The Hunchack Of Notre Dame Essay Research

Paper

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a story of jealousy, romance, and hatred. All these feelings over one girl: La Esmeralda. It takes place in Paris during the late fifteenth century. The first character you are introduced to is Pierre Gringoire. He is a play writer who is having his play performed for the double holiday of the Epiphany and the Festival of Fools. Pierre was trying to keep the play going but gave up when the audience was distracted again by their favorite and most famed gypsy: La Esmeralda. She had entered the square and caught the attention of most people. While La Esmeralda was dancing Claud Frollo, the Archdeacon, was watching her. When every thing was over and it was night Pierre, with nowhere to go, followed La Esmeralda in search of a bed and fire. When he was following her two men jumped out at La Esmeralda and seized her. Pierre try to help, but was easily thrown aside by a strong beast. Luckily a Captain on a horse was passing by and saved La Esmeralda. When Pierre woke up it was still night and he still had nowhere to go so he wandered. He soon found himself in dreaded Court of Miracles. This is where all the thieves lived. He was caught and brought to trial by the leaders and was about to be hanged when La Esmeralda agreed to take him to be her husband. Pierre soon found out this act was only an act of pity and there was no love. Now to tell you what happened to Quasimodo. Claud Frollo had adopted Quasimodo. Claud was a very learned man, the archdeacon of Notre Dame, and a scientist. He loved only his brother Jehan, Quasimodo, and the Church. But now he found a new love that troubled him. It was La Esmeralda. Meanwhile Quasimodo was put on trial for attacking La Esmeralda and condemned to lashes. When he was receiving these lashes La Esmeralda brought him water and Quasimodo now too loved her. While all these people loved La Esmeralda she loved but only one man, Phoebus. The man who saved her that night she was almost abducted. She had arranged to meet him at an inn. On his way to the inn Phoebus encounters a strange man, Claud Frollo, who asks if he could join Phoebus. Phoebus agrees and says he could hide in the closet. While they are in the room and La Esmeralda is confessing her love to Phoebus Claud Frollo s jealousy overpowers him and he lunges out of the closet. He then stabs Phoebus and runs away. Phoebus was supposedly dead and La Esmeralda is accused and convicted of killing Phoebus. Her sentence was she was to do public penance wearing nothing but a slip before the doorway to the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Then she will be brought to Place de Grieve to be hanged. While she was waiting in prison Claud Frollo visited her. She dreaded him for she knew he was the one who killed her Phoebus. He, loving her, offered to get her out only if she loved him, she refused. When the day came while she was in front of the Cathedral she saw Phoebus, who had just recovered, and she screamed out to him. Then the guards started to take her to the gallows. But before they started on their way Quasimodo swooped down from the church, seized La Esmeralda, and brought into refuge at the top of the Church. There he held her up and showed his prize while yelling, Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Quasimodo took care of La Esmeralda the time she was in there and they grew closer. At the time churches were a place of refuge and sanctuary and any criminal was safe in there unless Parliament issued a decree. In this case it did. When Pierre, Claud Frollo, and the men from the Court of Miracles found this out they were very upset. Claud Frollo asked his very good friend, Pierre Gringoire, who had become a well-liked man in the Court of Miracles, if he could organize the vagabonds, or thieves, to save La Esmeralda. He agreed and when they went to save La Esmeralda Quasimodo thought they were trying to capture and hang her. So he fought against them from the top of the Cathedral. When the Vagabonds finally gave up Quasimodo went to check on La Esmeralda she was gone. Pierre Gringoire and Claud Frollo had taken her and left. The Priest once again offer La Esmeralda refuge if she only would love him. She refused and called out for Phoebus. At the sound of this name the Priest became outraged and went off to fetch the guards who, on hearing she has escaped were already looking for her. Before he left though he made an old woman hold her. The old woman hated gypsies because they had once stolen her baby from her. Then the old woman and the girl find out La Esmeralda is the woman s baby and the old woman tries to hide her. When the guards return the break down the wall take La Esmeralda out and hang her. And from a distance Claud Frollo and Quasimodo watch. Quasimodo knowing that Claud Frollo turned her in then threw him off the ledge. And as Quasimodo looked down at Claud Frollo and thought of La Esmeralda he cried out, Oh! Everything I ve loved!