The Hunchback of Notre Dame

"The Three Musketeers", "Frankenstein", "Around the world in 80 days", all those samples of nineteenth century literature have become true icons of popular culture in our time. Acknowledging that, I decided to read the literary works that originated some of those cultural concepts, in order to better understand their true meaning. That's how I decide to read "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". This little review is based on my impressions on this great piece from Victor Hugo. Since the high quality of "Hunchback" is universally accepted, a text intended to prove that Hugo's work is a good book would be truly pointless. Rather. this review is meant to comment on why it would be interesting for readers going beyond the popular imagery generally surrounding this important piece of literature and actually reading it.Though I've read an English version of the book, I know the original French title reads just "Notre Dame". That's probably because the focus of the story is not really Quasimodo, the deaf and deformed hunchback in charge of ringing the bells of Notre Dame. The true main character in the book is the cathedral itself. In the story, this edifice is in the center of a series of plots that help to portray medieval Paris. In fact, one could approach "Hunchback" as a true history treaty, due to extensive descriptions of the medieval city and explanations on medieval culture that the scholar Victor Hugo included on his work. However, in Hugo's romanticized portrait of a Paris of times gone by, it's possible to list some characters that stand out as true key figures in the drama. Those most outstanding in the book's plot are the aforementioned Quasimodo; Dom Claude Frolo, the taciturn Archdeacon of notre Dame and Quasimodo's foster parent; La Esmeralda, the gypsy girl, who seems to enchant all around her with her charm; Gringoire a foolish and impoverished poet and Captain Phoebus, a selfish and feeble spirited nobleman who holds a position of military officer.Another misleading notion about "Hunchback" is the belief that it's some sort of gothic version of "Beauty and the Beast", staring the bestial Quasimodo and beautiful La Esmeralda. Quasimodo indeed falls deeply and thoroughly in love with the pretty gypsy, yet, the only feelings her beloved can offer in return are pity, gratitude and tenderness. Despite that, the lady never quite overcomes a deep feeling of disgust towards the bell ringer's hideous figure. Contrary to what many might think, this book is not some mild hearted fable about love and kindness overcoming exterior appearance. In addition to being a historical study about medieval Paris, this piece of literature is an amazing essay on human wickedness. The book is a powerful portrait of several manifestations of evil in the hearts of people. Because of some twists and turns in the story, all those samples of human cruelty portrayed end up being channeled against poor la Esmeralda, causing the complete undoing of she who is the only t

Having seen at least two Hollywood versions of this story (we won't even mention the Disney monstrosity!), I eagerly looked forward to reading Victor Hugo's original. As his superior writing unfolded the story, I soon realised that the four movie versions that have been made were conceived by people with very limited scope and understanding!The story of 15th century life around the edifice of Notre Dame cathedral is brought to life through Hugo's descriptions that allow you to hear the noise of the hustle and bustle of the people and smell the scents that waft about the place. You feel the torturous loneliness of the deformed bellringer, Quasimodo; the pain of the forbidden lust that Claude Frollo has for the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda; and the despair and terror of Esmeralda as she is accused and sentenced to death for the murder of her lover, Captain Phoebus!It's a great book...I'll never be able to watch the movies ever again!

