By the time Victor Hugo published ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ (originally titled ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’) he was already an established novelist, poet and playwright. With this work, however, Hugo was catapulted into the stratosphere of French literature and he was thereafter considered the finest living writer in France until the end of his days.
This Gothic novel tells the tale of the Romani girl, Esmeralda, whose bewitching looks draws the unwelcome attention of the Archdeacon of Notre-Dame cathedral, the sinister Claude Frollo. Frollo is the guardian of the cathedral’s deformed bell-ringer, the titular hunchback Quasimodo, who is ordered to kidnap Esmeralda so that Frollo can possess her. When Quasimodo is captured in this attempt and sentenced to be publicly flogged for his crime, Esmeralda steps in and offers him relief, setting the stage for a dramatic and deadly conflict between the young soldier Phoebus, Esmeralda, the now-infatuated Quasimodo and the dastardly Frollo.
A smash hit when it was first published, ‘Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ has gone on to become a classic of world literature and has been adapted numerous times to the stage and screen. It is presented here in its original and unabridged format, translated by Isabel F. Hapgood.
Circa l’autore
Victor Hugo was a French Romantic author, poet, playwright, illustrator and politician. Hugo’s sixty year career established him as a national treasure and his works have been adapted numerous times to the stage and screen. Born into a military family, Hugo had a tumultuous early life, moving from place to place with his mother and brothers. He began writing and publishing poetry when he was still in school. Upon graduation, he began a literary magazine with his brothers, married his childhood sweetheart Adèle Foucher and began publishing both novels and poetry collections at a furious rate. His early success encouraged Hugo to branch out into writing for the theatre and soon he became one of the country’s most venerated playwrights as well. Already a much-admired poet and novelist, Hugo surpassed himself in 1831 with the publication of’The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’ The immense popularity of the novel even forced the French authorities to restore the much-neglected cathedral. Growing more and more involved with social justice issues as he grew older, Hugo published the groundbreaking novel ‘Les Misérables’ in 1862, which highlighted the plight of the poor and destitute. An unprecedented success, ‘Les Misérables’ had an enormous impact on French society and the book remains Hugo’s crowning achievement. Hugo joined the Académie Française, then the Parliament and finally the National Assembly, but he was forced into exile for opposing Napoleon III. After Napoleon fell from power in 1870, Hugo returned to France and eventually became a member of the Senate, never flagging in his fight for social justice. Victor Hugo died of pneumonia in 1885 and his funeral became the event of the year, with over two million mourners joining the funeral procession. Today, Hugo is revered as a towering figure in French letters. His works have inspired countless authors and have resulted in dozens of adaptations, including motion pictures, plays, musicals and even animated features. As a titan of both the publishing and political worlds, Hugo’s literary and social legacy cannot be overstated.
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