Victor Hugo

Notre-Dame of Paris Victor Hugo

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is set in Paris during the 15th century. The story centres on Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer of Notre-Dame Cathedral, and his unrequited love for the beautiful dancer La Esmeralda. Esmeralda, born Agnès, is perceived to be a French Roma girl. Her biological mother is a former prostitute once known as Paquette la Chantefleurie but now known as Sister Gudule; her paternity is unknown. Fifteen years before the events of the novel, a group of Roma kidnapped the infant Agnès from her mother's room. Esmeralda has no knowledge of her kidnapping: she lives and travels with the Roma as if she is one of them. Quasimodo first meets Esmeralda at the Feast of Fools, an annual festival parodying ecclesiastical ritual and cardinal elections. During the festival, Quasimodo is elected "Pope of the Fools" and subsequently beaten by an angry mob. Esmeralda takes pity on him and offers him a drink of water. Quasimodo thereafter falls in love with the dancer and decides to devote himself to protecting her...