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Book 8, Chapter 2
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
Back in the courtroom, the crowd grows impatient to hear Esmeralda’s sentence. They are relieved when she limps back to her chair and Jacques Charmolue announces her confession. Halfway through his speech, Charmolue points out furiously that Djali is mocking him—the goat is doing an impression that Esmeralda has taught him—and he finds this to be further proof of Esmeralda’s satanism. Esmeralda and Djali are sentenced to be hanged in the square outside Notre Dame. As she is dragged off, Esmeralda feels she has entered a nightmare.
Rather than feel concern for Esmeralda, the crowd are eager to see the spectacle of her sentence and execution. As the crowd are superstitious, they are biased against Esmeralda and take Djali’s trick as further evidence of her guilt. However, Djali’s trick has a rational explanation—Esmeralda has taught him to respond to certain cues.
Themes
