would be freed up to achieve his goal.

Another advocate of the Ulysses contract was the ancient Greek orator Demosthenes.  Knowing that he was not a gifted speaker, his only hope was to put in hours of practice.  Retreating to his room, he gave himself a terrible haircut, shaving off half of his hair.  He knew he needed a haircut so hideous that it would make him ashamed to be seen in public.  The haircut wouldn’t help him be a better speaker, but it would encourage him to stay in his room, working on his speaking skills.

Recall, Retrieve, Recite, Ruminate, Reflect, Reason:  What is a Ulysses’ Contract, and how was it used by the writer Victor Hugo and the orator Demosthenes?

Challenge - Don’t Put This Off:  Procrastination is not just a problem for writers, speakers, or ancient warriors; instead, it's a problem for all of us.  Research what experts say about effective ways to fight procrastination, and report on your findings.

Sources: 

1-”Victor Hugo’s Strange Cure for Writer’s Block.” The Telegraph.