How does Notre-Dame de Paris depict medieval Paris?

In his historical novel Notre-Dame de Paris (1831), Victor Hugo depicts 15th-century Paris as a vibrant, intense, and atmospheric city. By centering the narrative on the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Hugo sought to immerse readers in the splendor of the city’s Gothic past, which he viewed as a vital bearer of French cultural heritage.1

The novel portrays a society characterized by sharp contrasts, juxtaposing the beauty and architectural majesty of the cathedral with the harsh realities faced by marginalized individuals like Quasimodo and Esmeralda. Hugo uses the setting to critique the social prejudices of the time, highlighting how institutions and individuals—such as the archdeacon Claude Frollo—could exploit fears of the supernatural and the "exotic" to justify cruelty and persecution.1

Ultimately, Hugo’s depiction serves as a plea for the preservation of Paris’s historic architecture, which he feared was being lost to decay and the modernization efforts of his own era. His vivid portrayal successfully revived public interest in Gothic forms and helped inspire the major 19th-century restorations of the cathedral.12