The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is an 1831 gothic novel by French author Victor Hugo, originally published under the title Notre-Dame de Paris. Set in 15th-century France, the novel concerns the intertwined stories of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Archdeacon Claude Frollo. The story has been adapted many times for theater, television, and film, including an animated film by Disney released in 1996.

This guide refers to the 2009 Oxford Classics edition of the novel, translated from French to English by Alban Krailsheimer.

Content Warning: This guide describes and discusses the novel’s depiction of racism and discrimination against Romany people. The novel also includes pejorative terms to refer to Romany people, which this guide includes in direct quotes only. In addition, the text depicts ableism and contains portrayals of people with disabilities and visible differences that might be considered offensive.

Plot Summary

In 1482, Paris residents celebrate a carnival known as the Feast of Fools. A writer named Pierre Gringoire excitedly watches actors perform the opening of his play, but the crowd becomes bored and instead engages in a face-pulling contest, in which people compete to distort their faces as much as possible.