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. The winner is Quasimodo, the “deformed” bell-ringer from the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. Although the crowd is terrified of Quasimodo, he is elected as the Fool’s Pope. Gringoire, his play abandoned, watches in horror.

Gringoire wanders the streets of Paris until he reaches the bonfire, in front of which a Romany named Esmeralda dances and performs tricks with Djali, her trained goat. Gringoire studies the crowd and notices that Claude Frollo, the notorious Archdeacon of Notre-Dame, is enraptured by Esmeralda. Eventually, however, Frollo loudly denounces her as a witch, and she is chased away but is then caught up in the procession of the Fool’s Pope. Frollo recognizes Quasimodo and angrily tells him to return to Notre-Dame. Quasimodo follows Frollo away from the square. Esmeralda resumes her dance but is criticized by a strict, reclusive woman named Sister Gudule (also known as Paquette) who inhabits a small cell in the square and believes that Romany people killed her daughter. When Esmeralda flees, Gringoire follows her.

In the streets, Gringoire sees Frollo and Quasimodo attempting to kidnap Esmeralda. He tries to save her but is knocked down. Instead, Captain Phoebus of the king’s guard saves her. Frollo escapes, but Quasimodo is arrested. Gringoire becomes lost and ends up in the Court of Miracles, the infamous hub of the Parisian underworld, where thieves capture him and take him to their leader, Clopin Trouillefou. Although they condemn Gringoire to death, Esmeralda intervenes and saves Gringoire by agreeing to marry him, but when he goes to a room with her, she refuses his touch. He accepts a brotherly relationship with her; Esmeralda has fallen in love with Phoebus.

Frollo gave up the passions of his youth when he joined the church. After his parents died of the plague, he adopted his brother, Jehan, and later adopted Quasimodo, who was abandoned as a baby. Although Frollo tried to raise them well, Quasimodo lost his hearing after working as the bell-ringer in Notre-Dame, where his looks inspired fear and revulsion in others, while the intelligent Jehan embraced a life of debauchery. Now bitter, Frollo experiments with magic and alchemy. Parisians respect and fear him; his knowledge of medicines makes him so powerful that even the king asks for his help. Frollo believes that Esmeralda has been sent to test his faith and honor, so she must be working with the devil.

Quasimodo is accused of attacking Esmeralda and is put on trial. He is publicly humiliated as punishment, but when he begs for water, Esmeralda offers it to him. He immediately falls in love with her. She is deeply in love with Phoebus, though he is engaged; he arranges to meet Esmeralda in private simply to satisfy his lust. He goes drinking with Jehan, only to be followed by Frollo, who pays Phoebus money to watch his meeting with Esmeralda. When Phoebus tries to seduce Esmeralda, Frollo attacks him in a jealous rage and then flees. Esmeralda is accused of the attack and, under torture, confesses to the crime. Frollo offers to save her in exchange for her love, but she refuses. As she is about to be executed, Quasimodo appears and hides her in Notre-Dame, where the ancient right of sanctuary protects her. Discovering Esmeralda hiding in the cathedral, Frollo tries to attack her, but Quasimodo intervenes.

Frollo tricks Gringoire into rallying the thieves to free Esmeralda from the cathedral, but Quasimodo, believing that they have come to hurt her, chases them away. Amid the chaos, Frollo kidnaps Esmeralda and, when she refuses his advances again, leaves her with Paquette. Esmeralda and Paquette discover that they are mother and daughter, which is proven because each has one of a pair of matching shoes. The guards interrupt their reunion and drag Esmeralda away. Paquette, emotional and desperate, is killed. Esmeralda is executed. Frollo and Quasimodo watch from Notre-Dame. Quasimodo kills Frollo for what he did to Esmeralda. She is buried in a mass grave. Years later, her skeleton is found, with the skeleton of Quasimodo beside her, locked in a final embrace. His bones crumble to dust when touched.