Even back then, Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame raised more than a few eyebrows. Many families were quick to point out the film’s dark elements, as well as the horrific implications the antagonist had. What’s more, despite the fact that there is a happy ending, even then, many children, myself included, were still disturbed by the morbid world we were introduced to. However, Disney couldn’t capture the true essence of the original story, a story filled with tragedy and heartbreak.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is set in Paris in 1482. It introduces a gypsy named Esmeralda, whom many men, including Quasimodo and his guardian, Archdeacon Claude Frollo, are in love with. When Frollo orders Quasimodo to capture Esmeralda, Quasimodo finds himself being arrested by Captain Phoebus, and is later punished. However, Esmeralda, who sees his plight, gave Quasimodo water. Because of this, the hunchback becomes more enamored with her. She also saves a man named Gringoire, whom she agrees to marry in four years. Esmeralda is later convicted for the attempted murder of Phoebus, although it was Frollo who tried to do this out of pure jealousy. Just as Esmeralda is about to be executed, Quasimodo saves her, and claims that she is protected under the law of sanctuary. Despite this, the Court of Parliament removed Esmeralda’s protection. In the end, it was Frollo, alongside Gringoire, who rescued Esmeralda, but after being spurned again for trying to win her love, Frollo turns her over to the troops. As Frollo watches Esmeralda’s hanging, he laughs, only for Quasimodo to push him to his death. In the end, Quasimodo finds Esmeralda’s dead body, he dies, and the two finally turn to dust.

One of the most intriguing characters in this book was the Archdeacon himself. Despite the fact that he represents himself as a man of God, Frollo is given to his lust, driving him to betray everyone he ever cared about, including Esmeralda herself. He also struggles with himself to try to control his urges, and when he fails, he is punished by the very person he cared for, Quasimodo. Quasimodo, on the other hand, was a man who was shunned for his appearance, and so, when he first saw Esmeralda treating him like a regular human being, he was enchanted. Though it’s clear that both he and Frollo care for one another, their love for Esmeralda soon overtakes them both, leading them to turn on each other. It’s a fatalistic triangle, with their love for her dragging all three to their deaths. It's a poetic ending that shows love's final form, though who's to say that their love ended in death?

Of course, there will always be supporters and detractors from the book. Many love a happy end, as opposed to a sad one, while others may prefer a more dramatic work than the one Disney presented us with. Still, it’s a story that has carved out a special place in our hearts, and one we will continue to tell for decades to come.