Quasimodo

Quasimodo is a main character in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel. He is the hunchbacked Bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral who becomes devoted to Esmeralda after she acts compassionately towards him. He is around twenty years old in the novel.

Quasimodo was born to unknown parents, and his birth name is unknown. He was born with many deformities, including a bent spine, and could not see well due to a wart over one of his eyes.

In 1467, when he was around 4 years old, he was left in the crib of Paquette Guybertaut’s baby, Agnès, who was kidnapped by the “Gypsies". When Paquette found Agnès switched with the deformed child, she initially believed him to be a demon. He was then left in a foundling’s bed at Notre-Dame Cathedral, where orphans were exposed to the public with the aim of being adopted or given alms. Many who saw him were convinced he was a demon, and were discussing killing him when a young Claude Frollo declared he would adopt him. He was baptized with the name ‘Quasimodo’ either due to the fact he was found on Quasimodo Sunday, or because of his deformities.

Quasimodo lived in the Notre-Dame Cathedral as the Bell-ringer. He was taught to read, speak, and write by Frollo. At the age of 14, his eardrums were ruptured by the bells, causing him to become deaf. Due to this, he rarely talked, and communicated mostly through sign language taught to him by Frollo. He avoided most people because of the cruel treatment he endured and preferred staying in the Cathedral. He only went out in public with Frollo, the only person he loved and was devoted to.

When Quasimodo is around 20 years old, Frollo becomes enamored and obsessed with a dancer named Esmeralda, and orders Quasimodo to help him abduct her. Esmeralda is rescued by Captain Phoebus de Chateaupers and his men, and though Frollo escapes, Quasimodo does not. He is sentenced to public flogging and humiliation by a judge, Florian Barbedienne, who adds another hour to his punishment due to a misunderstanding brought about by his own deafness.

Quasimodo endures the whipping while Frollo does nothing and leaves. Subjected to further ill treatment by the crowd, Quasimodo begs for water, only for the crowd to jeer and throw things at him. Only Esmeralda shows him compassion, giving him a drink despite her fear of him. Unbeknownst to her, this causes Quasimodo to fall in love with and become devoted to her.

Esmeralda is later blamed for Captain Phoebus’ “death”, despite the fact he is not actually dead, and that Frollo was the one who stabbed him in a fit of jealous rage. She is sentenced to be hanged, and is on her way to be executed after giving her final confessions at Notre Dame when Quasimodo saves her by fighting the guards and carrying her into the cathedral, where he declares “Sanctuary”.

Esmeralda is initially terrified by him, but eventually realizes he means her no harm and develops a relatively friendly relationship with him. She and Quasimodo live peacefully in Notre Dame for some time. He gives her a whistle (one of the few things he can still hear), and tells her to use it if she is ever in trouble.

After finding out Phoebus is alive, Esmeralda urges Quasimodo to find him and bring him to her. Heartbroken, Quasimodo finds him, but the superstitious Phoebus believes Esmeralda is dead and Quasimodo is a devil sent to drag him to Hell. Quasimodo returns to Esmeralda and lies, telling her he could not find him.

One night, Frollo enters Esmeralda’s cell and attempts to sexually assault her. Esmeralda is able to alert Quasimodo with the whistle given to her, and he quickly saves her. He is about to beat the attacker to death when he realizes it is his adoptive father. Caught between the two people he loves, he tells Frollo to kill him with his knife before doing anything else. A crazed Frollo is about to do so when Esmeralda grabs the knife, threatening him and forcing him to leave.

In the Court of Miracles, the Truands led by Clopin Trouillefou discover that the King Louis XI’s soldiers are coming to Notre Dame to forcibly remove Esmeralda from the cathedral. They set out to the cathedral to rescue her, but Quasimodo, thinking they are there to do Esmeralda harm, attacks them with stones and molten lead. Jehan Frollo, Claude Frollo’s younger brother, is a member of the mob attacking the cathedral, and is able to climb up one of the towers. He mocks Quasimodo and throws an arrow at him, causing Quasimodo, who does not recognize him, to attack and throw him off of the tower to his death.

The king’s soldiers arrive just as the mob is about to break into the cathedral. Quasimodo, who does not realize the soldiers are there to hang Esmeralda, rushes to tell her the news. He finds her missing and becomes frantic.

Meanwhile, Esmeralda has been taken from the cathedral by Gringoire and Frollo, who she does not recognize as he obscures his identity. After Gringoire leaves her with him, Frollo reveals his identity and gives her the ultimatum to be his or be executed. Esmeralda rejects him, and Frollo leaves her with the “Gypsy-hating” Sister Gudule while he goes to find the soldiers. Sister Gudule, who is actually Paquette Guybertaut, realizes Esmeralda is her daughter Agnès, who was swapped with Quasimodo when she was kidnapped. Though Gudule tries to save her daughter, she is killed trying to protect her from the soldiers. Esmeralda faints and is hanged on the gallows.

Quasimodo notices a deranged Frollo on the roof of Notre Dame and realizes Esmeralda is being hanged. He watches her death throes in horror, realizing Frollo, now completely unhinged, is responsible. In retaliation, he pushes Frollo off of the cathedral roof to his death. Having lost the only two people he ever loved, Quasimodo vanishes and is never heard from again.

Years later, Esmeralda and Quasimodo’s skeletons are found intertwined, and when Quasimodo’s skeleton is attempted to be moved it crumbles into dust. It is implied he slowly died of dehydration or starvation while embracing Esmeralda’s corpse.

Trivia

 * Quasimodo Sunday is April 24, and is the Second Sunday of Easter. The name comes from the first words of the Mass’ Introit (the psalm or antiphon spoken or sung as the priest approaches the altar), which is “Quasi modo géniti infántes,”, meaning “Like newborn infants.”
 * Although sometimes thought to be a Disney adaption invention, Quasimodo’s hair is also red in the novel.
 * He gives his birthdate before the court as November 11, though how he would know the date of his birth is unclear.