(originally titled Notre-Dame de Paris ) is a seminal Gothic novel by Victor Hugo , published in 1831. Set in 15th-century Paris, it is renowned for its vivid portrayal of medieval life and its central themes of love, obsession, and social injustice. Core Narrative
Hugo uses the novel as a vehicle for profound social and philosophical commentary: The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Simon & Schuster Canada The Hunchback of Notre Dame
: A beautiful and compassionate Romani dancer. Her kindness toward Quasimodo earns his unwavering loyalty, but her beauty also attracts the dangerous obsession of other men. (originally titled Notre-Dame de Paris ) is a
The story follows three central figures whose lives are inextricably linked by the grand cathedral of Notre Dame: Her kindness toward Quasimodo earns his unwavering loyalty,
: Quasimodo’s guardian and the primary antagonist. A man of high intellect and religious stature, he is driven to moral ruin by his obsessive, unrequited lust for Esmeralda.
: The deformed, deaf bell-ringer of the cathedral. Abandoned as an infant, he lives in isolation, finding sanctuary and companionship in the cathedral's bells and stone gargoyles.
The plot culminates in tragedy: Frollo's obsession leads to Esmeralda’s wrongful execution for witchcraft. Heartbroken and enraged, Quasimodo kills Frollo by pushing him from the cathedral towers and subsequently dies beside Esmeralda’s body in a crypt.