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Book 1, Chapter 1
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gothic Architecture, History, and Art
Lust, Sin, and Misogyny
Appearances, Alienation, and Hypocrisy
Fate and Predestination
The Supernatural, Rationalism, and Knowledge
Justice, Punishment, and Freedom
Summary
Analysis
Once the first impression of Jupiter’s costume has worn off, the crowd begins to protest again and demands that the play start immediately. Jehan and his friend Robin Poussepain begin to chant from the windowsills and the crowd joins in. Jupiter now fears that he will be hanged, and he freezes in terror. A man steps out from the shadows at the side of the stage and tells Jupiter to start the play. Relieved, Jupiter announces this development to the audience.
The crowd are dazzled by Jupiter’s outfit, which suggests that people in medieval society are easily taken in by appearances. Appearances are shallow and do not last, however, and the crowd quickly loses interest in Jupiter once they are bored by his appearance. Meanwhile, Jupiter fears that the crowd will turn on him. This again highlights the fact that, although they lack political power in the medieval period, large groups of people are still powerful forces.
Themes
Jupiter returns to the stage and the man—Pierre Gringoire, the writer of the play—joins two young women in the audience, who beckon him over. The girls, Liénarde and Gisquette, shyly ask Gringoire if the mystery will be as beautiful as one that they saw two years ago that was written for the “legate.” Gringoire indignantly replies that this play has been written for the Flemish princess and will be even more beautiful. From the windowsill, Jehan calls again for the play to begin and the actors scramble onstage.
It was common for pieces of creative work—such as plays, buildings, and statues—to be commissioned by monarchs and nobles. These would often be paid for with public funds (taxes), so this brief interaction again suggests that medieval monarchy is oppressive and unjust, because it takes money from ordinary people to use for its own purposes.
Themes
The four actors are dressed in glittering costumes and they represent four aspects of the state: nobility, commerce, clergy, and tillage. The play begins with a prologue, which explains that the four characters plan to give a precious golden dolphin to the most beautiful princess in the land. The prologue is very wordy and Gringoire stands back and admires his masterpiece.
Like Hugo’s novel, Gringoire’s play contains people from different social classes. This suggests that people from all walks of life can be portrayed in art. Hugo also suggests that architecture, rather than poetry or theatre, is the dominant artform of the medieval period. Although Gringoire is very impressed by his own written work, the play is dwarfed by the impressive Palace of Justice.
Themes
The play is interrupted when a beggar, who is perched on a shelf beneath the platform reserved for the Flemish ambassadors, begins to call out for alms. The beggar has a “large sore on his right arm.” When Jehan sees the beggar, he falls about laughing. Jehan cries that the beggar is a fake and the crowd, distracted from the play, turns around to look. Jehan recognizes the beggar as Clopin Trouillefou and says that the sore on his arm used to be on his leg
The Hunchback of Notre Dame was the first novel to use beggars as central characters, rather than as comic relief or in subplots. This choice expresses the belief that beggars like Clopin are important members of society whose stories are worth hearing.
Themes
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The actors are distracted by these jokes and turn to watch. Gringoire irritably tells them to go on and he looks down once more when Gisquette tugs on his sleeve. She asks Gringoire to explain the prologue to her and Gringoire is shocked to find that she has not understood his work. He thinks she must be very stupid. The actors begin again but the audience has lost the thread of the play.
Gringoire is unusual in the medieval period because he can read and write. Hugo suggests that, despite Gringoire’s reaction, people in medieval society were not stupid. Instead, they lacked education because it did not become accessible until the invention of the printing press, when books became widely available and more people learned to read.
Themes
The prologue continues, but it is very long; it concerns the journey of the golden dolphin as it is carried around the world to the Flemish princess. The play is due to run from noon until four o’ clock so it needs to fill up the time. Just as quiet has fallen again, the hall door opens and an usher announces the Flemish ambassadors and their host, the Cardinal.
The golden dolphin emphasizes just how much wealth and luxury the upper classes enjoy, compared to the lower classes who have gathered to watch the play. Even the plot of Gringoire’s play subtly reinforces Hugo’s point that medieval society is deeply unequal.
Themes
