Essay on Hunchback of Notre-Dame

Length: 5 Pages 1345 Words

"Love is a universal language." This popular quote

from many movies and literary works describes the importance

of love, and how there are no limits or barriers when

dealing with love. Many people cannot even help whether or

not they fall in love. There are many types of love and

they need not be between members of opposite sexes. In

Victor Hugo's novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame,

Quasimodo's love for Esmerelda is not as strong as his

different sense of love for the Archdeacon, Claude Frollo.

Quasimodo loves each person in a different manner, but is

The hunchback feels, among other things, a love

described as Eros for the Mistress Esmerelda; whereas, for

the Archdeacon the love he feels is known as Philia. While

Quasimodo is drawn to Esmerelda by her inner beauty and

personal qualities, he admires the Archdeacon for his

powerful position in the social structure of the town.

Throughout the story, Quasimodo does his best to protect

Esmerelda. Contrarily, he is protected by the Archdeacon.

There are four types of love, only one of which involves a

man's physical love for a woman and vice versa. This type

of love is known as Eros. It is defined as a relationship

in which two parties are physically attracted to one

another. Esmerelda, the gypsy, is quite beautiful. She

dances in the midst of a crowd near a bonfire: "All eyes

were fixed on her, all mouths hung open. As she danced to

the rhythm of the tambourine which her round, delicate arms

held over her head, she seemed to be some sort of

supernatural creature(p.22). Quasimodo is taken by her

loveliness just like most other men. However, because he is

deformed and hideous, Quasimodo's physical attraction to the

Mistress is unrequited. Nevertheless, this attraction is

uncontrollable. Although he never acts upon his urges nor

openly displays his affection, the hunchback feels the type... Continues...

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Hunchback of Notre-Dame. (1969, December 31). In Retrieved 00:10, April 16, 2014, from