A Memorable Character who has no affect on the plot is The Old Heretic (voiced by Gary Trousdale one of directors who as did non-baas for Djali). The guy who yells “I’m Free’ after getting out of some form of confinement but then immediately gets into a new one and then proclaim “Dang it” because they can’t use the word Damn, but they used “danmation” twice maybe that was the quota for the G rating which the film was already pushing.
The Old Heretic railing against the cruel hand of fate Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So why I’m I bothering with this character?
Well, he’s funny, he’s a running gag done well. You see him twice, it the same joke but it’s funny. And though the film goes out of it’s way to do this joke, it feel natural and not forced. Mainly because of control freak Frollo it’s believable that an old guy would be locked away in a cage for X number of years. But odd that a stock would left open during a festival.
The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Old Heretic looks likes Jafar from Aladdin in his disguise (this make four cameos by other Disney characters, others are Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Carpet (Aladdin), Pumbaa (The Lion King) and the Baker (Beauty and the Beast.)
Jafar Disguise Disney Aladdin
Belle, Carpet, and Pumbaa
Maybe the Jafar Disguise is the default look for Disney’s prisoners. If Disney made a version of the Count of Monet Cristo, Abbe Faria would probably look like Jafar/Old Heretic too.
Baker Figurine Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Baker Disney Beauty and the Beast
The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Little is known about the Old Heretic. We have no idea why he is a heretic or even how old he is. You don’t even learn that he is supposed to be a heretic. One thing that we do know is this; he has a Confinement Destiny*. He just a gag no more no less. But in the scope of a running gag it’s enjoyable.
The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Old Heretic Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
*This is a lame joke relating to Ananke (very simply it means Death Destiny.) Ananke plays a big part in the novel and I’m making up another type of destiny, it’s a lame joke, I have a Lame Joke Destiny.
The main characters of Disney’s Hunchback don’t give us much indication of how “normal” people of Paris conduct themselves. Quasimodo is a forced shut-in, Frollo essentially King, Esmeralda and Clopin are outcasts, and Phoebus, well he just comes off too perfect to really be associated with “normal people.”
So which characters represent as Frollo put it are part of “the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd”? That would be the two guards that are seen throughout the movie. They are credited as the Brutish Guard (voiced by Corey Burton) and the Oafish Guard (voiced Bill Fagerbakke aka Patrick from SpongeBob SquarePants. ) I’m just going to call them as Brute and Oaf.
Esmeralda, Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
We first see Brute and Oaf harassing Esmeralda because she’s a Romani and judging by all the gold in her hat, she is probably better paid then them. Anyway they try to assert their authority but then became submissive when Phoebus out ranks them. They are quite stupid, they shoo away people to show Phoebus to the Palace of Justice, but when viewed from behind you can hear them still shooing people but there is no there. These guy are all talk and no action, Djali can take them with very little effort.
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Brute and Oaf are the main cause for the getting the plot moving. Yes, it’s all them. If wasn’t for them, Quasimodo would have been King of Fools without incident and Frollo would just have been mad at him. But because Oaf throws a tomato (where did he even get that) it sets the chain of events into motion. The Crowd throws food at Quasimodo then ties him down, Frollo refuses to help, Esmeralda helps Quasimodo, Frollo gets mad at her, she defies him and hello chase scene and obsession. Thank you Oaf and Brute for being common, vulgar, weak, and licentious and getting the plot in motion.
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So Brute and Oaf represent the common people, they promote distrust in authority figures for Esmeralda, cause the plot to take off but that not it. They also provide some humor. Brute provides Achilles with a sit and oaf provides some amusement being an oaf and all. Plus Oaf’s voice sounds comedic (Patrick from Spongebob). But don’t count on them in a pinch – storming a certain cathedral – they’re no help at all.
Brute and Oaf Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Basically Brute and Oaf are glorified extras but they do something for the plot unlike some glorified extras that are memorable but do nothing for the plot, just add humor.
