Hunchback Essay, Research Paper
Film Critique
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Hugo was trying to say about the main character, Quazi Motto, that looks have
nothing to do with personality and how well they should be liked. Quazi Motto was quite
unattractive physically but his personality was one of greatness, and his intentions were
always good.
Women?s issues were depicted through the gypsy girl. When she spoke out in
public in support of Quazi Motto, she was shunned against as though it were a sin. People
then wanted her arrested just for standing up for someone else?s human rights. The more
aristocratic people in the story didn?t like any gypsy?s, but especially not Ezmerelda since
she stood up for Quazi and since she was a woman… Quazi Motto?s mother was also taken
advantage of. Since she was a poor woman, she was accused of stealing bread when she
was simply trying to protect her baby. Even if they knew that was simply what she was
trying to do, they still would have taken the baby and arrested her.
Prejudice, race, and cultural differences are shown in the film by having gypsies,
peasants, religious icons, and aristocratic people all interacting. The film made it obvious
that anyone without much money was discriminated against and would be blamed for any
problems occurring within society. The peasants and gypsies simply did what they could
to survive and weren?t harming anyone, but the aristocrats would blame all mishaps on
them and were always wishing them ill. The religious icons were there to try to protect
the peasants and gypsies but the aristocrats wouldn?t stop at anyone?s command but their
own.
Romance is woven throughout the film between Ezmerelda and the Captain and
Ezmerelda and Quazi Motto. It was unacceptable for the Captain and Ezmerelda to have
a relationship because him being of aristocracy was expected to be against gypsies. It was
also unacceptable for Ezmerelda and Quazi to have a relationship because no one was
supposed to be attracted to Quazi by his master?s standards. In the end though, love wins
as the Captain and Ezmerelda develop a relationship and Quazi Motto accepts it.
I think that the focus of the film was on Paris because it was one of the leading and
most diverse cities of the romantic movement. It was set in Notre Dame possibly because
it was Paris? church at the time and the center of religions. Many peasants and outcasts
would go there for protection.