Claude Frollo

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This article deals with a character from the novel. For the character in the 1996 Disney adaptation, see Judge Claude Frollo.

Archdeacon Claude Frollo, holding a baby Quasimodo. Art by Victor Hugo.

Claude Frollo is a fictional character from the Victor Hugo novel Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1831). Frollo is the Archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He is the villain of the novel.

[edit] Character

In Victor Hugo's novel, Claude Frollo is the Archdeacon of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. He also has a brother in the novel, Jehan, who plays a minor part. Though Frollo emerges as the villain of the story, he is presented as an extremely complex man who is torn apart by passions. Frollo is an intellectual who has become infatuated with alchemy, become a recluse and come close to insanity. Yet, he also has strong sexual passions, though he is a celibate. These passions erupt in him through his contact with the pretty gypsy girl Esmeralda and turn all his desires to obtaining her. Frollo sees Esmeralda primarily as an object to be obtained, not as a person to be loved (in one scene, he nearly rapes her) - yet at times he also desperately longs for love and kindness that surpasses mere sexual desire.

The four main characters in the novel, Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Frollo and Captain Phoebus, can be actually interpreted as to stand for four types of love: The hunchback Quasimodo exemplifies selfless, sacrificial love; Esmeralda a romantic, dreamy infatuation that is unaware of the fact that it remains unrequited; Frollo dramatic sexual passion and a love/hate relationship; Phoebus superficial flirtation and lechery.

[edit] Adaptations

The novel has been adapted to film on numerous occasions. The most interesting change perhaps comes from the 1923 silent film version, in which Frollo isn't the villain at all; instead, he is a good archdeacon, and the villain of the novel is actually his younger brother Jehan. This is also present in the 1939 adaption, with the roles reversed and Jehan as the archdecon and good brother. This is sometimes compared with the 1996 Disney adaptation, in which Frollo is a Judge, the Archdeacon is a separate character entirely, and the character of Jehan is omitted. Many conclude that such changes were made to avoid a negative reaction from religious organizations.