Notre-Dame de Paris

Author: Victor Hugo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The novel is set in 15th-century France under the reign of Louis XI. Through the tragic story of an innocent Bohemian girl, it exposes the hypocrisy of priests, the cruelty of the Inquisition, the debauchery of the nobility, and the tyranny of the king. The work vividly reflects the anti-feudal and anti-clerical consciousness and celebrates the common people. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a novel of immense ideological power and artistic appeal by Hugo. Set in 15th-century Paris under Louis XI, the novel depicts the lives of the lower classes, reflecting the social reality of France at the time through historical lenses. The Gypsy girl Esmeralda earns a living by performing on the streets. The deacon Claude Frollo falls in love with her but discovers she has another lover. He schemes to murder her lover and frames Esmeralda for the crime, leading to her execution. However, the bell ringer Quasimodo saves her and brings her to Notre-Dame Cathedral for sanctuary. Frollo abducts her and hands her over to the authorities, who lock her in the cathedral where she is later hanged. In a fit of despair and rage, Quasimodo pushes Frollo off the tower, killing him instantly. He then joins Esmeralda's corpse in the catacombs of Mont Saint-Michel, uniting with her in death in a twisted "wedding."