Another Minor/major Characters is Quasimodo’s nameless mother (voiced by Mary Kay Bergman). She’s not in the film long but she’s quite important.
Quasimodo’s Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Very little is know about her other than she’s a Romani, she wants to live in Paris, and she tries to keep Quasimodo away from Frollo. In trying to protect Quasimodo from Frollo she brought them together. Frollo then uses her as a way to manipulate Quasimodo in to remaining loyal to him. Frollo would tell Quasimodo that his “heartless” mother abandoned him as a baby. This keeps Quasimodo grateful and loyal to Frollo. It’s not till Frollo tries to kill Quasimodo that Frollo tells him the truth.
Quasimodo’s Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo’s Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo’s mother raises a lot of question. We know she’s a Romani and she’s a mother, but Quasimodo looks (coloration wise) nothing like her. Was she his biological mother or she did adopt him? Or maybe (like in the sequel) boy-children look like their fathers and nothing like their mothers? And would that mean that the man with Quasimodo’s mother was not her husband/lover? My guess given her looks and her interaction with the Romani guy is that he was her husband. Originally I though that the did adopt Quasimodo but genetics can be expressed in very usual ways so she might in fact be Quasimodo’s biological mother. It’s however immaterial, she is his mother in every way that matters.
The Murder of Quasimodo’s Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Disney used the death of Quasimodo’s mother to reinforce the point that they read the book. Quasimodo’s mother dies the same way Esmeralda’s mother does in the novel. Spoiler’s – Esmeralda’s mother, Sister Gudule (Paquette Guybertaut a.k.a La Chantefleurie) dies trying to save Esmeralda from the gallows and is push to the pavement, hits her end and dies.
In the book Sister Gudule prayed for 15 years to have her child returned to her if only for an instant, classic case of be careful what you wish for. She and Esmeralda were reunited for only a few hours.
Quasimodo’s Mother Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So Quasimodo’s mother is a very important element to the story as she helps establishes Frollo and Quasimodo relationship and she reinforces it by Frollo being a lying and manipulate jerk (but he’s the best Disney villain so kudos to you Frollo on every terrible thing you do).
So a Little Bit More on Achilles and Djali – Yeah There is More, Go Fig….
Djali Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre DameAchilles and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Djali and Achilles rock as sidekicks, adding humor and charm to the movie. However as I was working on analyzing Djali and Achilles I noticed that their function in the movie goes deeper than just being awesome and fun sidekicks. The key element into this function is that both of the have the same coloration. They’re both white and gray, but they’re gray in the same places. Their muzzle, legs, tails, and hair. I think this maybe overlooked by many viewers because Djali and Achilles only appear on screen once together and Djali dancing so it’s hard to make that connection.
So what does it matter that Djali and Achilles look alike?
Djali and Achilles Same look Disney Hunchback of Notre DameDjali Disney Hunchback of Notre DameAchilles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Well I think this is one more way that the production tries to reinforce Esmeralda and Phoebus as “the” couple. It’s not enough that they see each other first, that they have the same personality, that they are pretty much counterparts in every way but now they animals links them together.
It’s pretty funny that the movie works this hard to tell its’ audience that Phoebus and Esmeralda are made for each other and some viewers still malign Esmeralda for being shallow because she fell in love with Phoebus instead of Quasimodo.
Next Time – Memorable/Important Side Characters
First to bat The Archdeacon of Notre Dame…..mmmmm I wonder if his offical title is the same as Frollo’s in the novel????
Achilles and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So where the Gargoyles fail to add levity, Djali and Achilles succeeded and they don’t even speak. Let’s start with Achilles. Why? Because we see Achilles first, his name is comes first and there less to say about him
Achilles with Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Achilles is Phoebus‘ war horse. According to the DVD commentary, the directors jokingly said that Achilles is Phillippe’s (Beauty and the Beast) dimwitted cousin. Both Disney horses were animated by Russ Edmonds.
