Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gothic Architecture, History, and Art
Lust, Sin, and Misogyny
Appearances, Alienation, and Hypocrisy
Fate and Predestination
The Supernatural, Rationalism, and Knowledge
Justice, Punishment, and Freedom
Summary
Analysis
Once Frollo and Charmolue are gone, Jehan scrambles out from his hiding place and begins to poke around the cell. He finds Frollo’s wallet, pockets it, and hurries down the stairs. Outside, Jehan hears a man swearing and realizes that it is Phoebus. Jehan asks Phoebus to join him for a drink and shows him the purse full of money. Phoebus happily agrees and the pair set off to the Pomme d’Eve tavern.
Although Frollo has tried to raise Jehan to be an honest and scholarly young man, fate intervenes and Jehan grows into a debauched and dishonest person. Although Phoebus is very good-looking, and is often considered noble, he is also a selfish and debauched man under the surface. The “Pomme d’Eve” (Eve’s Apple) alludes Adam’s temptation in the biblical Garden of Eden story, in which Eve convinced Adam to eat the forbidden fruit against God’s wishes and caused Adam to fall from grace. The name is symbolic here as it represents Frollo’s belief that he is sexually tempted by Esmeralda because she wishes to spiritually damn him and that his lustful temptation will be his spiritual downfall.
Themes
Frollo, meanwhile, sees Jehan leave and join Phoebus, and he sneaks after them. As he walks, Frollo listens to their conversation—which they conduct at the top of their voices—in which they compare their many sexual conquests. Phoebus tells Jehan to hurry up: he does not want Esmeralda to see him. Jehan asks Phoebus what he wants with Esmeralda and Phoebus smirks lecherously and whispers something to Jehan.
Although Phoebus appears dashing and noble, he is in fact a lecherous womanizer. Frollo believes that Phoebus has had sex with Esmeralda, and that this is what he whispers to Jehan. Frollo is horrified by this because he is sexually obsessed with Esmeralda and does not want other men to touch her.
Themes
Jehan asks Phoebus if he is sure Esmeralda will come and Phoebus confidently assures him that she will. Frollo is horrified to hear Esmeralda spoken of in this way and leans against a post for a moment to prevent a swoon. He recovers quickly, however, and follows Phoebus and Jehan a moment later.
Frollo is sexually obsessed with Esmeralda and cannot stand the thought of another man seducing her. Although he wants to possess Esmeralda himself, it is also important to Frollo that Esmeralda be sexually pure because purity is associated with holiness in the medieval period. Although Frollo has lustful urges towards Esmeralda, he still, hypocritically, wants to think of her as pure.
Themes
