Victor Hugo è in assoluto uno degli autori che preferisco. E “I miserabili” il miglior romanzo di letteratura non italiano mai letto. Ho iniziato con grande entusiasmo la lettura di “Notre-Dame de Paris” e non sono rimasto deluso; spiazzato sì, perché come spesso accade quando si conosce la storia di un libro attraverso il cinema ci si aspetta di seguire una trama lineare. Mentre Notre-Dame contiene tutte le tematiche di Hugo, il garantismo, il senso di umanità, l’attenzione agli ultimi, il timore del potere; ma tutti i valori dell’autore francese sono complessi e, chiaramente, richiedono grande attenzione nella lettura. La storia di Quasimodo, il campanaro della cattedrale parigina, sordo e storpiato, e quello della bella Esmeralda, una zingara che si accompagna con la sua capretta, Djali, non è una favola e non bisogna aspettarsi il lieto fine. Perché la vita è ricca di problemi e anche il più incredibile atto di generosità, Esmeralda che sposa il poeta Gringoire per salvarlo da una condanna a morte, è un compromesso, non ci sono né fate turchine, né principi salvifici. Il lascito di Victor Hugo è fondamentale per tutta la cultura occidentale anche se spesso il populismo dilagante ne sacrifica il significato più profondo. Un romanzo importante. ( )

En el París del siglo XV, con sus sombrías callejuelas pobladas por desheredados de la fortuna y espíritus atormentados, la gitana Esmeralda, que precide el porvenir y atrae fatalmente a los hombres, es acusada injustamente de la muerte de su amado y condenada al patíbulo. Agradecido por el apoyo que en otro tiempo recibió de ella, Quasimodo, campanero de Nuestra Señora, de fuerza hercúlea y cuya horrible fealdad esconde un corazón sensible, la salva y le da asilo en la catedral.

O desfigurado sineiro corcunda Quasimodo, temido e atormentado pela gente que frequenta a catedral de Notre Dame, tem uma natureza sensível que poucos conhecem. Quando conhece uma a dançarina cigana, a virginal Esmeralda, apaixona-se por ela. Assim como, também, o guardião de Quasimodo, o arquidiácono da catedral, Dom Claude Frollo, e um pobre poeta de rua. Mas Esmeralda está apaixonada por um belo soldado. Quando uma multidão a confunde com uma bruxa, cabe a Quasimodo resgatá-la e dar-lhe refúgio na catedral . O romance original aborda também as pesquisas alquímicas e o estilo gótico de arquitetura da época . As versões para teatro e ballet focam mais a bailarina. O cinema explorou mais a caracterização de Quasimodo, ensejando aparições notáveis de atores como Lon Chaney, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Hopkins , Mandy Patinkin e sobretudo Charles Laughton. ( )

One doesn't review a classic of this stature, but given how well known the story is from other media, here are a few things I didn't expect in the real thing, if you accept the Modern Library anonymous translation as representative of the source material, and some things I did expect.

Unexpected: the emphasis on architecture and city planning. Chapters of it. Comparing Paris of the 1400s, 1600s, and 1800s. The pages spent describing Notre Dame itself is but a fraction of what's covered. For the most part, this is not adjacent to the story, as is the lengthy descriptions of whaling in Moby Dick, it's just something Hugo wanted to write essays about. To that extent, it's like reading a Neal Stephenson book, but, for me, of way less interest.

Unexpected: the many chapters of black humor. This is as much a comic novel as something like Catch-22, with a similar emphasis on the crazy but deadly logic of the system of culture and government. Virtually all chapters with Pierre, the poet-philosopher, are comic and he appears more often than Esmeralda or Quasimodo. Literally at the peak of the violence in the assault by the Vagabonds on Notre Dame, Hugo inserts a chapter with the king going over the budget, then taking a tour of his expensive new jail cell, where he and others comment on its solid construction and what it cost, while the occupants plead for mercy to no avail. Then, back to the action.

Unexpected: the centrality of the archdeacon who lusts for Esmeralda. Pretty much everything that happens is the result of his actions. Beyond the obvious bit with Esmeralda, he adopted and placed Quasimodo at Notre Dame, he raised Jehan, a younger brother whose actions enable certain events at important points, he mentored Pierre the poet, who "marries" Esmeralda, and engineers the afore-mentioned assault, and he (the archdeacon) carries out several key action that dooms Esmeralda.

Unexpected: how clearly Esmeralda dooms herself with her love for someone purely because he is handsome and wears a uniform, and how clearly that captain never had any thought but to bed her and leave her. Calling this a romance misses that the only expressions of love present are twisted ones.

Expected: florid writing and overwrought passions. I had hopes when early on, with the following exchange after Esmeralda has rescued Pierre by her marrying him for four years by Vagabond custom. When she makes it clear they will not be bedmates,

"Then you will not have me for your husband?"
The damsel looked at him intently for a moment, and replied "No".
"For your lover?" asked Gringoire.
She pouted her lip and again replied "No."
"For your friend?" continued Gringoire.
She again fixed her eyes steadfastly upon him. "Perhaps" she said after a moment's reflection.

Sadly, most other dialog is much more ornate, and full of swooning and impassioned pleas, etc. The opening chapters almost stopped me in their tracks with a very boring extended sequence involving the crowd attending a mystery (passion play of sorts) at Notre Dame. Eventually our primary characters emerge from a host of names but it's pretty confusing and slow going.

Bottomline: despite chapters that made me wish for an abridged edition, I'm glad I took the time to read this epic tale. ( )

What a power masterpiece of literature The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is to the French culture. Victor Hugo does a good job drawing you into the story and giving you emotions to Quasimodo, La Esmeralda, Claude Frollo, Phoebus de Châteaupers, Pierre Gringore, Paquette la Chantefleurie, et. al. Before reading this I suggest skimming (no skipping) the long chapters on the histories of Paris and the Notre-Dame de Paris only because they aren't key to the storytelling but important to know Hugo wrote the novel to promote the beauty of Gothic architecture. Also keep in mind this is NOT suitable for children unless supervised due to the part where Frollo attempts to rape Esmeralda. Overall, this is one of the best novels I've read in the historical, romantic, and Gothic genres. ( )