Phillippe from Beauty and the Beast Disney
A War Horse
Sit command Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Achilles Sitting Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Achilles being a war horse takes excellent direction, he sits on command regardless of who he might sit on. But fear not Achilles never crushes anyone to death, just for comedy.
Achilles the Set up Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Achilles’ Butt Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Achilles Sitting Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Achilles and Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Achilles is mostly white and he adds to Phoebus’ perfect knightly look, but he also has grey legs, snout, mane and tail. Mmmm his look is awfully similar to another character.
Achilles and Snowball Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
One thing that is not commonly know about Achilles is that he hates Frollo’s horse, Snowball (not sure if it Snowball 1 or 2).
Achilles Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The command regarding Achilles to sit, according to the commentary was the big laugh during the trailers. Achilles may not have done much and may have been relegate to an accessory but he almost as much laughs than the supposed comic relief even with his limited screen time. If wasn’t for the Gargoyles’ dress/tress line I think the Sit gag would have been the big laugh of the film and that’s only because grown-up heard tress and kids heard dress, so it’s two jokes.
Frollo’s Long is nose and he wears a truss/dress Disney Hunhcback of Notre Dame
Achilles Heeling Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Fun Fact- Achilles name was chosen just so they good do the “Achilles Heel” joke.
The Gargoyles; Hugo Laverne, Victor, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Gargoyles are the most annoying characters in this movie. They’re the comic relief but they fail at it (ok there are some funny bits but they’re few and very far between).
Hugo, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Hugo (voiced by Jason Alexander), the short piggish one, is a load mouth and the most annoying. He also has a thing for Djali.
Victor, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Victor (voiced Charles Kimbrough) is the tall prissy serious one. He is the least interesting.
Laverne Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Laverne (voiced by Mary Wickes/ Jame Withers) is the old one who tells it like is. She is probably the most of tolerable of the gargoyles.
Victor and Hugo were named for Victor Hugo the author, the writers thought they were being clever and they really wanted to prove they had read the book. Laverne was named after Laverne Andrews, one of The Andrew Sisters. They each have their own personalities and at least they balance each other out.
Hugo and Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre DameLaverne and the birds Disney Hunchback of Notre DameGargoyles – Victor, Hugo and Laverne at the end Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The theory goes that the Gargoyles are aspects of Quasimodo’s imagination because he is a forced shut-in who is desperate to be love. However the Directors who thought they were being all smart and junk by trying to deep and profound, forgot (actually they didn’t forget they’re just inconsistent) that Djali interacted with Hugo and they fought to defend Notre Dame. Quasimodo’s main squeeze also saw the Gargoyles in the Sequel {shudders at the thought of the sequel shudders.}
So let’s say that the directors are right and their theory that the Gargoyles are imaginary holds water; does this mean Quasimodo imagines Djali seeing Hugo? Does his means when Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools he imagines the Gargoyles cheering him on? Does he imagines the Gargoyles throwing stuff off off Notre Dame and the soldiers getting hurt especially when Quasimodo is occupied? Does this mean that Quasimodo is the source the pop culture anachronisms? And if the Gargoyles are Quasimodo’s imagination does this mean that after Quasimodo made some real life friends and was accepted by the people the Gargoyles would cease to be? Because they’re still around in the {shudders} sequel {shudders}. If Quasimodo lives in his head this much does this mean Quasimodo in the book is more functional? Plus he must be contently winded from lugging three stone statues around the place, then again maybe that’s why he can lift up Phoebus in full armor one handed.
Personally I think that the Gargoyles are Pan’s Labyrinthesque beings; only those who are innocent and pure can see them, hence why Quasimodo and Djali can see them but they can some effect on the actual world. Though in the German Musical, Der Glockner van Notre Dame, they are imaginary and they have different names.
