Publication of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, known in French as Notre-Dame de Paris, is a novel by Victor Hugo, set in Paris in the late 15th century. It tells of Quasimodo, the deaf and deformed bell-ringer of the cathedral, the gypsy dancer Esmeralda whom he loves, and the archdeacon Claude Frollo, whose obsession with her leads to tragedy. Hugo wrote the book partly to call attention to the neglect of Gothic architecture in France, and the novel's success helped inspire a campaign to preserve and restore Notre-Dame cathedral. It has been adapted many times for stage, film and animation, and the cathedral itself is a central character.

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