Notre-Dame de Paris

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hugo, Victor, 1802-1885

Contributor:

Hapgood, Isabel Florence, 1850-1928

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Other Title:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Notre-Dame de Paris" by Victor Hugo is a historical novel written in the early 19th century. The story is set against the backdrop of medieval Paris and primarily revolves around the events of January 6, 1482, including the Feast of Fools and the presentation of a morality play, highlighting the vibrant and tumultuous life of the city. Central characters introduced include Pierre Gringoire, a struggling poet, and the hunchbacked bell-ringer Quasimodo, alongside other notable figures such as Esmeralda and Claude Frollo. At the start of the novel, the narrative presents a vivid scene of a bustling Parisian crowd, excited for the festivities of the day. The reader is taken to the Palais de Justice, where Gringoire's awaited morality play is supposed to occur. Various characters, including scholars and citizens, display their eagerness and impatience as they gather to experience the drama. However, the entrance of Cardinal de Bourbon and a group of Flemish ambassadors creates a stir, drawing attention away from the play and toward the dignitaries. Gringoire, feeling overshadowed by the cardinal's arrival, is frustrated as his performance is lost amidst the noise and chaos of the crowd. The opening chapter effectively sets the stage for the exploration of the themes of social class, art, and the turbulent nature of humanity. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Peter Snow Cao and David Widger

Notes:

Reading ease score: 78.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunchback_of_Notre-Dame

Release date is 2001-04-01