Victor Hugo never wrote a book titled THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. Some early translator gave it that name. What Hugo wrote was a book called NOTRE DAME OF PARIS (in French: NOTRE DAME de PARIS). This is not a book that is primarily about a hunchback named Quasimodo or a beautiful Gypsy girl named Esmerelda. It is a book narrowly focused on the Cathedral of Notre Dame situated on the Ile de la Cite in the center of Paris and, more broadly, on the 15th century city of Paris. This was a Paris where public executions or any form of punishment involving public humiliation were the highest forms of entertainment and drew the kinds of crowds that we would see at a major sports event today. If this book is not read with this in mind, the reader might well be disappointed because he came to it with a different sort of book in mind. I would like to congratulate the one previous reviewer who reviewed the book on the basis of its actual scope and intent.Now to the human aspects of the novel, the plot so to speak: There are no perfect angels in this book. After all, Esmerelda was a part of a band of thieves who came to public gatherings for the express purpose of seeing what they could "gather" for themselves. Quasimodo was not a misshapen humanitarian. He had been known to carry out a dirty deed or two himself. As for the rest of the characters, there's not a role model in the bunch. To Hugo's credit, we really care about Quasimodo and Esmerelda, "warts and all." This is one indication of good writing.The basic plot, devoid of any embellishments, is rather simple. Esmerelda, out of humanitarian instincts, comes to Quasimodo's aid in a small but meaningful way when he really needs a friend. Quasimodo, as best as he is able, falls in love with Esmerelda. When the arch villain, Archdeacon Dom Frollo, who is also in love with Esmerelda but has been rejected by her, tries to have her hanged, Quasimodo saves her, but only for a while. Eventually she is executed under circumstances where Quasimodo can't came to her rescue. Quasimodo throws our villain, Dom Frollo, to his death from the heights of the cathedral.In a way, its a shame that when an author creates a memorable character, or an opera composer writes an unforgettable aria, these creations take on such lives of their own that they overshadow the novel or opera from which they come. That has certainly been one of the fates of this book. Too many readers have come to it searching for the cute little Disney Quasimodo, or even Charles Laughton's unforgettable Quasimodo from the 1939 movie. When it turned out that the scope of this book was so much more comprehensive, they were disappointed for all the wrong reasons.A note about reading Hugo, or any other author worth reading. One should read for enjoyment, and, where it is available, for information that will increase one's understanding of this world. I have noticed that several reviewers, some o

The Hunchback of Notre Dame was a story that I thought would be a little bit adolescent and childish because they made a Disney movie out of it. But it wasn't. If your read the story, you realize that Disney obviously made the movie have more of a happy ending, because a sad ending is not characteristic of a child's film. Also, the Disney movie focused more on the moral of "Don't judge a person by the way they look", where the book obviously did not. The book just doesn't transfer well to screen. As far as the actual book goes, it was a very powerful story. Even though it's not really a mystery, you just want to read more to find out what happens. You begin to feel inside the story, in almost another reality. Anytime somebody talked to me or disturbed me during my reading, I would come out of the fictional dimension feeling almost hypnotic because of being into the story so much. This story is very deep, and certainly more than the Disney film portrays. I guess the main thought that I'm trying to send here is that the book is so much different and focuses on so many different subjects that in order to UNDERSTAND The Hunchback of Notre Dame you must read the book.

Do not watch the Disney version to understand this! This is not a simple tale where the moral is not to judge people by looks! Hugo masterfully shows us a tragic but interesting dilemna. Claude Frollo is holy and virtuous enough to take care of an abandoned and physically deformed child. Yet, despite his virtue, he is unable to control his sexual frustrations towards the gypsy woman. It is also interesting that despite the kindness Quasimodo shows towards La Esmeralda, she can hardly look at him. Hugo masterfully increases our sorrow when Quasimodo sees her beauty and feels all the more ugly: "I never realized how ugly I am until now." It is also striking that the gypsies are sympathetic at first, but then their actions go to far and the soldiers of the church have no choice but to take direct action. Another phenomenal aspect of this book is that even though Claude Frollo shows his dark side, Hugo does not permit us to forget his good points. (Especially when Hugo shows the ingratitude of Claude Frollo's delinquent brother after all the kindness he treated him with.) Hugo presents us with striking images, powerful drama, convincing characters, some comic relief, tragic recognition and reversal, and harsh realities. Not one page is wasted. The harsh ending where Quasimodo sees everything he loved destroyed and leaves the cathedral in pure sorrow left me silent for days. If you are open to reading this in Quasimodo's and Claude Frollo's light (not in a modern light) I highly recommend this exquisite masterpiece beyond expectations. I DO NOT recommend the DISNEY version. Someone lent it to me, and I was so enraged at the destruction of Hugo's intentions that I would have loved to burn the tape. Read the book instead, or at least find a movie that tells the story the way Hugo wrote it!