The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a Literary Classic Victor Marie Hugo was born in Besancon, France, on February 26, 1802. He was a novelist, essayist, dramatist, and poet. He is regarded as one of the most important French Romantic authors. Hugo was the third child of Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo, and Sophie Trébuchet. He had two brothers, Abel Joseph Hugo and Eugène Hugo. Emperor Napoleon rose to power just two years after Hugo was born. At a young age he wrote poetry and stories. In 1822, Hugo married his neighbor, Adèle Foucher. His first great success was with the play Hernani. In 1831, he wrote one of his most successful novels, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Later, Hugo had four children. However, Adèle fell in love with Hugo’s best friend, Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve. Hugo met Juliette Drouet, and actress, who would be his mistress for fifty years. Hugo and Adèle still stayed together. Three of Hugo’s children died before he did. Hugo ran for political office and won in 1843. In 1848 he was elected to the Constitutional Assembly. Finally, when Napoleon III fell in 1870, Hugo returned home. In 1876 Hugo was elected to the brand new Senate. In 1881 France celebrated the life of Hugo and had one of the largest parades in French history. Hugo was 79 at the time. Hugo died on May 22nd, 1885. The entire country mourned for him. Over two million people attended his funeral procession from the Arc de Triomphe to the Panthéon. He was buried in the Panthéon mausoleum next to Émile Zola, author of Thérèse Raquin. Our story begins 530 years ago, on January sixth, 1482. However, the story actually happens for six months in 1482, and the final chapter takes place about two years later. The story takes place mainly at Notre Dame Cathedral and the streets of Paris in France. The Cathedral was the main attraction in Paris before the Eifel tower was built. At the top of

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