The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, the Cathedral Church of Paris

... a spiritual haven in a

brutal age ... a sanctuary

where the persecuted could

find protection.

The enduring

monument of a

mighty faith.

It was in the broad

cathedral square that

the people met to

celebrate-

The Festival of

Fools ...

The one day of the

year when the people,

crushed by tyranny, gave

themselves to unrestrained

pleasure.

Ten years before Columbus

discovered America, there

dwelt within the rocky fastness

of the cathedral a creature

whom the Parisians of that

day knew as "the Hunchback

of Notre Dame"-

Quasimodo.

LON CHANEY:

Deaf - half-blind - shut

off from his fellow-

men by his deformities the

bells were the only voice of

his groping soul.

To the townspeople he

was an inhuman freak,

a monstrous joke of Nature-

and for their jeers he gave

them bitter scorn and hate.

His most Christian

Majesty, Louis

XI.-a crafty oppressor

of his people, whose

dungeons were always

full, whose executioners

always busy.

"We like not this ribaldry.

It savors of disrespect to

both God and King."

And Paris had an

uncrowned monarch-

Clopin, "The King of Beggars"

-the enemy of kings.

Dom Claude, the saintly

Arch-deacon of Notre

Dame.

The Cathedral also

sheltered the Arch-

deacon's brother, Jehan, who

had foresworn a priest's robes

for more worldly garb-

"So even you bow your head

to my reverend brother!"

"Our day is coming - when

we'll bow our heads to no

man!"

"That freak is my slave. He

will be useful to us.

"Esmeralda! Esmeralda!"

Esmeralda, a child of

mystery, whom Clopin

had bought from Gypsies

and raised as his own.

PATSY RUTH MILLER

"Cursed gypsy! Daughter of

Satan! Hell take you-"

Marie, Queen of

the Gypsies.

"That poor, mad creature was

once rich and happy-"

"While she was away-"

"Her child was never found.

She secludes herself in this

dark place, and lives but to

curse and pray."

"Give her back to me, O Lord

-if only for a moment. Give

me back my baby!"

The festival continued

on into the night.

Gringoire, a poet of

the streets.

The climax of the Festival

came when the ugliest

man in Paris was crowned

King of the Fools.

"Let Esmeralda dance!

Call her out!"

"Esmeralda! Esmeralda!"

Clopin's fierce heart

burned at the injustice

of the world; but it became

tender only to his foster-

child.

With the noise of the

revelling mob still

ringing in his ears King Louis

tried to find peace in his

favorite lodging place, the

fortress of the Bastille.

"Send in that young rascal,

Phoebus de Chateaupers."

Phoebus de Chateaupers.

Men yielded to his sword

-and women to his smile.

"This commission makes you

Captain of our Guard. You

see how we reward loyalty

to the King and watchfulness

over his safety."

The home of Madame

de Gondelaurier.

Fleur de Lys, fiancee of

Captain Phoebus.

"Fie! I know your reputation.

You would say as much to

any maiden."

Madame de Gondelaurier,

aunt of Fleur de Lys.

"Phoebus - see that

pretty goat."

"Very pretty - indeed!"

"Your company is waiting

at the barracks!"

"Au revoir!"

To Esmeralda, this dashing

soldier had long been

the Prince Charming of her

dreams.

Each time that Jehan

beheld Esmeralda he

longed to possess her.

Jehan knew the lonely

streets where Esmeralda

had to pass on her way

home.

"Tie up this varlet!"

Alas, for man's

ingratitude!

"It isn't safe for a pretty

child like you to be out

alone at this hour!"

"I am not afraid - now!"

The Court of Miracles -

the city of thieves - a

hideous blot on the face of

Paris - a sink from whence

escaped every morning, and to

which returned to stagnate

every night, that stream of

vice and vagrancy which ever

flows through the streets of

a capital.

Called the Court of

Miracles, because

here the "blind" saw-

... because here the

"lame" walked ...

It was here that Clopin

reigned supreme.

At the sign of the

Pomme d'Eve.

"Just a bit of supper - a sip

of wine - before we say

good-night?"

For Phoebus it was just

another girl to hold in

his arms. For Esmeralda it

was a golden dream come

true.

"Then it is true - what the

fortune-teller told me -"

"... that I should be wooed

by a noble Captain of the

Guards."

"It was put about my neck

by mother, I scarce remember

her. But I know that so long

as I wear it, no harm can

befall me."

"If mademoiselle will permit

me, I shall see her safely

on her way."

Those who strayed near

the Court of Miracles

were in danger of losing

their lives - Gringoire lost

his clothes.

"Here is a spy of the

aristocrats. We found him

at our very threshold."

"Who are you?"

"Merely a poet, a singer of

sweet songs ... by name.

Gringoire."

"What shall we do with this

singer of sweet songs?"

"Hang him! Hang him!

That's what the aristocrats

do to us!"

"Have you so little misery

that you must create more?"

"Cut him down, I say!"

The hunchback, for the

attempted crime of

kidnapping, had his first

taste of the King's justice.

"For that, add twenty lashes

to his punishments!"

Again was a slave to

suffer for his master's

crime.

"... for nocturnal attack

and disturbing the peace of

His Majesty, our King."

Swift run the sands of

life except in the

hour of pain.

Thus was "Justice"

rendered in the

reign of King Louis XI !

"I thirst!"

"Cursed gypsy! You should

be whipped!"

To celebrate the honor

conferred by King

Louis upon Captain Phoebus,

Madame de Gondelaurier gives

a ball.

"Where is that young

jackanapes, Phoebus?"

"The ball in honor of my

promotion takes place tonight.

You promised to go with me."

"But - my clothes!"

"I have prepared

for that."

In Quasimodo's soul was

born a bitter hatred for

his betrayer.

"Esmeralda! --- The Captain

of the Guards!" ---

"Be calm-"

"Be calm, my lord, and do

not stir - 'Tis he who is

entrapped by her!"

"An aristocrat has taken our

Esmeralda. To the rescue!"

"You are fairer than any

lady in France!"

"Her Highness, Princess

of Egypt!"

"She descends from a line

more ancient than that of

the Kings of France."

"I have a message for

Captain Phoebus - I am

commanded to bring it

to his own hands."

"Hold your blades! Our

quarrel is with only one

of you - this time!"

"There he is--!"

"Stop! This is my affair-

and mine alone!"

"What do you mean by

this outrage?"

"Do you think you can take

our Esmeralda for your

plaything? Leave her alone

-or I'll slit your throat!"

"But I tell you,

I love her!"

"-for my sake!"

"My place is with my people.

I do not belong here."

"Keep to your own

women!"

"Esmeralda, would you forsake

me now? Did you not

promise to be my bride?"

"I do not love you."

"You nobles have lorded it

over us and trampled on us

-but you can't do it forever."

Just when Phoebus had

decided that life held

no further interest ...

Monsieur Phoebus de Chateauper

could heal a broken heart

before a last farewell, let

him come to Notre-Dame

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