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Pierre Gringoire is a supporting character in the novel Notre-Dame de Paris. He is based on the real-life person of the same name.

History[]

A loosely fictionalized vision of Gringoire appears as an important character in Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and films based on it, except the 1996 animated Disney film (in which his character is combined with Captain Phoebus) and its 2002 direct-to-video sequel. He is probably best known from Hugo's book, in which he was inspired by and bears some resemblance to the historical Gringoire.[1]

In Victor Hugo's original novel[]

File:Gustave Brion - Pierre Gringoire.jpg

Pierre Gringoire.
Illustration by Gustave Brion for The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

During the Feast of Fools, which is when the story begins, a crowd of people arrive at the Grand Hall of the Palace of Justice where Gringoire introduces them to a play written by him, but is soon interrupted by Clopin Trouillefou, the King of Truands. When the crowd leaves the play and celebrate the crowning of Quasimodo as the Pope of Fools, Gringoire feels disappointed. Later, when he sees Esmeralda dancing near the fire, he forgets about his failed play and falls in love with her.

Later that night, Gringoire follows Esmeralda walking until he witnesses Quasimodo attempting to kidnap her under Archdeacon Claude Frollo's orders, followed by her being saved and the hunchback being captured by Captain Phoebus and his guards. Later, he sees some Truands come toward him and accidentally trespasses into the Court of Miracles, the home of the Truands. Clopin accuses him of entering the Court without permission, and gives him a test in order to save his life: to take a purse from the pocket of a suspended dummy hung all over with tiny bells without making the bells sound. When Gringoire fails the test, he is about to be hanged under Clopin's orders until Clopin gives him another option to save his life: to marry a Roma woman present in the Court. Esmeralda comes to Gringoire's rescue and accepts him as her husband.

Afterwards, Gringoire and Esmeralda have a wedding night together, during which he finds out that Esmeralda doesn't truly love him and merely tolerates him, and that he cannot touch her ever. In fact, the one whom Esmeralda truly loves is Captain Phoebus. Likewise, Gringoire becomes more fond of Esmeralda's pet goat, Djali, than of Esmeralda herself.

Later in the story, Gringoire breaks into the cathedral and rescues Esmeralda along with Frollo, whose identity is hidden behind a cloak. The trio leaves Notre Dame by boat to look for safety from the guards who are after Esmeralda. When the trio hear the voice of a guard, Gringoire abandons Esmeralda and instead saves her goat Djali, resulting in Frollo's capturing Esmeralda and her death. At the end of the story, Gringoire becomes a writer of tragedies and is able to receive better attention from audiences.

Adaptations[]

Among the actors who have played Gringoire over the years in each adaptation of the novel are:

Actor Version
Louis Dean 1917 film
Raymond Hatton 1923 film
Edmond O'Brien 1939 film
Robert Hirsch 1956 film
Gary Raymond (voice) 1966 TV cartoon show
Christopher Gable 1977 TV film
Gerry Sundquist 1982 TV film
Edward Atterton 1997 TV film
Bruno Pelletier 1997-2002 musical
Patrick Braoudé (as Pierre-Grégoire) Quasimodo d'El Paris (1999 parody film)
Richard Charest Notre Dame de Paris, 2014-present (recurring)
John Eyzen Notre Dame de Paris, 2014-present (recurring)
Gian Marco Schiaretti Notre Dame de Paris, 2022 Lincoln Center

References[]

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