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Beth Luttenberger
Ms. Raleigh
ENG 3UE
11 May 2011
Apologia – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The definition of a classic over the years has become ambiguous and muddled, though one clear meaning still lies within the word – a classic is something that stands through time, judged to be the highest quality and calibre of its kind (Merriam-Webster). The Hunchback of Notre Dame was a novel written by French romanticist poet Victor-Marie Hugo in 1831, and has been translated several times over. This novel can be considered of the classic archetype not only because of the definition it achieves, but also because of the architecture used in the book to set an atmosphere for the novel, eternal themes used within the novel, and lastly for the lasting impact and influence its story has had on not only literature but also for culture today. Therefore, The Hunchback of Notre Dame can be considered a classic novel.
To begin, architecture used within the novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame is vastly crucial to the novel’s qualification as a classic. This appears to be because the architecture sets an atmosphere of tragic flaw for the story, forebodes what is to come, and also deeply represents the time frame used for the novel. An example of this tragic flaw in humanity can be seen when Hugo describes the vast changes made to the French cathedral in the text, “Tempus edox, homo edacior, which I would translate: Time is blind, but man is stupid.” (Hugo 91). Hugo states in the text that,
“Notre-Dame, however, as an architectural monument, is not one of those
which can be called complete, finished, belonging to a definite class. It
is not a Romanesque church, nor is it a Gothic church. It is not typical
of any individual style. Notre-Dame has not, like the abbey of Tournus,
the massive solemn squareness, the round broad vault, the icy bareness,
the majestic simplicity of the edifices which have been based upon the
circular arch” (Hugo 96).
This excerpt, particularly in ‘it is not typical of any individual style’ embodifies and almost symbolizes the idea of Quasimodo’s existence as a whole, with
To begin, architecture used within the novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame is vastly crucial to the novel’s qualification as a classic. This appears to be because the architecture sets an atmosphere of tragic flaw for the story, forebodes what is to come, and also deeply represents the time frame used for the novel. An example of this tragic flaw in humanity can be seen when Hugo describes the vast changes made to the French cathedral in the text, “Tempus edox, homo edacior, which I would translate: Time is blind, but man is stupid.” (Hugo 91). Hugo states in the text that,
“Notre-Dame, however, as an architectural monument, is not one of those
which can be called complete, finished, belonging to a definite class. It
is not a Romanesque church, nor is it a Gothic church. It is not typical
of any individual style. Notre-Dame has not, like the abbey of Tournus,
the massive solemn squareness, the round broad vault, the icy bareness,
the majestic simplicity of the edifices which have been based upon the
circular arch” (Hugo 96).
This excerpt, particularly in ‘it is not typical of any individual style’ embodifies and almost symbolizes the idea of Quasimodo’s existence as a whole, with
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conclusions surrounding the idea that Quasimodo, despite ghastly appearance and primitive nature, is still human, and is still capable of thoughts and feelings. Furthermore, a deep sense of foreboding can be seen in Hugo’s passage, “However, when the sun of the Middle Ages has completely set, when the light of the Gothic genius has gone out forever over the horizon of art, architecture, too, becomes more and more pale, colorless, and lifeless” (Hugo 169). This can be seen as an allusion and forewarning to the character of Dom Claude Frollo, exemplifying his transition and ultimate descent into darkness, that at first he is viewed as a holy man with deep roots both in the church and within law and justice, but as time goes on and his lust for La Esmeralda wears him out, he becomes just that; pale, colorless, and lifeless in his being. In addition, exemplification of architecture embodying the time period can be seen in Hugo’s writing,
“If we summarize what we have here very sketchily pointed out, disregarding a thousand detailed proofs and objections, we are led to conclude: that up to the fifteenth century, architecture was the chief recorder for the human race… every thought, no matter how complicated, was embodied in some structure; every idea that rose from the people, every religious law, had its counterpart in monuments; finally, every important thought of the human race was recorded in stone” (Hugo 166).
Lastly, a similarity can be drawn from contrasting images of the untainted cathedral to Quasimodo’s love for La Esmeralda, and the cathedral after hundreds of years of reconstruction and thus deterioration of original structure to Frollo’s sense of morality and purity after his tormenting thoughts and lusting after La Esmeralda. Thus, through the use of symbolic architecture, The Hunchback of Notre Dame proves to be a classic novel.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame can be considered a classic in the respect that there are eternal themes of literature prevalent in the novel. A theme abundantly evident within the novel is that of Human Initiative vs. Fate (Notre-Dame: Theme Analysis). This theme can easily be explored in the destiny sought out by Dom Claude Frollo, in the way that Frollo was ultimately destined for temptation at least once in his life, but it was his way of reacting and coping with his lust that in the end brought his downfall. An example of initiave vs. fate within the character Frollo can be seen in Hugo’s text,
The Hunchback of Notre Dame can be considered a classic in the respect that there are eternal themes of literature prevalent in the novel. A theme abundantly evident within the novel is that of Human Initiative vs. Fate (Notre-Dame: Theme Analysis). This theme can easily be explored in the destiny sought out by Dom Claude Frollo, in the way that Frollo was ultimately destined for temptation at least once in his life, but it was his way of reacting and coping with his lust that in the end brought his downfall. An example of initiave vs. fate within the character Frollo can be seen in Hugo’s text,
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“He stirred up from the bottom of his heart all his hatred, all his wickedness; and he discovered, with the cool eye of a physician examining a patient, that this hatred, this wickedness, were but vitiated love-that love, the source of every virtue in man, turned to things horrible in the heart of a priest-and that a man constituted as he was, by making himself a priest made himself a demon" (Hugo 386).
