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Allegory
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Book 9, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Job:
Claude Frollo’s delirious tramp across Paris ends with an allusion in Book 9, Chapter 1. As the archdeacon returns to the cathedral and flips through the Bible in search of spiritual guidance, he stumbles across verses from the book of Job:
He threw himself eagerly on the holy book, in the hopes of finding some consolation or encouragement in it. The book was open at this passage from Job, which he perused with staring eyes: "Then a spirit passed before my face, and I heard a little breath, and the hair of my flesh stood up."
Job—who leaves a resonant tale of suffering—probes the limits of mortal existence. As part of a bet with Satan, God allows his archangel to wreak havoc with Job’s life: Job loses his children, wife, cattle, and home. In doing so, God tests the strength of Job’s piety.
His story is equally about the possibility of justice and morality. As Job laments his circumstances, his friends gather around to comfort him. But their consolations sound more like criticisms, as they assume that Job’s sins are the source of his misfortunes. Here, Claude Frollo’s verse references Job’s friend Eliphaz, who assures him of the certainty of divine retribution for wicked deeds. The evil will be punished and the just rewarded, Eliphaz explains—little comfort for a priest who has attempted murder and given up the last of his morals in frenzied pursuit of a woman. Eliphaz’s words threaten the archdeacon with the very terrifying possibility of punishment.
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Book 11, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Cain:
The Hunchback of Notre Dame comes draped with classical, historical, and biblical allusions. Book 11, Chapter 1 makes one such biblical reference as Claude Frollo clutches Esmeralda at the foot of the gallows after stealing her out of asylum. His final, failed attempt to seduce Esmeralda sends him to a maddened trance:
As he uttered these last words, his expression became completely distraught. He was silent for a moment, then he went on, as if talking to himself, but in a loud voice: "Cain, what hast thou done with thy brother?"
Claude Frollo alludes to the famed biblical tale of humankind’s first murder. Jealous of God’s favor towards Abel, Cain kills his own brother and gets cast out from society. In this delirious state, Claude Frollo’s reference comes out all muddled—the novel does not clarify what exactly he intends to mean. But the archdeacon seemingly turns to this story as he processes the death of his brother Jehan. “I took him in. I raised him, I fed him, I loved him, I idolized him and I slew him!”—and all because of his passion for Esmeralda, he continues. In his plan to take Esmeralda out of asylum, Claude Frollo enlists Clopin Trouillefou’s people and sees his own brother die from combat against Quasimodo. In some sense, he finds himself indirectly responsible for his own brother’s death.
But the story of envy, violence, and guilt applies equally to his own actions in other ways. Claude Frollo stabs Phoebus out of nothing other than sexual jealousy. He punishes Esmeralda in such horrifying fashion partly because of his jealousy towards her beauty and freedom to choose any man but him. Claude Frollo finds himself resembling the sinful brother in more ways than one.
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