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
Although Frollo and Esmeralda believe Phoebus is dead, this is not actually the case. Phoebus’s wound was serious, but he still recovers quickly. Embarrassed by events with Esmeralda, he decides to leave Paris. Although the court tries Esmeralda with murder, no one is really bothered about the facts of the case—the crowd simply wants to see an execution.
Phoebus does not care about Esmeralda and only cares about his reputation as a noble soldier, which he feels may be damaged if people think he was attacked and could not defend himself. The fact that he’s alive also reinforces the point that the justice system is completely unjust; Esmeralda is being executed for a murder that didn’t even happen.
Themes
Phoebus cannot fully explain what happened to him on the night he was stabbed but he worries that witchcraft was involved. Witches were hanged almost every week in Paris, so he assumes that Esmeralda will be hanged and does not think any more about it. During his time away, Phoebus begins to long for Fleur-de-Lys, whom he had previously almost forgotten about. He decides that it may now be safe to return to Paris.
Phoebus, like many people in the medieval period, is very superstitious and seriously believes in the supernatural. Although Phoebus appears handsome and noble, his appearance does not reflect his inner character and he carelessly abandons Esmeralda, even though she will likely die as a result of his actions.
Themes
Fleur-de-Lys is still upset with Phoebus because of his interaction with Esmeralda and because of his long absence. When Phoebus arrives at her house, however, she remembers how handsome he is. Phoebus is passionately attracted to Fleur-de-Lys again and tells her that he was wounded in a duel and that is why he hasn’t been to see her. A crowd gathers in the square outside the house and Fleur-de-Lys explains that a witch is being hanged. Phoebus wants to stay inside and flirt with Fleur-de-Lys, but she is worried for her virtue. She insists they go onto the balcony to watch the execution.
Fleur-de-Lys is taken in by Phoebus’s dashing appearance and overlooks the fact that he abandoned her for Esmeralda. This suggests that people are easily taken in by handsome exteriors, even when they know what lies underneath. Fleur-de-Lys tries to protect herself from Phoebus’s advances because, as a woman (even an upper-class woman), the punishment for promiscuous behavior will be more severe for her. This is further demonstrated by the fact that Esmeralda is about to be hung because of her tryst with Phoebus.
Themes
The crowd in the square jeers and shouts to each other as a cage is driven through their midst on a cart. Jacques Charmolue rides in front of the cart and inside Esmeralda and Djali are tied up. Esmeralda is dressed in a white shift that shows her legs. She still wears her jeweled amulet around her neck. Fleur-de-Lys recognizes Esmeralda and points this out to Phoebus, who turns white and tries to retreat inside. Fleur-de-Lys grows suspicious and demands that they stay on the balcony.
This scene shows again that people were often sentenced to death on flimsy evidence for the entertainment of the crowd. Phoebus is a coward and tries to hide when he sees Esmeralda because he knows that he is partly responsible for her death. She has been condemned for his murder, even though he is alive and even though he knows it was not her who stabbed him. Rather than try to help her, however, he is concerned about his reputation and how these events will make him look to his fiancée.
Themes
Get the entire The Hunchback of Notre Dame LitChart as a printable PDF.
As Esmeralda approaches the gallows, the doors of Notre Dame open and a procession of priests approaches and chants a mass for the dead. Frollo is among them, pale as a statue. He stops the cart and asks Esmeralda if she has renounced her sins. Leaning over, he whispers to her that he can still save her if she will agree to love him. Esmeralda says that she will “denounce him” but he replies that no one will believe her.
Frollo is a hypocrite. He is a priest and pretends to be holy and morally virtuous, but, he has charged Esmeralda with witchcraft to cover up the fact that he is sexually obsessed with her and to try and threaten her into sleeping with him. There is nothing Esmeralda can do to change her fate or defend herself from Frollo, because he is a powerful priest and has far more social status than she does.
Themes
Frollo glances around the square and sees Phoebus on the balcony. Frollo reels back and, suddenly furious, says that Esmeralda must die. The procession moves away, and the cart resumes its journey to the gallows. Suddenly, Esmeralda also catches sight of Phoebus and cries out desperately for his help. Phoebus and Fleur-de-Lys hurry from the balcony and Esmeralda faints with despair.
Frollo is a hypocrite who wishes to cover up his own crimes. He knows that Phoebus can clear Esmeralda’s name—she is accused of Phoebus’s murder, but it was Frollo who stabbed Phoebus—but he would rather kill Esmeralda than have his own reputation ruined.
Themes
As the cart reaches the gallows, Quasimodo, who has been watching the scene from Notre Dame, suddenly appears in the square and snatches Esmeralda from the guards. He carries her into the church, holds her aloft, and cries out the word “asylum.” The crowd, which has been cheering for her death, is moved by this scene of defiance and they begin to cheer for Quasimodo instead. They are touched to see one outcast saving another.
People who were condemned to be executed could claim asylum in certain sacred sites, like churches and cathedrals. As execution was common, even for minor crimes, this gave prisoners a chance to escape ruthless and unjust sentences. Although Quasimodo and Esmeralda seem to be the extreme opposites of each other—he is extremely ugly, and she is extremely beautiful—they are both outcasts from society because of their unusual appearances. And in this case, at least, Esmeralda is being rewarded for her virtue; she was kind to Quasimodo when he was beaten, so he rescues her now.
Themes
Quasimodo scales the tower of Notre Dame with Esmeralda in his arms and a huge roar goes up from the crowd. Paquette la Chantefleurie, who has been eagerly watching the gallows, is confused and waits to see the gypsy hanged.
Quasimodo and Esmeralda reflect two aspects of Gothic architecture—the beautiful and the grotesque—which are brought together in Notre Dame, both thematically in the novel and literally in the architectureof the cathedral.
Themes
