Notre-Dame de Paris

Author: Victor Hugo
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2003-03-01
Features: Victor Hugo (1802–1885), the author of the novel Notre-Dame de Paris, was a renowned French poet, novelist, literary critic, and political writer of the 19th century. Hugo's life's works included poetry, drama, novels, literary theory, political essays, and more, most of which were imbued with humanitarian passion. Among them, his achievements in the creation of novels were particularly outstanding. Notre-Dame de Paris is a representative work of Hugo's romantic novels. The novel is set in 15th-century Paris under the rule of Louis XI and reflects the theme of anti-feudalism. Bishop Frollo of Notre-Dame develops an obsession with the Gypsy girl Esmeralda, ordering the ugly bell ringer Quasimodo to abduct her. Captain Frollo assassinates Phoebus and frames Esmeralda for the crime, leading to her conviction and execution. Quasimodo rescues Esmeralda and hides her in Notre-Dame, only to be taken away by Frollo and handed over to the authorities. On the day of execution, Quasimodo pushes Frollo off the rooftop, killing him, while taking his own life beside Esmeralda's body.