Another eternal theme prevalent within the text is that of unresolvable and inevitable conflict. This connection can be drawn between Quasimodo’s unrequited pure love for Esmeralda and wish to protect her. This is further developed with Esmeralda’s contrasting infatuation with Phoebus, whilst he has no use of her but for sexual desires, then Frollo’s comparing lust for Esmeralda when he is faced with the decision to either give up his religion and morality in order to satisfy human needs, or to abstain from succumbing to his desires and instead remain tormented by his thoughts. This theme is even more so evident at the end of the novel, when Quasimodo sees Esmeralda dead, in the passage,
“Quasimodo then lifted his eye to look upon the gypsy girl, whose body, suspended from the gibbet, he beheld quivering afar, under its white robes, in the last struggles of death; then again he dropped it upon the archdeacon, stretched a shapeless mass at the foot of the tower, and he said with a sob that heaved his deep breast to the bottom, 'Oh-all that I've ever loved!” (Hugo 455).
This text demonstrates unresolvable conflict because it shows how no matter what Quasimodo may attempt to do, there were conflicting forces within society, and Esmeralda’s death was practically inevitable. Therefore, eternal themes used within Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame enable it to qualify as a classic novel.
Lastly, Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame qualifies as a classic novel because of its concept of the protagonist outcast that has thus been used in literary culture since. The outcast yet pure-of-soul protagonist has been seen in important novels since The Hunchback of Notre Dame such as Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and Notes From Underground, Camus’ The Stranger, Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye and Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. Though the outcast motif certainly did not originate strictly from Notre Dame, the novel did succeed in weaving a timeless concept into its presentation. The outcast-protagonist in novels tends to
Another eternal theme prevalent within the text is that of unresolvable and inevitable conflict. This connection can be drawn between Quasimodo’s unrequited pure love for Esmeralda and wish to protect her. This is further developed with Esmeralda’s contrasting infatuation with Phoebus, whilst he has no use of her but for sexual desires, then Frollo’s comparing lust for Esmeralda when he is faced with the decision to either give up his religion and morality in order to satisfy human needs, or to abstain from succumbing to his desires and instead remain tormented by his thoughts. This theme is even more so evident at the end of the novel, when Quasimodo sees Esmeralda dead, in the passage,
“Quasimodo then lifted his eye to look upon the gypsy girl, whose body, suspended from the gibbet, he beheld quivering afar, under its white robes, in the last struggles of death; then again he dropped it upon the archdeacon, stretched a shapeless mass at the foot of the tower, and he said with a sob that heaved his deep breast to the bottom, 'Oh-all that I've ever loved!” (Hugo 455).
This text demonstrates unresolvable conflict because it shows how no matter what Quasimodo may attempt to do, there were conflicting forces within society, and Esmeralda’s death was practically inevitable. Therefore, eternal themes used within Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame enable it to qualify as a classic novel.
Lastly, Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame qualifies as a classic novel because of its concept of the protagonist outcast that has thus been used in literary culture since. The outcast yet pure-of-soul protagonist has been seen in important novels since The Hunchback of Notre Dame such as Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and Notes From Underground, Camus’ The Stranger, Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye and Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. Though the outcast motif certainly did not originate strictly from Notre Dame, the novel did succeed in weaving a timeless concept into its presentation. The outcast-protagonist in novels tends to
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always have good intentions and feelings, and almost always shows deep morality and empathy – putting others often before themselves. Hugo’s biography states that, “due to Hugo's loneliness from his wife's rejection, he fell in love with the young actress and prostitute” (Victor Hugo Biography). This need and want for companionship can be connected to Quasimodo’s loneliness due to isolation from society, and thus his development of romantic feelings for La Esmeralda. This allusion proves the outcast archetype critical because it connects real physical situations in life with the fictitious text created by Hugo. In summary, The Hunchback of Notre Dame can be considered a classic novel because it uses lasting concepts still used in important texts today.
In conclusion, Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame proves to exist as a classic novel not only because it qualifies as the definition of a classic novel, but because it contains architectural references that reflect the time frame and symbolize the story, eternal themes such as human initiative vs. fate and unresolvable conflict, and contains lasting concepts such as the concept of the protagonist outcast that are still used today. Therefore, Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame does completely qualify as a piece of classic literature.
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