Victor, Hugo and Laverne singing A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre dameVictor, Hugo and Laverne draw pictures Disney Hunchback of Notre DameHugo in drag Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So why are the sidekicks Gargoyles in the first place? Well the oh so smartie directors said in the commentary that Quasimodo speaks to the Gargoyles in the book. They also claim that Quasimodo has long conversations (plural) with the Gargoyles.
Looking over the book, I found that he was fond of a ‘grotesque personages sculptured on the wall,’ and to this he says “why wasn’t I made of stone like you” (Book 9 Chapter 4 Earthenware and Crystal). I’m not sure what version of the novel they read where Quasimodo had long conversations with Gargoyles ( maybe the 1939 movie version? In the 1939 version Quasimodo utters this line to a gargoyle).
If they were going to base a sidekick character off of objects that Quasimodo had a relationship with, it should have been the bells. They could’ve a sassy bell named Patti (Patti the Bell (Patti LaBelle, bad joke, sorry) that would have much better than the Gargoyles.
Hugo playing poker Disney Hunchback of Notre DameVictor and Laverne singing A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre dameA Guy Like You
So what do the Gargoyles do in the film?
They’re Quasimodo’s friends and guardians. They make [try] funny quips. They also make pop culture references. Disney has a habit of doing this. They started with the Genie in Aladdin. With the Genie it makes a level of sense because Genies are a supernatural beings, but in Hunchback this doesn’t work as well. The Gargoyles are part of Notre Dame, so how can they have inferences to the future? I don’t care that they magically – they’re part of an ancient building, they should be funny without making stupid references, Djali doesn’t resort it. Plus if they’re in fact imaginary, this means Quasimodo is the one doing it, so it makes even less sense. The only thing that the Gargoyles do well is they get Quasimodo off his ass and encourage him. But they also build Quasimodo’s expectations up too high. They convince him that Esmeralda is in love with him, which leads to some of Quasimodo’s emoness when she doesn’t reciprocate.
Victor and Laverne’s drawing of Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre DameHugo draws Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre DameVictor, Hugo and Laverne trying to liberate Quasimodo in emo-mode Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So the point of the Gargoyles is to provide levity but they just distract from the movie. Disney boasts the Hunchback as being their darkest movie but the Gargoyles hinder it. Plus the movie has some good levity already, Phoebus, Esmeralda, Clopin, Djali, Achilles, those bumbling guards, the old heretic, the torturer guy etc, they all provide good comedy while keeping the flow of the movie and without making references. Disney really could have done better in the sidekick department for Quasimodo.
In 2011 I joined Squidoo. Squidoo was ad-sharing writing platform where users could create a single page (a lens) on any topic. I started writing content on the Hunchback to help drive traffic back and forth between the blog and my “lenses.” In 2014 Squidoo shut-down and the content transferred to Hubpages.
Hubpages was the same type of site, a little less cheeky but much the same. Hubpages didn’t exactly shut-down but it cut users off from the revenue earning. So many of the users, myself included, opted to remove their pages from the platform.
So while these topic listed below did get moved to Hubpages they no longer exist there either this just a record of what I had once had on the Squidoo/Hubpages platforms at one time and MAYBE in future might be moved here as I been slowly posting/reworking those articles/pages/lenses here.
Part of Disney’s formula to success for their films of the 90’s are archetypes. You have the hero/heroine, villain, sidekicks both good and evil, some kind of parental figure and some kind of larger than life characters that’s usually one of the side kicks (they’ll usually get the show stopper of the film). Of course these are not set in stone, different characters are given different presidencies. So how does Phoebus fit into the Disney’s archetypes? That’s a good question, he’s not the hero that’s Quasimodo. He’s not the villain, Frollo fits very snugly into that role. He’s not the heroine. He’s not an annoying sidekick – the film already exhausted that one. He could be a villain sidekick as he worked for the villain but those are usually goofy or bumbling if a villain gets one at all and plus he not villainous. He’s kind of parental in the way he encourages Quasimodo but he’s not that archetype either. Mmmmmm, I’m out of archetypes.
