Summary of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
“The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” is set in Paris in 1482 and centres on Esmeralda, a beautiful young Romani dancer who attracts the affection of several men, including the poet Pierre Gringoire, the Captain of the Guards Phoebus de Châteaupers, the archdeacon of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Claude Frollo, and the cathedral’s bell-ringer, Quasimodo. As jealousy, obsession and love drive the characters towards tragedy, Esmeralda is accused of a crime she did not commit and seeks refuge within the walls of Notre-Dame, where she is protected by the hunchback Quasimodo. The story culminates in a dramatic confrontation involving the cathedral and a violent clash between the authorities and the outcasts of the slums of Paris.
Reasons to read The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
“The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” is one of the most famous novels ever set in Paris and is closely associated with Notre-Dame Cathedral. Victor Hugo wrote the novel partly out of concern for the neglect and destruction of France’s medieval architectural heritage. The book became immensely popular and helped inspire renewed interest in the preservation of Gothic architecture. Although remembered today for Quasimodo and Esmeralda, the novel is also a vivid portrait of medieval Paris, populated by characters from every level of society. The cathedral itself functions almost as a central character, silently witnessing the events that unfold around it. Victor Hugo was one of the greatest French authors of the nineteenth century and a leading figure of European Romanticism. Other major works by Hugo include his novel “Les Misérables”, the plays “Lucrèce Borgia” and “Ruy Blas”, and the poetry collections “Odes et Ballades”, “Les Feuilles d’automne” and “Les Contemplations”.
Setting: Paris (France)
Novel set in Paris, particularly Notre-Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité.
Original title: Notre-Dame de Paris
Year of publication: 1831
Nr of pages: 496
