Hunchback of Notre Dame, The: Week 6 - Book 7

[Silver]

For discussing Book 7 of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The chapters in this book consist of:

1. THE DANGER OF CONFIDING ONE'S SECRET TO A GOAT.
2. A PRIEST AND A PHILOSOPHER ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
3. THE BELLS.
4. ANArKH.
5. THE TWO MEN CLOTHED IN BLACK.
6. THE EFFECT WHICH SEVEN OATHS IN THE OPEN AIR CAN PRODUCE.
7. THE MYSTERIOUS MONK.
8. THE UTILITY OF WINDOWS WHICH OPEN ON THE RIVER.

[MadgeUK]

I love the titles of Hugo's chapters - they are so intriguing!

[MadgeUK]

In Book 7 Chapter 5 (The Two Men Clothed in Black) there is yet another reference to a spider. Louis XI's attorney, Jacques Charmolue, attempts to rescue a fly that has become ensnared in a spider's web. Frollo prevents this: 'Maitre Jacques' cried he 'let fate take its course!'and he continues (in a voice which seemed to proceed from the depths of his being): 'behold here a symbol of all. She flies, she is joyous, she is just born; she seeks the spring, the open air, liberty: oh, yes! but let her come in contact with the fatal network, and the spider issues from it, the hideous spider! Poor dancer! poor, predestined fly! Let things take their course, Master Jacques, 'tis fate! Alas! Claude, thou art the spider! Claude, thou art the fly also! Thou wert flying towards learning, light, the sun. Thou hadst no other care than to reach the open air, the full daylight of eternal truth; but in precipitating thyself towards the dazzling window which opens upon the other world,- upon the world of brightness, intelligence, and science -blind fly! senseless, learned man! thou hast not perceived that subtle spider's web, stretched by destiny betwixt the light and thee - thou hast flung thyself headlong into it, and now thou art struggling with head broken and mangled wings between the iron antennae of fate! Master Jacques! Master Jacques! let the spider work its will!'

If Frollo is the spider here then is Esmerelda the fly and is her beloved Phoebus (the name of the sun God in Greek Mythology) 'the spring, the open air, liberty' that she yearns for?

Is the 'subtle web' both Frollo's and Quasimodo's unrequited passion?

[MadgeUK]

Hugo trivia:-

Hugo's fascination with spiders extended to this drawing of the town of Vianden in Luxemburg which he often visited. Perhaps it symbolised that the town caught him in its web?:-

http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/paint...

He was a very fine illustrator as these illustrations from Les Miserables show:-

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Jean-Va...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37019042...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iAhmZqq6o58...

http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/...

And of Esmeralda,Quasimodo and Frollo:-

http://manoflabook.com/wp/wp-content/...

http://img3.photographersdirect.com/i...

http://cache2.artprintimages.com/p/LR...

Does anyone have an illustrated edition of HND?

[Anne]

MadgeUK wrote: "I love the titles of Hugo's chapters - they are so intriguing!"

I love those too. I got a little behind, but I'm trying to catch up this weekend. I'm enjoying the book, but I definitely over-committed myself. There are just too many wonderful books to read and nowhere near enough time.

The chapter with Phoebus, Esmeralda, and Fleur-de-lis was hilarious. The dialogue and the descriptions of the character's reactions were brilliantly done.