Love in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
“Love in The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
In the book The Hunchback of Notre Dame the author, Victor Hugo, used love as a central theme for his book. He showed that love can manifest itself in three main ways depending upon the person. Esmeralda was in a mode of self- destruction because of her lust for Phoebus. Claude Frollo turned into a man of jealous rage because of his amorousness for Esmeralda, and Quasimodo’s passion for Esmeralda crumbled his heart as if it was made of stone, because of her death. Hugo used love as a central theme to capture the heart of the reader. He forced his readers to change their perspective on affection and admiration, in ways never thought of before.
Hugo used Esmeralda’s lust for Phoebus as his first example of how love can manifest itself in many different ways. Esmeralda, blinded by lust only saw Phoebus for what he looked like on the outside. She was very much attracted to Phoebus, a man who was as ugly as a gargoyle on the inside, but as handsome as an angel on the outside. As a result of being blinded by lust, Esmeralda could not see the beauty of Quasimodo on the inside despite his repugnant appearance. Esmeralda had everlasting love for Phoebus and when he “died” Esmeralda felt as if she had no other reason to live. While talking romantically in a room, Esmeralda said to Phoebus,
You are good, you are generous, you are kind; you saved me, me who am but a poor gipsy foundling. I have long dreamed of an officer who should save my life. It was of you I dreamed before I ever knew you, my Phoebus (284).
When Phoebus was taken from Esmeralda, it was like taking water from a fish. She could not operate properly, and she soon fell into a state of self-destruction. Even while being tortured Esmeralda still muttered the name of Phoebus. Esmeralda’s love for Phoebus destroyed her. She fell deeper into a pit of depression, self pity, and self destruction. Victor Hugo used Claude Frollo’s amorousness for
In the book The Hunchback of Notre Dame the author, Victor Hugo, used love as a central theme for his book. He showed that love can manifest itself in three main ways depending upon the person. Esmeralda was in a mode of self- destruction because of her lust for Phoebus. Claude Frollo turned into a man of jealous rage because of his amorousness for Esmeralda, and Quasimodo’s passion for Esmeralda crumbled his heart as if it was made of stone, because of her death. Hugo used love as a central theme to capture the heart of the reader. He forced his readers to change their perspective on affection and admiration, in ways never thought of before.
Hugo used Esmeralda’s lust for Phoebus as his first example of how love can manifest itself in many different ways. Esmeralda, blinded by lust only saw Phoebus for what he looked like on the outside. She was very much attracted to Phoebus, a man who was as ugly as a gargoyle on the inside, but as handsome as an angel on the outside. As a result of being blinded by lust, Esmeralda could not see the beauty of Quasimodo on the inside despite his repugnant appearance. Esmeralda had everlasting love for Phoebus and when he “died” Esmeralda felt as if she had no other reason to live. While talking romantically in a room, Esmeralda said to Phoebus,
You are good, you are generous, you are kind; you saved me, me who am but a poor gipsy foundling. I have long dreamed of an officer who should save my life. It was of you I dreamed before I ever knew you, my Phoebus (284).
When Phoebus was taken from Esmeralda, it was like taking water from a fish. She could not operate properly, and she soon fell into a state of self-destruction. Even while being tortured Esmeralda still muttered the name of Phoebus. Esmeralda’s love for Phoebus destroyed her. She fell deeper into a pit of depression, self pity, and self destruction. Victor Hugo used Claude Frollo’s amorousness for