Well I guess Phoebus is the Auxiliary Hero. He does heroic stuff but all the credit goes to Quaismodo but Phoebus gets the girl. I guess Phoebus gets a better deal “half the work and a girlfriend.” Better luck in the sequel Quasi.
Phoebus Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus is a weird character in the realm of the Hunchback adaptions: sometimes he’s the hero, sometimes he’s an asshole, sometimes he just a plot point, sometimes you hardly notice him and sometimes he’s not even there.
In this way Phoebus is like Pierre Gringoire. The differences between the two is Gringoire is a coward not a jerk and sometimes he’ll be the story teller. Now for the people who have only seen the Disney film, Gringoire is not in the film but his characterization was split between Clopin and Phoebus.
Phoebus and Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
We’ll get back to thought in a bit but let’s look a Phoebus a little. Phoebus (voiced by Kevin Klein) is a noble and is a captain in the army. At the start of the film he gets a promotion to Captain of the Judges’ Guards which means he has to “take care” of the Romani. This evidently wasn’t in the job description because he had no idea what he signed up for and he’s annoyed to come back from the wars to deal with beggars, street performers and fortune tellers. Phoebus has a dry wit, a lot of integrity and morality. He has a very different look than most Disney men – he’s older and has facial hair, a first for Disney. He falls for Esmeralda very early in the film when he first sees her dancing and is further interested when he sees her “conflict aversion” skills (the chase scene).
Phoebus and Esmeralda Kiss Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
He saves Esmeralda from Frollo by saying that she claimed sanctuary which she never did. Phoebus proves to be of the hero variety when he stands in opposition of Frollo’s mad man antics. Phoebus is ordered to burn down a house of a family who accused of harboring Romani with the family inside. Phoebus doesn’t compile and saves the family. Because Frollo doesn’t take kindly to people not obeying his every little insane whim, Phoebus is to be executed. Esmeralda creates a distraction and Phoebus tries escape on Frollo’s horse but is shot and falls into a river and Esmeralda has to save him again. Esmeralda takes him to Notre Dame for safety. It’s there where they share the longest Disney kiss (over 30 seconds). After Frollo announces he going to attack the Court of Miracles, Phoebus unwittingly encourages Quasimodo to warn Esmeralda and the rest of the Romani. So they find the Court of Miracle and after a brief encounter with the noose, he and Quasimodo warn the Romani to leave but Frollo shows up and arrests everyone. So Phoebus is to be executed after Esmeralda but luckily Quasimodo saves Esmeralda and Phoebus escape his cage and rallies the people to fights against Frollo. Phoebus then saves Quasimodo from falling off Notre Dame and happy ending are shared by all (except Frollo).
Phoebus and Esmeralda Happy Ending Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
So Phoebus is a hero but Quaismodo is the focused hero and the film never wants you to forget that. Back to the thought of Phoebus filling in as Gringoire. Gringoire in the book has the best relationship with Esmeralda and that’s why so many of the films place these two together more than the Phoebus/Esmeralda relationship. The rallying of the people and helping Esmeralda are things that Gringoire exhibits. One of the deleted songs from the Disney version called “As Long as there a Moon” and it occurs right after Esmeralda saves Phoebus and Quasimodo from Clopin’s fun. It was supposed to be a love song for Phoebus and Esmeralda and it included a wedding ceremony where they smashed a pitcher. So Phoebus takes on Gringoire in this delated scene. The reason why it was delated is because the directors felt it took the focus off of Quasimodo but it really did throw off the pacing of the film
Phoebus – Hey Frollo’s coming leave now,
Clopin – Ok, but let’s have a wedding first,
Phoebus – Well that’s sensible
Phoebus and Quasimodo Hug
Phoebus is a very malleable character that can be used to carter to the whims of the movie. In the Disney film he’s a male Esmeralda (think about it, they’re the same) he does everything Esmeralda does, stand for the same things, gets into the same scrapes as she does and is an agent of Quasimodo’s liberation. In book Phoebus is not that static of character, Phoebus changes in his regard for his fiancee Fleur de Lys. In the Disney movie he has a change, which was defying Frollo’s authority but from the word go he was never keen on Frollo’s politics so it was only matter of time (a day) for that insubordination to occur. Phoebus a fun character and he did prove necessary for the story that Disney was telling.
