Set in medieval Paris, Victor Hugoʹs powerful historical romance The Hunchback of Notre-Dame has resonated with succeeding generations ever since its publication in 1837. It tells the story of the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda, condemned as a witch by the tormented archdeacon Claude Frollo, who lusts after her. Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer of Notre-Dame Cathedral, having fallen in love with the kindhearted Esmeralda, tries to save her by hiding her in the cathedralʹs tower. When a crowd of Parisian peasants, misunderstanding Quasimodoʹs motives, attacks the church in an attempt to liberate her, the story ends in tragedy.
