Victor Hugo

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Victor Hugo

The gypsy street dancer Esmeralda captures the hearts of many men, including those of Captain Phoebus and Pierre Gringoire, but especially Quasimodo and his guardian Archdeacon Claude Frollo. Frollo is torn between his obsessive lust for Esmeralda and the rules of the Notre Dame Cathedral. His obsessive lust for La Esmerelda has made him renounce God and study alchemy and black magic Esmerelda is falsely accused and sentenced to hang . Frollo visits her in jail and declares his love. He begs her to love him but she calls him a "goblin-monk" and a murderer. Before her execution, Esmerelda is publicly humiliated in front of Notre Dame. Looking across the square, she suddenly sees Phoebus and calls out his name. Just then, Quasimodo swings down on a rope from Notre Dame and carries her back to the cathedral, crying out "Sanctuary!" He had fallen in love with her and had been planning her escape all along.