Next Character: Esmeralda – The Beautiful Kind Heroine
Esmeralda Dancing, Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda is a Romani dancer who is the subject of the three male main characters’ affections. She’s very beautiful and sensual. In this version Esmeralda is 100% Romani. She has a dark complexion, thick black hair and emerald green eyes, attributive to her name. She wears a white chemise blouse that off shoulder, a blue corset with thin gold stripes, a purple skirt with a darker purple kerchief
Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
worn at the hip with coin trim. She wears some gold jewelry; bracelets, an anklet and one gold hoop. She were a pink scarf in her hair to keep her hair back. She has a second outfit, that is used as an formal dance costume.
Esmeralda Dancing, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
It’s red with purple flutter sleeves and a purple sash at the waist. In addition to her normal jewelry she where a bindi and a crown.
Esmeralda and Djail, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda is a very different type of Disney Heroine, she’s mature and not a dreaming of new life. She deals with her lot in life and gets by the best she can. To make a income she dances.She also dabbles in fortune telling. She is also in the company or her goat Djali. Djali acts are her security system, warning her of danger and trying to protect her from would be harm. In the Disney version, Djali doesn’t get her into in trouble like in book. In fact Djali helps her get out of trouble by helping her deguise as an old begger man.
Esmeralda helping Quasimodo, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda’s main motivation is social justice for mainly her own people but also for those on the outskirts of the social order (i.e. Quasimodo). It’s in this way she is the opposition of Frollo and she hates him and defies him every chance she gets. Prior to her defiance she teased/mocked him with her flirtatious dancing during the festival of fools. She also wary of those in power positions. That’s why she didn’t take a shining to Phoebus at first, but his persistent charm and wit won her over (plus saving an innocent family that almost cost him his life didn’t hurt much either).
Esmeralda and Phoebus, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Speaking of Phoebus and Esmeralda here is a little point I would like to make. A few people feel that it was shallow of Esmeralda to choose Phoebus over Quasimodo. In movies, couples are usually established early, you can usually tell whose going to end up together.
Quasimodo accepts Esmeralda and Phoebus as a couple, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As a I mention in another post Esmeralda and Phoebus only have one scene without either Frollo or Quasimodo and that is where they are both introduced, meaning that their relationship was established before either of them met Frollo or Quasimodo. Also I can’t see Esmeralda and Quasimodo being anything but friends. She treats Quasimodo with kindness and politeness and comes off like an older family member; she really does treat him with kid gloves. There is no passion unlike Esmeralda and Phoebus. The creators wanted a romance between Esmeralda and Phoebus and that what the movie worked towards.
Esmeralda and Djali having a little fun, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
As far of Esmeralda’s personality, she’s kind, she has a dry wit and she’s loyal to her friends. She is very resourceful, for example Phoebus owns his life to her make-shift sling shot that saved him from decapitation. She also has a bit of mischievous streak. During the chase after she frees Quasimodo she looks like she is legitimately having fun avoiding arrest while raising some hell. She also uses her feminine charms to get what she wants. She uses it to earn money from dancing but she also gives Quasimodo a peak on the check to get him to allow her to visit him. She is very physically fit; she dances, very agile in a fight (or chase), she can swim underwater, hold her breath long enough to get Phoebus out of his armor and pull up in record time.
