Notre-Dame de Paris · Chapter
From Charybdis to Scylla explained
Gringoire, fleeing the humiliation of his failed theatrical performance and the raucous Festival of Fools, wanders the dark, cold streets of Paris in search of shelter.
What happens
Gringoire, fleeing the humiliation of his failed theatrical performance and the raucous Festival of Fools, wanders the dark, cold streets of Paris in search of shelter. He contemplates sleeping on a mule-mounting stone, but is repeatedly confronted by reminders of the festival—the Pope of Fools procession, fireworks, and banners. After a series of misadventures, including tripping over a May truss and being startled by a firecracker from a ferryman's hut, he despairingly resolves to go to the Place de Grève, hoping at least to find warmth and food.
Themes in this chapter
The Power of the Crowd
Gringoire is haunted by the raucous festival crowds and their celebrations, which exacerbate his sense of failure and isolation.
Fate and Destiny
Gringoire's repeated encounters with festival remnants and his inability to escape the day's events suggest a sense of inescapable fate.
Characters to notice
- Pierre Gringoire
The protagonist of the chapter; a poet and philosopher humiliated by his failed play, wandering the streets in despair and seeking shelter.
Key passages
“Philosophy, moreover, was his sole refuge, for he did not know where he was to lodge for the night.”
Gringoire's only comfort was his philosophical mindset, as he had no idea where he would sleep.
Highlights Gringoire's reliance on philosophy to cope with his homelessness.
“Happy ferryman! ... you do not dream of glory, and you do not make marriage songs!”
Gringoire envies the ferryman's simple, unambitious life, free from the poet's struggles.
Shows Gringoire's longing for a life without artistic ambition or public failure.
“I would gladly drown myself, were the water not so cold!”
Gringoire considers suicide but is deterred by the freezing temperature of the river.
Illustrates his extreme despair, tempered by a practical, almost comic, hesitation.