The Hunchback of Notre Dame Analysis

Why Can’t Claude Frollo Certainly be a Typical Antihero in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”

The meaning of the smoothness of one of the principal personages of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Claude Frollo, is a controversial question since the actions and feelings of the priest are contradictory. The significance with this question is explained by the necessity to ascertain whether archdeacon is a typical anti-hero. Frollo cannot be considered a typical anti-hero because that he demonstrates the capacity to be caring, magnanimous and noble, that he reveals the features of the romantic personality, he is influenced by the religious restrictions, and that he aspires to resist the temptation.

The romantic novel by Victor Hugo gift ideas the story of a tragic love intertwining the destinies of several personages. The characterization of Frollo as anti-hero defines the need to analyze the personage in details. The word anti-hero describes the principal character “who lacks the qualities of nobility and magnanimity” (Baldick 26). Such a definition implies the determination of the top features of the hero focusing on the negative areas of the character. It's important to analyze the personage to recognize whether he is able to be considered a typical anti-hero.

The type of Frollo is controversial because his beneficial actions determine him as an optimistic personage, nevertheless the subsequent behavior reveals his negative features. Gale defines the character as connected with the contradictions because his actions are a mixture of the different faculties mentioning that “he raises orphans but allows the others to be punished for his crimes” (6). The data about the priest demonstrates the duality of his character because in the beginning of the story that he appears whilst the caring and gracious person. Hugo gift suggestions the information about Quasimodo mentioning that Frollo “made a vow in his heart to rear the child” (153). The priest adopted the hunchback and maintained his younger brother Jehan. Such an power to demonstrate interest and concern in other’s destiny and soft-hearted individuality implies that an individual possesses the features of magnanimity and kindness. Therefore , Frollo cannot be viewed as a typical anti-hero because the actions he committed in his life imply the ability to be sympathetic and unselfish, to guard the weak and fragile people.

Even though being considered a villain in the story, Frollo cannot be determined as an absolute anti-hero because some of the options that come with his character demonstrate his romantic personality and nobility. He “exhibits many of the faculties peculiar to the heroes of Romantic literature” (Yearsley 2). One of many principal traits of archdeacon is the aspiration to knowledge. This feature determines the heroes of the Romantic novels who attempt to reveal the secrets of nature and people’s existence. Frollo’s thirst for knowledge defines his want to explore alchemy and astrology. The character explores various fields of knowledge, reads books, and “lives only in science” (Hugo 151). Even though he aspires to use his knowledge and wisdom in personal interests, such an eagerness to develop and define the facts characterizes him as the romantic hero. The theme with this desire can also be connected with the duality of the character because he is divided between the requisite to follow the principles of the church and the aspiration to pursue his intentions to deepen his knowledge.

Frollo is influenced by the demands of church restricting his opportunities and actions. He is unable to act in accordance with his desires because he's bound by the regulations and laws of the religious society. Frollo “is both the product of his age and the creator of their own destiny” (Yearsley 6). This type of presentation of the duality of this character implies the combination of the social effect and personal intentions of the archdeacon. Therefore , it really is difficult to judge the guilt of the type because his actions are determined by various factors like the external influence of the religious and moral rules. As a consequence, Frollo is not an average anti-hero being obliged to check out the requirements of the church community and being struggling to express his feelings and desires. Such limitations define his internal conflict forcing him to mention the tension in the evil acts.

Frollo developed the villainous features as the results of the necessity to obey the physical restrictions of the church. Archdeacon suffers anguish understanding that his doctrinal virtue is questioned by his desires and “the dis-inhibiting and physical draw” (Hammond 6). The smoothness comprehends he is not permitted to follow personal carnal desires. However , some physical and psychological peculiarities make him succumb to the situation and interpret his actions in a particular way attempting to justify his actions. The character confesses to Esmeralda that he was satisfied to be the exemplory instance of chastity dedicated to science, but her appearance was such as for instance a “snare of the demon” tempting him to betray his ideals and beliefs (Hugo 344). The changes in archdeacon’s behavior happen because he's divided involving the obligation to neglect the material world and the physical attraction to women. Such a division defines Frollo`s inability to manage the situation causing the negative displays of his character which reveals the other part of the duality of the smoothness.

The priest can not be regarded as a typical anti-hero because he attempts to resist the temptation of the demon. Frollo confesses to Esmeralda that the devil often presented women before his eyes, but archdeacon managed to vanquish him (Hugo 344). Also, the character explains that he read books, fasted and prayed to avoid the temptation. Besides, Lang mentions about the “fury of resistance to his passion” narrating about the priest (7). These records about the personage reveal his desire and intention to keep loyal to the maxims of the church. That he realizes that the physical and material attractions must certanly be neglected by the priest attempting to follow the restrictions of the religion. For that reason these intentions and efforts demonstrate the desire of the character to steadfastly keep up the religious principles and laws. Even though Frollo finally succumbs to temptation, that he cannot be considered a typical anti-hero because in the beginning he aspires to stay loyal to the church.

Hence, the character of Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame is contradictory making him not really a typical anti-hero. The duality of the type proves that the priest possesses various traits defining him as a negative and positive personage simultaneously. This type of duality is demonstrated by the ability of the personage to be caring and magnanimous with the orphans and villainous with the others; by the attempt to follow the rules of the church and pursue his desires; by the need to neglect the material world and the physical attraction to a female. Consequently , the demonstration of the positive features proves that Frollo can't be considered an average anti-hero because he has the qualities of nobility and magnanimity.

Works Cited

Baldick, Chris. The Oxford dictionary of literary terms. OUP Oxford, 2015.
Gale, Cengage Learning. A Study Guide for Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. Gale, Cengage Learning, 2016.
Hammond, Craig Andrew. “A Mysterious Jewel of Hope, Part-Formed Possibility & Future Redemption: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame as Homo-Absconditus. ” Paper presented at the 5th Global Conference: ‘Hope: Probing the Boundaries. vol. 10, 2013, pp. 1-18.
Hugo, Victor. The Hunchback Of Notre-Dame. Translated by Isabel Florence Hapgood, Anncona Media, 2014.
Lang, Andrew. Criticisms and Interpretations. Notre Dame de Paris, by Victor Hugo, Bartleby, 2007, pp. 7-10.
Yearsley, Scott. “Sexuality in Hugo’s Notre-Dame de Paris. ” Stanford French Review 3, 2010, pp. 1-14.