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In The Hunchback of Notre Dame there were many relationships, all presenting very different characters and different states of love, but all of them weave in the rules for love given 300 years earlier. Many of the relationships in Hunchback show a reverse of what was desired and accepted love at the time, and from this one can see that the ideas apply both for more “courtly” love, as well as for less respectable relationships. The Lais of Marie de France present a strong thesis on love, which was first conceived in the court of Henry II in the 12th century. One of the most predominant ideas was that of having pain in love. In the story of Equitian it goes so far as to say that he will give into the love because of the pain it causes him. “Because of this lady I have seen my heart has been overwhelmed by a pain so great that my whole body trembles. I think I have no option but to love her.” The theme of pain in love was incorporated into all of the Lais in various forms. Pain in love could go to the extent of physical pain, the emotional pain from loss of love, the pain from lack of consent in love, or sometimes the pain suffered just because being in love caused so much trouble. In the lai “Les Deus Amans” two lovers suffer from the moderation they must use because of their social positions. “They often spoke together and loved each other loyally, concealing their love as best they could so no one would notice them. This suffering caused them much grief, but the young man considered it better to suffer these misfortunes than to make too much haste and thus fail. Love was a great affliction to him.” Pain in The Lais of Marie de France was not so much something that was a rule of love, but more something that they were expected to accept in the relationships of courtly love. Another idea of love brought up in the lai’s was the idea of moderation. In many of the lai’s it mentions secretiveness, and also shows the consequences for lovers who are not prudent with their love. In the lai “Laustic” the two lovers are discovered in the end because of their frequent indulgence of their love. “They took delight in seeing each other, since they were denied anything more. But so frequently did she stand there and so frequently leave her bed that her husband became angry and repeatedly asked why she got up and where she went.” Moderation and prudence in love was more common in the relationships outside of the marriage in which there was often more love than in the pre-arranged marriages of nobility and even peasants. One other important aspect of love brought up in The Lais of Marie de France was the idea of consent by both the man and the woman. Often much of the pain in love would come from fearing whether or not a woman would give her consent and love to the man who sought her affection. In “Les Deux Amans” the man not only seeks her consent of love to him, but it is most important that it is for her genuine love, and not just an agreement as it was with marriage. “He fell in love with the kings daughter and many times urged her to grant him her love and to love him truly.” Another example of seeking consent is in “Guigemar”. While both the man and the woman love each other they are both too scared to ask for the other’s consent. “He greeted her and she him. They were both suffering great distress, but he did not dare ask anything of her, as he was a stranger from a foreign land. He was afraid that, if he spoke to her of his emotions, she would hate him, and send him away.” The consent of love was a strong concept in the court of Henry II because in the past much love had been based on lust and passion. With respectable love came the obligation for consent. All of the new concepts in courtly love were carried out in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and pain played a main role in all of the relationships. In the forbidden relationship between Claude Frollo and the gypsy girl Esmeralda, Claude is caused severe pain because Esmeralda refuses to give her consent for him to love her. “Yes, it’s true! Can’t you see anything burning in my heart? Alas, it burns unceasingly, night and day! Doesn’t it deserve at least a little pity? My love tortures me night and day! Oh, my suffering is unbearable! I assure you it’s something worthy of your compassion. You can see how gently I’m speaking to you. I want you to stop having such a horror of me. When a man loves a woman, it’s not his fault… Oh, my God!” It is interesting that a relationship such as this one, which was not courtly at all seeing as the man and woman were both committing sins would contain one of the same aspects as those of the more proper relationships. Pain is also in the various other relationships in the book. With Phoebus and the noble lady Fluer-de-Lys, she is caused pain when he does not pay proper attention to her. “It was obvious that she was much more aware of the captain’s coldness and absent-mindedness than her mother. He felt called upon to make some attempt at conversation with her. Also in the relationship between Phoebus and Esmeralda, not only is the same emotional pain caused to her when she knows she cannot have his love, but she is willing to endure pain for her love. “Oh, my Phoebus! She murmured so softly that no one heard her. Then she resumed her statue-like immobility and silence. The sight of her would have sent the heart of anyone except a judge. She was a poor sinful soul questioned by Satan at the crimson wicket of hell. The callous hands of Pierrat Torteru’s assistants brutally stripped the shapely leg and the little foot which had so often charmed the onlookers with their grace and beauty in the streets of Paris.” From these quotes one can see that the acceptance of pain in relationships continued long after the court of Henry II. The next concept in love, prudence and moderation, also continued in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In the relationship between Esmeralda and Phoebus, Esmeralda knew to be secretive with her love for Phoebus because of the class separation. When her secret love is revealed, things begin to fall apart for the relationship, which shows the cause and effect of moderation in their relationships. “So that’s her secret! Thought Fleur-de-Lys. In the meantime her mother, the other young ladies, the gypsy girl and the captain had all come over to look. When she saw the blunder the goat had made, La Esmeralda blushed, guilty prisoner before a judge. He looked at her with a smile of turned pale and began to tremble before the captain like a surprise and self-satisfaction.” Also in the relationship between Claude Frollo and Esmeralda, Claude Frollo must be careful to be secretive because of the lack of acceptance for his love of the gypsy girl. The prudence in relationships continues to be found in the same type of relationships in both The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Lais of Marie de France. Lastly, the concept of consent in love continues into the time period of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, although we see it more in reverse in the less accepted relationships. With Esmeralda and Phoebus we can see that the relationship is not what was proper at the time, yet although he nearly fulfills his desires without her consent, he does listen to her pleas, as in the lais. “Suddenly Phoebus pulled off her blouse completely. The poor girl, who had until then remained pale and pensive, awakened from her reverie with a start. She abruptly pushed the enterprising officer away, blushing and speechless with shame, and hid her bosom with her arms.” The same is can be said of the relationship between Claude Frollo and Esmeralda. As we can see in the previous quote, although he nearly ignores her will, he does still seek her consent in love. All of these rules of love continue to apply in relationships today. Pain is still an accepted part of love, and many of the greatest love stories are tragedies such as Romeo & Juliet. Many believe that love is still best in moderation, since when feelings are over indulged there is an effect. Today consent is even more necessary than ever, because without consent it is un-lawful. The ideas for love which were first recorded in the lai’s in the court of Henry II have continued ever since, and will most likely continue through time periods still to come. Bibliography: Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo Word Count: 1573
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