Playing With Ironies

When Victor Hugo first published The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1837, he did not actually intend for his novel to concentrate on one particular character and locale as the title implies (McCracken, xii). Rather, Hugo chose to broaden the scope of his masterpiece to underscore the plight and destitution of the French populace under the reign of a cruel government that was indifferent towards the impoverished and anarchical state of its people. However, while he may almost appear to be a secondary character when compared with La Esmeralda or Claude Frollo, Quasimodo, the legendary bell-ringer of Notre-Dame, may certainly be considered the heart and soul of Hugo’s work. His omnipresence infuses life into the novel the same way his presence in the cathedral is “said to have made the immense building breathe” (142). Without Quasimodo, the story may also be said to lack a proper protagonist. In the true tradition of a literary hero, the audience rejoices in Quasimodo’s triumphs and weeps in his darkest hours. He is the only character in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame who performs valiant and selfless acts and exhibits a character filled with kindness, loyalty and true beauty, despite his hideous exterior and flawed nature. Although one may contest that because of his outward ugliness and internalized malice Quasimodo cannot be considered beautiful, his virtuous and heroic heart endows him with true beauty that transcends the ostensible beauty exhibited by all of the other characters in the novel.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a work filled with seemingly beautiful characters. From the imposing façade of Notre-Dame, to the mystical and bewitching gypsy girl, the reader is continually enthralled by the pulchritude of Hugo’s creations. Outward ugliness is only manifested by one figure, and that is Quasimodo. With his “tetrahedron nose, […] that horseshoe mouth […] that little left eye, obscured by a bristly red eyebrow, while the right was completely overwhelmed by an enormous wart […] those irregular teeth, jagged here and there […] and, above all […] the expression, that mixture of spite, astonishment, and melancholy, spread over all these features,” Quasimodo is certainly a sight to behold (43). In addition to his grotesque appearance, Hugo describes Quasimodo as exhibiting great malevolence towards others. Hugo also points out, though, that this “malice was probably not innate in him […] as he grew up he found nothing but hatred around him. He had adopted it. He had acquired the general malevolence. He had picked up the weapon with which he had been wounded” (139). However, despite his outward appearance and even his malignity, Quasimodo possesses spiritual virtues that, according to Jonathan Edwards, an eighteenth century philosopher and theologian, are the paramount embodiment of beauty. In his essay The Beauty of the World, Edward declares that while we may consider the figures and creatures of this world to be sublime, beauty of spirit rather than beauty of form is superior. Edwards asserts, “the reason is that spiritual beauties are infinitely the greatest, and bodies being but the shadows of beings, they must be so much the more charming as they shadow forth spiritual beauties” (14). This is what the Parisian crowd sees when Quasimodo rescues La Esmeralda. The compassion in his heart incarnates itself through his heroic actions, thus displaying his virtuous beauty before the multitude below. His odious appearance melts away “for at that moment Quasimodo was really beautiful” (323). His beauty cannot escape us.
Although Quasimodo’s beauty is evident to Hugo’s audience, it seems to elude La Esmeralda. Once Quasimodo has rescued her from the gallows, she expresses gratitude and compassion towards her savior, but is unable to see beyond his malformed countenance (339-342). She remains fixated upon the charming Captain Phoebus de Châteaupers, naïvely believing that he returns her ardent affection. However, in contrast to Quasimodo, while Phoebus may appear handsome and winsome, he is in reality a loathsome womanizer who disregards her sincere, yet misplaced, adoration in order to fulfill his lascivious desires. La Esmeralda is unable to see beyond the external beauty of her idol and into the ugliness of his heart. Even in his deaf and lonely state, Quasimodo recognizes the corrupt and deceptive beauty of the Captain when he sings, “do not look at the face, young girl, look at the heart. The heart of a handsome young man is often deformed” (351). In a further attempt to dissuade La Esmeralda’s misplaced love, Quasimodo leaves two vases with flowers: a crystal vase with withered flowers, and an earthenware jug with fresh flowers (351). When La Esmeralda sees the pair, she chooses the flowers that have died, signifying her choice of beauty of the form over beauty of the spirit. This is perhaps, one of the great tragedies of Hugo’s masterpiece. Beyond all of the death and social turmoil, lies La Esmeralda’s grievous choice: to spurn the spiritual beauty of Quasimodo and to remain fixated upon the beguiling and spurious captain. Perhaps the gravity of her choice is beyond her understanding, but the audience witnesses her decision and is left with a haunting sense of hopelessness.
In conclusion, although one may question the beauty of Quasimodo on account of his monstrous appearance and calloused heart, the hunchback’s virtuous character endows him with a spiritual beauty that transcends the temporal beauty exhibited by the other personae in the novel. Quasimodo’s flawed character and hideous exterior does not exempt him from the title of hero, nor does it eclipse his true beauty. The actions he performs, and the sentiments he expresses, prove that Quasimodo has a virtuous and kind heart. As Jonathan Edwards reveals, the superior spiritual beauties, such as the virtuous traits the hunchback displays, become manifested in the outward form despite one’s physical appearance. Quasimodo’s beauty originates from his honorable character, but when he rescues La Esmeralda from the gallows, both the Parisians and the readers witness this internal beauty extend to his outward from. However, despite the kindness and love he shows towards her, La Esmeralda is unable, or unwilling, to see Quasimodo’s spiritual beauty, focusing upon his repulsive form, and instead chooses the superficial beauty of Captain Phoebus. She chooses the crystal vase, but the flowers have withered. She expectantly clings to Phoebus’ love, and is sent to the gallows for her hope.