The Bells of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Series: A Theological Masterpiece, part I
She is beyond beautiful. Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is the centerpiece of Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The cathedral is more than the setting- it is an essential character itself. Notre Dame honors “Our Lady” Mary, the Mother of Christ Jesus. She is the first to carry and deliver the real flesh and the blood of the Gospel, the fully divine and fully human Savior of the world. Notre Dame stands for the breathtaking beauty of the Gospel message- that all mankind are loved and welcomed into relationship with the Creator of the Universe, even while we wrestle with the pains and realities of living in this often ugly and cruel world.
I have recently headed back into theater life as the musical director of a local production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Shame on me for not even being aware that this masterpiece existed! I assumed I was jumping into the heartwarming Disney movie until I found the soundtrack and a YouTube recording of the show. If you are interested in taking this theological journey through song and theatrical art in this series, I highly recommend listening and watching these recordings. (link below) This is not a show with a happy ending. This is real and raw. This is relevant today in so many ways. There are outcasts and immigrants and a church leader who completely misunderstands God and misuses his power to abuse and corrupt.
But it starts and ends with HOPE- a prayer of hope that someday change will come.
The show opens with a stunning Latin choral piece sung by the choir at Notre Dame. The choir begins in unison signifying being of one voice in what they are singing. The Latin words translate to a plea to God that He would soon hasten the day when life is kinder. Hope.
What follows is a long introduction sequence to introduce us to our story and its characters. (The Bells of Notre Dame) The ensemble in the show is presented as balladeers telling the story of the Hunchback. They are a united group working together to present an important story that is designed to make the viewer think and feel and be angered and then inspired to enact change by partnering in hope and action.
Two brothers, Frollo and Jehan, are introduced. They are young men who have been taken in by the Church yet choose different paths in life. Jehan runs away and lives a wild life, while Claude Frollo remains in the Church and ascends to become the Archdeacon. He may be the most terrifying villain I have encountered. He twists Scripture and spiritual doctrine into reasons to abuse and oppress all while appearing to be an honored man of the church. This is taking God’s name in vain in the worst way. His character will give us a wealth of material to pull apart theologically.
One day, Frollo gets a message from his lost brother Jehan and runs to save him. Jehan is dying and has one final request of Frollo- to take care of his newborn son, as the mother (a Gypsy, which in this show are the unwanted immigrants) had already passed away. Frollo cannot deny his brother but is disgusted when he unwraps the babe and finds him deformed. Appearances are important to Frollo, and this “cross to bear” is unwanted, but part of him sees it as a way to redeem the fact he could not “save” his brother from “sin.” Maybe he can save “this thing.” He dehumanizes the baby to make it easier to oppress it. Do we see this occurring in our world today? Do we see the dehumanizing of people made in the image of God to accomplish social or political purposes?
Frollo announces “See this loathsome creature from whom lesser men would flee. I will keep and care for him and teach him at my knee. To think……..like me.”
The choir sings “Dies Irae! Dies Illa! Solvet saec’lum in favilla! Kyrie Eleison! (Day of wrath! That will consume the world in ashes- Lord, have mercy!)
The question is now posed to the audience-
“What makes a monster and what makes a man?
Sing the bells of Notre Dame.”
#Hunchback #Theology #TheologyThroughTheArts
It was true in 1996 when the Disney version came out, and I think it may still be true today: Frollo is probably the most genuinely disturbed Disney villain ever. I never read Hugo's novel, so forgive my ignorance of the source material. But I think the juxtaposition of such a twisted character in the setting of Notre Dame, is sublime.
Notre Dame. It captures the essence of Mary, the mother of God, as well as the building in her honor, as well as the whole church that the Blessed Mother typifies. Look at a picture of the Madonna with her child, the baby Jesus, and you see a picture of the church as she is meant to be. Mary, the one who said "yes" to God, and brought Jesus to the world. This is the essence of the church and her mission. Frollo's is a cautionary tale of those who stand in the way of that mission, dress themselves in its uniform, and abuse their calling.
It's so easy to point the finger at church members, leaders, or the church herself and call it corrupt, backward, oppressive, hypocritical, blasphemous, and evil. Truly, some of that is accurate. Yet Notre Dame stands there reminding us of what she is called to be, what we are called to be, and what the Spirit is making us, despite ourselves.
Kyrie eleison.