How did Victor Hugo challenge the rules of Classical tragedy in Cromwell?

In his influential preface to the 1827 verse drama Cromwell, Victor Hugo challenged the rigid constraints of Classical tragedy by advocating for a new form of Romanticism that prioritized freedom and truth over traditional rules.1

Hugo argued that drama should reflect the complex contradictions of human existence—such as the coexistence of good and evil, beauty and ugliness, and tears and laughter—by intentionally mixing tragic and comic elements within a single play. He proposed that this approach would allow theater to transcend the restrictive categories of the Classical tradition, drawing inspiration instead from the works of William Shakespeare.12

Ultimately, Hugo envisioned a drama of action that could capture the experience of modern humanity, which he viewed as a battleground between matter and spirit. By championing the fusion of the sublime and the grotesque, Hugo sought to replace formal Classical conventions with a more dynamic and authentic dramatic spectacle.21