A brief retelling of Victor Hugo's novel "Notre Dame Cathedral"

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

What educated person doesn't know Victor Hugo's Notre Dame Cathedral? After all, this book is present in any list of compulsory literature recommended for schoolchildren to read during the summer holidays. However, even those who did not bother to get acquainted with this chic work have at least some idea of the novel, thanks to the French musical, which has made a sensation all over the world. But time flies forward, our memory filters out what it does not need. Therefore, for those who have forgotten what Hugo's novel "Notre Dame Cathedral" tells about, we give an amazing opportunity to remember how events unfolded during the time of King Louis XI. Friends, get ready! We are going to medieval France!

"Notre Dame Cathedral" Hugo. Summary of the novel

The story told by the author takes place in France in the 15th century. Here the author creates a certain historical background, against which between two people -beauty and ugliness - a whole love drama unfolds, shown to us in rather bright colors by Victor Hugo. "Notre Dame Cathedral" is, first of all, the love story of a freak-hunchback for a charming gypsy.

I'll sell my soul to the Devil…

The main character of the novel is a beautiful and young gypsy named Esmeralda. It so happened that three men were inflamed with passion at once: the archdeacon of the Cathedral - Claude Frollo, his pupil - the hunchbacked and deaf ringer Quasimodo, and the captain of the royal regiment's riflemen - the young handsome Phoebus de Chateauper. However, each of them has their own idea of passion, love and honor!

Claude Frollo

Despite his mission to serve God, Archdeacon Frollo can hardly be called a pious person. At one time, it was he who picked up a little ugly boy abandoned by negligent parents from the well, sheltered and raised him. But that doesn't justify it. Yes, he serves the Lord, but he does not truly serve, but simply because it is necessary! Frollo is endowed with executive power: he commands an entire royal regiment (whose captain is our other hero, officer Phoebus), and also administers justice to people. But this is not enough for him. One day, noticing a beautiful young girl in Greve Square, the archdeacon succumbed to voluptuousness. He experiences sexual attraction and lust for the young Esmeralda. Now Frollo cannot sleep at night: he locks himself in his cell and goes crazy for a gypsy.

Having received fromEsmeralda's refusal, the false priest begins to take revenge on the young girl. He accuses her of being a witch! Claude says that the Inquisition is crying for her, and by hanging! Frollo orders his pupil - the deaf and crooked ringer Quasimodo to catch the gypsy! The hunchback fails to do so, as a young officer Phoebus rips her out of his hands, accidentally patrolling the area in that place.

Beautiful as the sun!

Captain Phoebus is one of the nobles who served at court. He has a fiancee - a charming blond girl named Fleur-de-lis. However, Phoebe does not stop this. While saving Esmeralda from a hunchbacked freak, the officer becomes infatuated with her. Now he is ready to do anything to get a love night with a young gypsy, and he does not even care about the fact that she is a virgin. She loves him back! A poor young girl falls in love with a lustful officer, mistaking a simple "glass" for a "diamond"!

One Night of Love…

Phoebus and Esmeralda agree on an evening meeting at a cabaret called "Shelter of Love". However, their night was not destined to come true. When the officer and the gypsy are alone, the desperate archdeacon who tracked down Phoebus stabs him in the back! This blow turns out to be non-fatal, but for the trial of the gypsy and the subsequent punishment (by hanging), this attempt on the captain of the shooters is quite enough.

Beauty and the Beast

Because Quasimodo couldn't stealgypsy, Frollo ordered him to be whipped in the square. And so it happened. When the hunchback asked for a drink, the only person who responded to his request was Esmeralda. She went up to the chained freak and gave him a drink from a mug. This made a fatal impression on Quasimodo.

The hunchback, who always and in everything listened to his master (Archdeacon Frollo), finally went against his will. And love is to blame for everything … The love of the "monster" for the beauty … He saved her from prosecution by hiding in the Cathedral. According to the laws of medieval France, which were taken into account by Victor Hugo, Notre Dame Cathedral and any other temple of God was a refuge and shelter for every person persecuted by the authorities for this or that offense.

In a few days spent within the walls of Notre Dame de Paris, Esmeralda made friends with a hunchback. She fell in love with those terrible stone chimeras that sat above the Cathedral and the whole Place de Greve. Unfortunately, Quasimodo did not wait for mutual feelings from the gypsy. Of course, it cannot be said that she did not pay attention to him. He became her best friend. The girl saw a lonely and kind soul behind the external ugliness.

True and eternal love erased the outward ugliness of Quasimodo. The hunchback was finally able to find the courage in himself to save his beloved from the death that threatens her from Claude Frollo - the gallows. He went against his mentor.

Eternal love…

Hugo's "Notre Dame Cathedral" - a book withvery dramatic denouement. The finale of the novel can leave few people indifferent. The terrible Frollo nevertheless sets in motion his plan of revenge - young Esmeralda finds herself in a loop. But her death will be avenged! The love of a hunchback for a gypsy pushes him to kill his own mentor! Quasimodo pushes him against Notre Dame. The poor hunchback is very fond of the gypsy. He takes her to the Cathedral, hugs her and … dies. Now they are together forever.