Notre – Dame Cathedral Paris – Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo began writing Notre-Dame de Paris in 1829, largely to make his contemporaries more aware of the value of the Gothic architecture, which was neglected and often destroyed to be replaced by new buildings or defaced by replacement of parts of buildings in a newer style. For instance, the medieval stained glass panels of Notre-Dame de Paris had been replaced by white glass to let more light into the church.[1] This explains the large descriptive sections of the book, which far exceed the requirements of the story. A few years earlier, Hugo had already published a paper entitled Guerre aux Démolisseurs (War to the Demolishers) specifically aimed at saving Paris’ medieval architecture.[2] The agreement with his original publisher, Gosselin, was that the book would be finished that same year, but Hugo was constantly delayed due to the demands of other projects. In the summer of 1830, Gosselin demanded that Hugo complete the book by February 1831. Beginning in September 1830, Hugo worked nonstop on the project thereafter. The book was finished six months later.

Part 1.

• Chapter I. The grand hall
• Chapter II. Pierre gringoire
• Chapter III. Monsieur the cardinal
• Chapter IV. Master jacques coppenole
• Chapter V. Quasimodo
• Chapter VI. Esmeralda

Part 2

• Chapter I. From charybdis to scylla
• Chapter II. The place de grève
• Chapter III. Kisses for blows
• Chapter IV. The inconveniences of following a pretty woman through the streets in the evening
• Chapter V. Result of the dangers
• Chapter VI. The broken jug
• Chapter VIII. A bridal night

Part 3.

• Chapter I. Notre – Dame
• Chapter II. A bird’s-eye view of paris

Part 4

• Chapter I. Good souls
• Chapter II. Claude Frollo
• Chapter III. Immanis pecoris custos, immanior ipse
• Chapter IV. The dog and his master
• Chapter V. More about Claude Frollo
• Chapter VI. Unpopularity

Part 5

• Chapter I. Abbas beati martini
• Chapter II. This will kill that

Part 6

• Chapter I. An impartial glance at the ancient magistracy
• Chapter II. The rat-hole
• Chapter III. History of a leavened cake of maize
• Chapter IV. A tear for a drop of water
• Chapter V. End of the story of the cake

Part 7

• Chapter I. The danger of confiding one’s secret to a goat
• Chapter II. A priest and a philosopher are two different things
• Chapter III. The bells
• Chapter IV. Ἀνáγκη.
• Chapter V. The two men clothed in black
• Chapter VI. The effect which seven oaths in the open air can produce
• Chapter VII. The mysterious monk
• Chapter VIII. The utility of windows which open on the river

Part 8

• Chapter I. The crown changed into a dry leaf
• Chapter II. Continuation of the crown which was changed into a dry leaf
• Chapter III. End of the crown which was turned into a dry leaf
• Chapter IV. Lasciate ogni speranza—leave all hope behind, ye who enter here.
• Chapter V. The mother
• Chapter VI. Three human hearts differently constructed

Part 9.

• Chapter I. Delirium
• Chapter II. Hunchbacked, one eyed, lame
• Chapter III. Deaf
• Chapter IV. Earthenware and crystal.
• Chapter V. The key to the red door.
• Chapter VI. Continuation of the key to the red door

Part 10

• Chapter I. Gringoire has many good ideas in succession
• Chapter II. Turn vagabond.
• Chapter III. Long live mirth
• Chapter IV. An awkward friend.
• Chapter V. The retreat in which monsieur louis of france says his prayers.
• Chapter VI. Little sword inpocket
• Chapter VII. Chateaupers to the rescue

Part 11.

• Chapter I. The little shoe
• Chapter II. The beautiful creature clad in white (Dante)
• Chapter III. The mariage of phoebus
• Chapter IV: The marriage of Quasimodo.