The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

by

Victor Hugo

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Book 7, Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
One morning a few days after this, Jehan gets up and realizes that he has run out of money. After a few moments, he decides that he must go and see his brother, Frollo, to ask for money—even if this means Frollo will give him a lecture. Jehan marches determinedly through Paris, spurred on by hunger (he cannot afford any food), and he arrives at Notre Dame. A priest tells Jehan that Frollo is in his cell and Jehan begins to climb the stairs.
Although Frollo tries to raise Jehan to be a thoughtful and godly young man, Jehan grows up spendthrift, careless, and hypocritical (he only goes to see Frollo when he needs money, not because he cares about his brother). Although Frollo has tried to control Jehan’s fate, his attempts have been unsuccessful.
Themes
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Jehan reaches the landing and peers through the door into Frollo’s cell. The cell is like a painting by Rembrandt that depicts Doctor Faustus in his study, as he stares in amazement at a word which has appeared by magic on the wall. Frollo is seated in his armchair in a gloomy corner of the room and he looks glum and pensive. He is lost in thought and does not notice Jehan for some time. There are instruments of alchemy strewn about the room and several inscriptions carved into the walls.
Doctor Faustus is a famous character from medieval folklore who is frequently depicted in art and literature as a scholar who sells his soul to the devil for forbidden knowledge. The word that appears on the wall in Rembrandt’s painting reflects Frollo’s attempts to gain knowledge of alchemy by reading the walls of buildings. Just as Faustus sells his soul to the devil, Frollo’s quest for knowledge is sinful according to medieval belief because he wants to acquire knowledge so that he can understand God. In Christian doctrine, it is sinful for men to attempt to be like God; for instance, in the Garden of Eden story, Adam and Eve fell from grace because they ate fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge.
Themes
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The Supernatural, Rationalism, and Knowledge Theme Icon
A manuscript is open on the table before Frollo and he pores over it and murmurs to himself as Jehan eavesdrops. Frollo mutters that fire is the creative force in the world and that the sun is made of fire. Light comes from the sun and gold is light made metal. Gold is found underground so possibly, Frollo says, one should try to bury light to make gold. Some women’s names, he continues, are believed to be pure: names like “Esmeralda.” Frollo cuts himself off and throws himself back in his chair in frustration. He mutters that his mind is always stuck on the same thought.
Alchemy was an early form of natural science concerned with the transformation of certain metals into different substances. In this sense, alchemy was an attempt to understand the world in a rational and observational way and was a precursor to rationalism and modern science. However, medieval alchemists believed that gold was not formed through a natural process but was put on earth by God and that, therefore, learning how to make gold could help an alchemist understand God—something which was considered sinful in the medieval period, since people were not meant to aspire to be like God.
Themes
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Frollo slams his book shut and laments that all his scientific experiments have recently failed. He says that a singular infatuation taunts his brain and that it prevents him from doing his work. He picks up a small hammer and chisel, rises, and carves a Greek word into the wall of the cell. Once this is done, he slumps down in his chair once more and drops his forehead into his hands like a person with a fever.
Frollo’s emotions are extremely passionate and intense and, when he is interested in something, he tends to become fixated on it. When these emotions can find no outlet, however, they begin to physically torment him. It is pertinent that Frollo carves a word on the wall because Frollo reads historical buildings like books to learn the cultural knowledge they contain. This word, therefore, contributes to the knowledge and history of Notre Dame, which can be interpreted and studied by others later on. In fact, Hugo himself was inspired to write the novel after seeing a word carved into the wall of a cell in the cathedral.
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Compared with Frollo, Jehan is an open, sensual person who never denies himself any pleasures. Jehan cannot understand Frollo’s austere temperament or the passion which rages inside him like a fire. Sensing that this is a private moment that he is not supposed to see, Jehan quietly backs away from the door and then knocks as though he has just arrived. Frollo is startled—he expects a visit from a court official, Jacques Charmolue—and he is irritated when he sees it is Jehan instead.
Although Frollo tried to raise Jehan as a scholarly and thoughtful young man, Jehan’s natural temperament is very extreme and passionate, like Frollo’s. It is ironic that Frollo himself became a priest because priests are supposed to deny worldly pleasures—which are considered sinful according to medieval doctrine—for the sake of spiritual purity. Although he may appear holy and austere, Frollo is just passionate as Jehan and he suffers with this because, unlike Jehan, he is not allowed to express desires like lust, which are considered sinful and impure. This does not cause his desires to go away, however, but only intensifies and warps them.
Themes
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Quotes
Frollo asks Jehan why he has come and Jehan replies that he has come to ask Frollo for some wisdom and some money. Frollo immediately begins to lecture Jehan on some brawls that Jehan has recently been involved in. Frollo questions Jehan about his education and asks him if he has learned Latin or Greek yet. Frollo asks Jehan if can read the Greek word that Frollo has just carved on the wall, and Jehan admits he cannot.
Frollo tried to raise Jehan to be a scholarly and wise young man. Despite Frollo’s best efforts, however, Jehan seems destined to live a debauched life and does not care about Frollo’s hopes for him. This suggests that, although Frollo has tried to exert his influence over Jehan, people cannot always control others or even determine their own fates.
Themes
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The word, Frollo tells Jehan, means “fatality.” Underneath it, written in the same handwriting (also in Greek), is the word “uncleanliness.” Frollo snaps at Jehan to explain why he has come and Jehan says he needs money. Frollo says he doesn’t have much to give but Jehan insists that he must have a loan. Frollo asks what Jehan wants the money for and Jehan says that he and some friends want to buy baby clothes for a woman in need.
The presence of these two words together suggests that humans are doomed to be “unclean” or impure. Sexuality was considered unclean in the medieval period because purity was associated with holiness, while lust was associated with sin. Humans are subject to physical desires, however (which Hugo suggests cannot be successfully controlled), and so Frollo’s carved words also imply that humans are destined to fail if they attempt to be pure like God—even though that’s exactly what Frollo is attempting. Jehan is a hypocrite and pretends that he wants to do good with the money, when really he wants to spend it on himself.
Themes
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Frollo is suspicious and questions Jehan further. Jehan immediately gives in and admits that he wants the money to visit a prostitute. Horrified, Frollo calls Jehan impure, but Jehan repeats the Greek word written on the wall, which seems to unnerve Frollo. Jehan begs his brother for money but Frollo tells him to go away—he expects another visitor soon. Jehan pretends to cry, which makes Frollo laugh. Jehan grows petulant and threatens to ruin himself when Frollo again refuses him money. 
Frollo is a hypocrite and, although he feels strong lustful urges himself, he pretends that he is disgusted by sex. Sex was often considered impure in the medieval period, especially by religious figures like Frollo, who were required to remain celibate. Frollo wants to appear extremely pure, but Jehan can see that Frollo has carved both the words into the wall, so he insinuates that Frollo also has “unclean” thoughts.
Themes
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Frollo says sadly that Jehan has no soul. Just as Jehan is about to leave, a knock on the door disturbs them. Frollo ushers Jehan under a table and hisses at him to keep quiet. Jehan says that he will keep quiet if Frollo gives him some money and Frollo grudgingly hands over a florin. With Jehan hidden from sight, Frollo calls Jacques Charmolue into the room.
Frollo implies that Jehan is only interested in worldly pleasures and satisfying his sensual urges. People who gave in to such desires were believed to endanger their souls, as sensuality was associated with sin and spiritual punishment.
Themes
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