Up there, high, high in the dark bell tower, lives the mysterious bell ringer. Who is this creature? What is he? How did he come to be there?
„
~ Clopin.
“
Go on. Nobody wants to be cooped up here forever.
„
~ Quasimodo shows his compassion to the baby bird.
“
SANCTUARY!
„
~ Quasimodo's triumphant cry after saving Esmeralda
“
No, you listen! All my life you have told me that the world is a dark cruel place. Now I see that the only thing dark and cruel about is people LIKE YOU!
„
~ Quasimodo to Frollo, realising he was going to finish Esmeralda off.
He saves Esmeralda from Frollo twice: first when he traps her in the cathedral, and second when he tries to burn her at the stake.
Holds no grudge for the townspeople for laughing at him, rather he helps them fight Frollo's army.
He spares Frollo and then refuses to drop him to his death despite his evil actions (including killing his mother), not wanting to stoop to his level and possibly, giving Frollo a chance at redemption.
While he was initially hostile towards Captain Phoebus, it was comprehensible as Phoebus was a soldier who was also the captain of Frollo's guards who participated in earlier attempted arrest against Esmeralda. He would also befriend Phoebus later on.
Despite initially being jealous of Esmeralda and Phoebus' romance, he doesn't rat the latter out to Frollo when given the chance, goes with him to warn the gypsies about Frollo's upcoming attack, and even gives them his blessing in the end.
He stopped Sarousch and his henchmen from stealing La Fidele.
He formed a relationship with Sarousch’s former assistant Madelaine and forgave her after learning about her being forced to help Sarousch.
He and Madeleine helped rescue Zephyr from Sarousch.
Trivia[]
The original version of Quasimodo from the book would not qualify as Pure Good due to being too vengeful.
He and his foster father are Pure Good and Pure Evil foils, counterparts and antitheses in many ways:
Both represent the quotes "Who is the monster and who is the man" and "What makes a monster and what makes a man." Quasimodo appears as a monster on the outside due to his deformity and ugliness but deep down is a kindhearted man who cares for lots of people while Frollo appears as a grandfatherly-hearted man on the outside but deep down is very cruel, evil, and monstrous.
Both have unrequited feelings toward Esmeralda:
Quasimodo genuinely loves her because she was very kind and saw him as an innocent person who deserves to be treated fairly despite his looks and gets a kiss from Esmeralda. Eventually, Quasimodo sings about his feelings toward Esmeralda which is known as Heaven's Light where he sees her as an angel and shows his feelings of wanting to see good within the world and humanity. He eventually sees her and Phoebus together and is heartbroken in tears at the first minute, but eventually overcomes it and helps the couple and protects them from Frollo and blesses the couple at the end of the film.
Frollo hates Esmeralda as she saw her as something he can play with in an inappropriately sexual manner or have her dead out of his prejudice of gypsies and feels that way as Esmeralda seductively flirts with him before magically vanishing from him. Eventually, Frollo sings about his lustful hatred toward Esmeralda which is known as Hellfire, where he sees her as a demon and shows his feelings of seeing corruption and evil toward all people. As he learns about Esmeralda giving love toward Quasimodo and Phoebus (platonically to the former and romantically to the latter), he desires to burn down all of Paris, including lots of innocent lives and even tries to burn her to death when she defies him during the end of the film.
They also both experienced living gargoyles.
Quasimodo has three anthropomorphic gargoyles that are his only friends before meeting Esmeralda with Frollo slipping on one after saying his last words as the gargoyles roars and breaks off the cathedral sending him to his eternal damnation.
