Hugo was very influenced by FranÃ ois-Ren Ã de Chateaubriand , the famous Romantic writer , during the early 1800s . Like many young writers of his generation , Hugo was profoundly influenced by FranÃ ois-Ren Ã de Chateaubriand , the famous figure in the literary movement of Romanticism and France 's preÃ `` minent literary figure during the early 19th century . In his youth , Hugo resolved to be `` Chateaubriand or nothing , '' and his life would come to parallel that of his predecessor in many ways .