Hunchback Essay, Research Paper

Film Critique

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Hugo was trying to say about the main character, Quazi Motto, that looks have

nothing to do with personality and how well they should be liked. Quazi Motto was quite

unattractive physically but his personality was one of greatness, and his intentions were

always good.

Women?s issues were depicted through the gypsy girl. When she spoke out in

public in support of Quazi Motto, she was shunned against as though it were a sin. People

then wanted her arrested just for standing up for someone else?s human rights. The more

aristocratic people in the story didn?t like any gypsy?s, but especially not Ezmerelda since

she stood up for Quazi and since she was a woman.. Quazi Motto?s mother was also taken

advantage of. Since she was a poor woman, she was accused of stealing bread when she

was simply trying to protect her baby. Even if they knew that was simply what she was

trying to do, they still would have taken the baby and arrested her.

Prejudice, race, and cultural differences are shown in the film by having gypsies,

peasants, religious icons, and aristocratic people all interacting. The film made it obvious

that anyone without much money was discriminated against and would be blamed for any

problems occurring within society. The peasants and gypsies simply did what they could

to survive and weren?t harming anyone, but the aristocrats would blame all mishaps on

them and were always wishing them ill. The religious icons were there to try to protect

the peasants and gypsies but the aristocrats wouldn?t stop at anyone?s command but their

own.

Romance is woven throughout the film between Ezmerelda and the Captain and

Ezmerelda and Quazi Motto. It was unacceptable for the Captain and Ezmerelda to have

a relationship because him being of aristocracy was expected to be against gypsies. It was

also unacceptable for Ezmerelda and Quazi to have a relationship because no one was

supposed to be attracted to Quazi by his master?s standards. In the end though, love wins

as the Captain and Ezmerelda develop a relationship and Quazi Motto accepts it.

I think that the focus of the film was on Paris because it was one of the leading and

most diverse cities of the romantic movement. It was set in Notre Dame possibly because

it was Paris? church at the time and the center of religions. Many peasants and outcasts

would go there for protection.