Illustration of Esmeralda from 'Victor Hugo and His Time'. 1882.

Esméralda is a fictional character in Victor Hugo's 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She is a gypsy girl and a Bohemian from Andalusia. She constantly attracts men with her seductive dances, and is rarely seen without her clever goat Djali (pronounced Dahl-ya). She is often noted to be around 16 years old. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Victor-Marie Hugo (pronounced in French) (26 February 1802 — 22 May 1885) was a French poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights campaigner, and perhaps the most influential exponent of the Romantic movement in France. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or Notre-Dame of Paris (in French, Notre-Dame de Paris) is a novel first published in 1831 by the prolific French author Victor Hugo. ... Tzigane redirects here; for the composition by Maurice Ravel, see Tzigane (Ravel). ... Bohemians, or gypsies, are inhabitants of Bohemia, in the Czech Republic. ... Motto: Andalucía por sí, para España y la humanidad (Andalusia by herself, for Spain, and for humankind) Capital Seville Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 2nd  87,268 km²  17. ...

As a baby, Esméralda was kidnapped, then raised by Gypsies in exchange for the deformed infant Quasimodo, whom they left at the steps of Notre Dame. At the age of sixteen, the beautiful orphan serves as a public dancer, captivating the hearts of many key male characters, including Notre Dame's Archdeacon Claude Frollo. Quasimodo as depicted in the original Novel by Victor Hugo Quasimodo is the protagonist of 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame by French author Victor Hugo. ... This article is about the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. ... For the Major League Baseball player, see Maurice Archdeacon. ... Archdeacon Claude Frollo, holding a baby Quasimodo. ...

Frollo sends his adopted son Quasimodo to kidnap Esméralda from the streets, in the process he falls in love with her, and she thinks them as friends. Unfortunately, Esméralda is rescued by Captain Phoebus, whom she then instantly admires. Later that night, Clopin prepares to execute a poet named Pierre Gringoire for trespassing the Gypsies' territory known as The Court of Miracles. In a compassionate act to save his life, Esmeralda agrees to marry Gringoire. Quasimodo as depicted in the original Novel by Victor Hugo Quasimodo is the protagonist of 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame by French author Victor Hugo. ... Captain Phoebus is a fictional character from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. ... Clopin is the narrative jester character in Disneys The Hunchback of Notre Dame. ... Pierre Gringore (1475? - 1538) was a popular French poet and playwright. ...

When Quasimodo is sentenced to the pillory for his attempted kidnapping, it is Esméralda, his victim, who pities him and serves him water. There, Sister Gudule curses to Esmeralda, claiming she and the other Gypsies ate her lost child. Events later, the gypsy is arrested and sentenced to death for murdering Phoebus, framed by Frollo. Minutes before she is to be hanged, Quasimodo dramatically arrives from Notre Dame, takes Esmeralda, runs back in, leading her to a sanctuary where the law cannot touch her. It has been suggested that Pranger be merged into this article or section. ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann A nun is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. ...

However, the Court of Parliament votes to strip her of her sanctuary and send her to the gallows. Clopin leads all of the Parisian Gypsies to Notre Dame to rescue Esmeralda. Mistakenly responding to this assault, Quasimodo retaliates as the King's troops also arrive to fight the mob. During the attack, Frollo finds Esmeralda and requests her love in exchange for her freedom. She refuses. Angered, he locks her in a cell and brings in Sister Gudule to curse the gypsy. There, the two realise that Esméralda is in fact Gudule's lost child. But the guards arrive. Gudule is a very strong old woman and fights the guards savagely, but they kill Gudule, and hang Esmeralda. Quasimodo, devastated, kills himself beside her.

Modern portrayal

Many film adaptations of The Hunchback of Notre Dame have been made, which take various degrees of liberty with the novel, let alone the character. Among the actresses who have played her over the years are: Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or Notre-Dame of Paris (in French, Notre-Dame de Paris) is a novel first published in 1831 by the prolific French author Victor Hugo. ...

• Patsy Ruth Miller, in the 1923 silent film The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
• Maureen O'Hara, in the 1939 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
• Gina Lollobrigida, in the 1956 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
• Lesley-Anne Down, in the 1982 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
• Demi Moore, voice actor in the 1996 Disney animation The Hunchback of Notre Dame and its sequel.
• Hélène Ségara, the on-stage French musical of Notre-Dame de Paris in the late 1990s.