Esmeralda exerting some power Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
She also has seems to have some sway in the Court of Miracles as she can stop executions and order the people to leave. She also can seem to refer people to the Court, not sure if that map/cryptic instructions she gave Quasimodo are standard issue in the Court of Miracles or if she is some high rank there. Not only that but the other Rpmani wouldn’t say her location, meaning either they’re loyal to their fellow Romani or she is respected. She also seems to have a close relationship to Clopin who like in the book is leader in the Court of Miracles. She performs with him and he not put off with her meddling in the hanging of Quasimodo and Phoebus, which Clopin seem to be enjoying. It seems to me that she must hold some power amongst her people or the Court of Miracle is egalitarian.
Esmeralda singing “God Help the Outcast” Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda is not a dynamic character. She remains consistent throughout the movie; she’s mature, self-confident and kind at the beginning and she remains that way throughout the end. The only aspect about that changes is her feelings towards Phoebus. In defense of static characters, Esmeralda is not a dynamic character in the book either and Disney doesn’t do dynamic characters very often.
Frollo arresting Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Esmeralda is not a typical heroine, the scarps she gets into are serious. She’s almost arrested, assaulted in a church, threaten, hunted down by a control-freak mad man, almost burned, nearly dies of asphyxiation and then chased with a six foot sword a top a massive edifice. Makes other Disney heroine’s tribulations look like a child’s play. All she really did to get into all that trouble was being a Romani and a defying a powerful public official; she stayed in trouble because of her beauty and sex appeal.
Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre dame
I admit it was refreshing to see a different type of heroine when I first saw the movie in 1996 and it’s great that Disney ventured outside the profitable typical Disney heroine. If Hunchback had come out before this shift in heroine Esmeralda could have easily fit into the Disney princess line.
Now if your thinking “Esmeralda’s not a princess” well I would say neither is Mulan but let me explain some minor points. The Disney Princess brand isn’t actually about the characters being princesses it’s about how their movies did with girls in a certain age demographics, hence why Esmeralda isn’t in the line up already although she was at one point in time. But if Esmeralda behaved more like Ariel, Belle, or Jasmine, a dreamer wanting more, she may have done better with young girls, though it’s hard to say.
I suppose the creators thought Quasimodo fit the dreamer model better than Esmeralda and she would do better as an agent of Quasimodo’s liberation from being a focused shut-in. But another point worth mentioning is Esmeralda in the book fits the Disney princess mold very well and she was very well regarded in the Court of Miracles. So making like a princess wouldn’t have been a stretch and she does dream of a different life with regards to Phoebus. I wonder if Disney regrets this since the Disney Princess line was establish in 2001.
Esmeralda, Quasimodo and Phoebus leaving Notre Dame
Judge Claude Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Frollo is Quasimodo’s counterpoint and the Villain of the movie. Frollo is a bit different from other Disney villains. Many of the villains are trying to get more power such as Ursula, Jafar, Scar etc, but Frollo already has power as he is the High Justice of Paris. His motivation keeping control and he is fueled by hate. He thinks he’s better than everyone else from a moral stand point and if he judges it as amoral than he thinks he is in the right, from killing an innocent women, to trying to kill a baby, burning Paris or attempted genocide.
Judge Claude Frollo
Disney villains generally have two looks to them, elegant and slim or fat yet still elegant. Frollo is of the elegant, slim and tall variety. Looking at the concept art you can see parallels between Disney’s Frollo and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. He dresses like noble but
Concept Art for Frollo
we’re given no back story other than his relationship with Quasimodo so we have no where he comes from. In the musical Der Glöckner von Notre Dame ( German musical by Alan Menkan based on the Disney movie) Frollo was a priest prior to becoming the high Justice, which makes his pious-bent makes a little more sense, but you don’t go from a priest to High Justice. At least in 1939 version his piousness was the result of having a Brother who was the Archdeacon.
