Archdeacon

The **Archdeacon** is a supporting character in Disney's 1996 feature film, *The Hunchback of Notre Dame*. He serves as the clergyman at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

## Background

### Development

The Archdeacon was most likely created as a placeholder for Frollo, as Frollo functioned as the Archdeacon in the Victor Hugo novel. This was probably done by Disney's part as a means of damage control with the Roman Catholic Church, which played a large role in the film and the book, especially seeing that the Archdeacon functions as a good character in the film.

However, even though Frollo was depicted as the Minister of Justice in the film, he still seemed to hold more power over the Archdeacon himself while outside Notre Dame. This probably stems from his role in the book, but it remains unexplained how Frollo, as a mere Judge, could commit such terrible crimes without having to answer to the King of France (who may have been absent at the time).

### Personality

The Archdeacon is almost the complete opposite of Claude Frollo; the one thing they have in common is that they worship God, and even then their methods differ. The Archdeacon is kind to everyone, including gypsies, standing up for Esmeralda when she claims sanctuary in his church, and while he has little actual interaction with Quasimodo during the film, he saves his life as a baby by reminding Frollo that he has sinned and is about to do so again. He is also the only person shown to have any kind of authority over Frollo, and apart from Esmeralda and Phoebus, he is the only character brave enough to protest against Frollo's evil deeds. As such, the Archdeacon seems to represent the positive side of a spiritual lifestyle, while Frollo represents how it can corrupt.

## Appearances

### *The Hunchback of Notre Dame*

On a snowy, winter night, the Archdeacon was apparently roused to answer someone desperately pounding on the door of Notre Dame. While he was not quick enough to save the life of Quasimodo's mother, the woman who had knocked, he managed to stop Frollo from dropping her son down a well and admonished the judge for spilling innocent blood on the sacred steps. When Frollo is unmoved and declares he is guiltless, the Archdeacon proclaims that while Frollo can lie to himself, he cannot blind the eyes of Notre Dame which glare at the evil judge as if to reinforce the old priest's words. He then tells a fearful Frollo that he must care for and raise the child or be damned to hell for his actions--the only thing that Frollo fears. Frollo agrees to raise the child, but tells the Archdeacon to let the boy live in the cathedral's bell tower and the Archdeacon agrees and he leaves and takes the body of the mother for burial.

Twenty years later, the Archdeacon defends Esmeralda when she claims sanctuary in Notre Dame from Frollo, reminding him of what happened years prior when he tried to circumvent the authority of the Church, and escorts Phoebus from the cathedral. When Esmeralda is complaining about the sorry state that gypsies are in and how no one outside will help, he subtly advises her that perhaps God can help instead. He and the other priests provide some of the dialogue in the song "Hellfire".

During the time when Esmeralda was going to be burned at the stake, the Archdeacon steps forward to protest against Esmeralda's execution, but is halted by the guards.

His final appearance is when Frollo breaks into the cathedral to kill Esmeralda and Quasimodo, actually smashing the ancient doors to bits in the process, and the Archdeacon demands that he call off the attack on Notre Dame and stay away from the two, to which Frollo responds by shoving the startled Archdeacon down a flight of stairs, injuring his ankle, and locking the Archdeacon out of the belltower so he cannot interfere.

The Archdeacon survives the fall and is last seen cheering with the crowd who are celebrating Frollo's defeat and the defeat of his soldiers who surrendered to the French army when Phoebus and Esmeralda emerge safely from the church.

### The Hunchback of Notre Dame II

The archdeacon plays an extremely small role in the sequel. He is only seen briefly at the start of the film’s climax when he alerts Phoebus that La Fidel has been stolen by Sarousch.

## Relationships

### Claude Frollo

Frollo and the Archdeacon worked together in the church, though their hatred for each other was obvious. It was the Archdeacon who insisted that Frollo raise Quasimodo to atone for the murder of the latter's mother. Twenty years later, the Archdeacon also prevented him from capturing Esmeralda. Finally, Frollo became tired of the Archdeacon's meddling and threw him down a flight of stairs when he attempted to order Frollo to call off the assault on Notre Dame.

### Esmeralda

Esmeralda first met the Archdeacon when Frollo ordered Phoebus to arrest her and Phoebus refused. The Archdeacon was on her back, ordering Frollo and the soldiers out of the church. Frollo stays behind long enough to warn her that she can only stay inside for so long and proceeded to station guards at every door, forcing Esmeralda to rethink her exit strategy. The Archdeacon counseled her against antagonizing Frollo further and reminded her that she could not right all the wrongs in the world on her own. At his suggestion, she offers a heartfelt prayer to God to help her and her people. It is unknown if he saw her again after that.

## Gallery

Hunchback-disneyscreencaps.com-300.jpgThe Archdeacon stops Judge Claude Frollo from drowning baby Quasimodo.Tumblr lg67lmKbWT1qf1m3ro1 500.jpgThe Archdeacon scolding Frollo for killing Quasimodo's mother on the steps of the sacred steps of the cathedral.Hunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-3922.jpg"Frollo, you will not touch her!"Hunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-3928.jpg"Don't worry."Hunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-3934.jpg"Minister Frollo learned years ago to respect the sanctity of the church."Archdeacon.jpg"It would be unwise to arouse Frollo's anger further."Hunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-5611.jpgHunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-8500.jpgAchdeacon marches to stop Esmeralda's execution.Hunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-8502.jpgBut Frollo's guard block his way.Hunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-9195.jpg"Frollo, have you gone mad?!"Hunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-9202.jpg"I will not tolerate this assault on the house of God!"Hunchback-disneyscreencaps.com-9107.jpgThe Archdeacon after being pushed down the stairs by Frollo.The Archdeacon (far left) smiling grandly as Esmeralda and Phoebus (soon followed by Quasimodo) celebrate ending Frollo's tyranny forever.Carlo-Lauber.jpgCarlo Lauber as the Archdeacon in the musical.
## Trivia

* In the novel, Frollo was the archdeacon but the villain as well, so this character did not exist, which means the Archdeacon is an original character created solely for this film by Disney. Similarly though, in the stage musical adaptation of the Disney film, Frollo is once again the Archdeacon.
* Although the Archdeacon was the one who originally saved Quasimodo's life, the two are never seen together.
* Though the Archdeacon does not appear physically in *Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance*, he was briefly mentioned by Quasimodo to Riku inside the cathedral.
* The Archdeacon serves as the narrator for the film's read-along book.
* He seems to be a little thinner in the sequel than he is in the original film.