With Disney Frollo there is no hint or reason given for a morally-corrupt pious Judge. You can make guesses as to what the reason is for Frollo’s behavior but Disney films have never been a venue for giving out much character development of their villains. Character Development might prompt sympathy. My guess would be being pious and acting moral helps Frollo maintain his hold over the Parisians.
Frollo and Qausimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
Frollo is very conniving and manipulative. He raises Quasimodo out of guilt for killing Quasimodo’s mother in front of Notre Dame but he keeps him locked away in Notre Dame. I can’t quite figure out his logic for keeping Quasimodo in Notre Dame (other than the almighty plot and source material told him to), I mean Frollo lives in a jail. Anyway Frollo also raises Quasimodo with the hope that Quasimodo will be useful to him in some capacity. It’s hard to know if Frollo actually likes Quasimodo or he simply likes the dynamics of their Master/slave:Father/son relationship. My guess is Frollo all about Power and keeping power and Quasimodo serves as a consistent reminder of his hold over Paris and when Quasimodo proved too willful for him he tried to kill him.
Frollo trying to control Quasimodo
Frollo trying to kill Quasimodo
Esmeralda giving Frollo a Kiss
In direct opposition to Frollo’s control is Esmeralda. Esmeralda is everything that Frollo hates, she’s a free-spirited Gypsy who dances and lives outside the social order that he controls. Frollo first notices her when she danced a very sensual dance and kissed him on the nose. The dance, while getting his attention wasn’t the factor to make him obsessives towards her, it was her defying him in support of Quasimodo who was being tortured by the crowd. Esmeralda uses some parlor tricks that Frollo misconstrues as witchcraft (another of Frollo’s turn off) and after a merry chase she gives him the slip and goes into Notre Dame.
Frollo groping Esmeralda
Frollo’s obsession for her intensify to the point where he has to over come her, at this point by arresting her. Frollo tries to arrest her in Notre Dame but due sanctuary, she is protected. It’s at this point Frollo loses control and gropes her, and sniffs her hair, and thus the lust begins.
Frollo and an illusion of Esmeralda during Hellfire
As he can’t arrest her, he blocks her in Notre Dame stationing guards at every door of the cathedral. Frollo then sings about how his losing control is the fault of Esmeralda and not his, “Hellfire.” At this point arresting Esmeralda is not enough, he needs to be in possession of her or she mustn’t exists. It’s during this song where he learns that once again that Esmeralda has given him the slip. Frollo then goes on a spree of burning Paris, trying to bribe other Romani for Esmeralda’s whereabouts and then arresting them for not being helpful. Frollo manipulates Quasimodo to learn the location of the Court of Miracles. This is where Esmeralda is when Frollo attacks and arrests everyone there.
Frollo’s ultimatum to Esmeralda
As Esmeralda is tied to the stake and about to be burn, Frollo gives Esmeralda his final ultimatum, Him or Flame. Ultimately, like all Disney movies there is a climax that ends with the villain’s death, like many Disney movies, Frollo is not killed or subdue by the hero, he’s actually about to kill Esmeralda and Quasimodo but the gargoyle he is standing on breaks and Frollo falls to his death. So the real hero of the story is Notre Dame.
Frollo’s Death
Frollo singing Hellfire
So in the history Disney of Villains, Frollo is one of the most vile among the line-up as he is most real and less “fun.” He is less featured in merch for these reasons.
Frollo attempting to drown baby Quasimodo
As far as Disney Villains go, he’s guilty of some of the most heinous acts. Within the first two minutes of his introduction, he kills a women and tries to kill a baby, he shows no remorse for these acts, in fact he justifies them; the women ran, he just followed (he must have thought the kick was an act of God) and he justifies almost killing a baby because it’s ugly and he consider the baby a monster. What makes Frollo more compelling as a Villain is his control and power and the fact that he thinks he both righteous and pure.
