Advice on reworking The Hunchback of Notre Dame for it's 30th anniversary
To @rrojasandribbons @writingwithcolor and @romani-in-art
This is optional if anyone here wants to respond. Some of it was influenced by the Romani YouTuber Florian, who goes in depth about Romani culture. Since he kind of gives some points, I agree with. Which I can greatly sympathize for all of you, even if I'm not Roma.
This is also to help commemorate a flawed but underrated Disney movie that's turning 30 as of this year. Since I want to know what parts of the story need changing, at least the Romani parts that need improving. While The Hunchback of Notre Dame De Paris is a good story and varies on different takes of adaptations; the way the Romani are depicted is admittedly rather questionable. We can agree that they are portrayed in a sympathetic light but may be a bit misguided because of a lot of it based on outdated stereotypes. Even if the fortune telling, palm reading, belly-dancing, and magic parts have a small bit of truth, but like with most media is exaggerated into a culturally appropriated caricature. Or merely a product-of-it's-time, like a lot of older media that has some dubious depictions of minorities, women, or the disabled.
I at least know the few things I will take into consideration or ideas that I didn't really consider until now.
First: One is that the identity of which Roma it's specifically the Sinti/Manoush/Manouche group, since they're the mostly common in France. Thanks to Florian's video about all the kinds of Romani found all over the world.
Second: After looking at Florian's videos about the tragic history of Roma, it does make the situation for Quasimodo in the story much more devastating. Since his master Claude Frollo basically brainwashed him into hating his own people and never got to really get to know about his inheritance. Plus, not knowing he's being treated as a slave by Frollo, also adds some tragic irony, since Quasimodo didn't know that his people are unfortunately victims of slavery. That is until Esmeralda came into his life and showed him that not everything is as it seems. Plus, during her stay in Sanctuary, I imagine since she would find out that Quasi is Roma too, she would educate him on what he missed out on. Now that I think of it, that makes Esmeralda's situation more disturbing. Since that's what Frollo would actually do to her if she did give in, make her his slave. With probably the threat of cutting her and her people's tongues off for speaking their Romani language in front of their slave masters. Which is something I imagine Frollo would definitely enforce. (Since I plan to have his role similar to that of the La Jolla and Papermill Playhouse musical. Where he is an archdeacon, like most adaptations, but has a massive amount of authority as much as King Louis XI allows him to)
Third: I would also think that Esmeralda to call out or explain to the people who mock and discriminate her or her people and state the facts of what Roma people are actually like. Either rebelliously to the villains or calmly explaining to people who are ignorant but not ill intended. (Quasimodo, Pierre Gringore, and her mother Paquette. Once she finds out on her identity as her lost daughter) That they have a moral code, like to be clean, want to work, want to be educated, most adopted to Christianity, are not scam artists, nor thieves, and different tribes do different things that's not just what's associated with them. (Like musicians, flower sellers, bear trainers, cauldron makers/coppersmiths, silversmiths, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, locksmiths, tinsmiths, basket makers, carpet makers, sieve makers, horse dealers, bone artisans, papermakers, and farmers...Whew....) And do not want to be treated as inferior or, as history unfortunately shown, as slaves. Because certain Christians taking the Bible's scripture way too literally and use it as a tool for discrimination, either for the villains or against the main protagonist (Quasimodo) and tritagonist (Pierre Gringore, who I have as the narrator).
Fourth: This part is influenced by @artofcolor and is something I had in mind with. It's going to be controversial, I admit, but what if Quasimodo and Esmeralda were bi-racial? It's kind of mixing in the book and the 2014 La Jolla/Paper Mill Playhouse. Since it's not too impossible that Paquette Sachette Guybertaut "La Chantefleurie/Sister Gudule might've hooked up with a Romani man at some point and thus gave Agnes/Esmeralda. For Quasi, I have it be Jehan Frollo and Florika(Quasi's mother in the play), who also hooked up. Despite Jehan that he was breaking the rules of the church. Though the child swapping part, I know will be difficult since I know that's based on a racist stereotype that's definitely NOT true. (Even though I do like that part of the long-lost parent part of the story, despite the racist undertones that lead up to that part of the story), but I might have a solution. Part of it has to do to make a little family drama mixed into this.
It would be Jehan Frollo who did the kidnapping, but more out of spite to get back at being rejected by Paquette, whom he tried to have an affair with. As well as feeling jealous that his older brother, Claude, loved her more than him. He decided to take away the one thing that mattered to Paquette the most, her daughter(Agnes/Esmeralda). So he did it and put Quasimodo in her place like a changeling. Not to mention that when he got banished out of the church, with the Roma, he was disappointed at how poor they are. Due to him being a lazy, spoiled materialist. Despite Florika objecting to abandoning their son and not wanting to be a part of Jehan's treachery by doing something that's dangerous and heinous. But she does have Agnes/Esmeralda to fill the hole in her heart of losing her child, and promises to treat her with much love as she would've with Quasi. So he gets banished from the Roma, and left to fend for himself. He basically used the Roma and Paquette as scapegoats, so he doesn't get blamed for doing something that's frowned upon by both Parisians and Romani. It's kind of meant to foreshadow how Claude Frollo would end up ruining himself due to not admitting the fault of his own downfall. All out of greed, lust, envy, and spite. (Might need working, but I hope you see what I mean by reworking this)
I know some might accuse it of white supremacy, but please don't since that's not my intent. Even though I can see the criticisms for the original book. Since we're not going to involve ourselves in a stupid "interpreting fiction as pro-propaganda for discrimination" nonsense that's ruining older media. I'm trying to make the best of both worlds. No one necessarily said you can't have these characters be of mixed inheritance. As well as acknowledging that this is just a falsehood myth for discrimination.
I'm not trying to offend or downplay anything, and I truly apologize if I offend anyone by mistake. I don't intend to. This was just because of me not knowing any better and being a bit ignorant on other cultures. All I just want to ask if anyone can give me advice on how to properly portray your people in the most accurate way I can. Even if it's a harmless fan-fic made just for fun. That's a mix of both the novel and Disney film, with elements of other adaptations mixed into the story. Here's the link below if you want to see.
tcr11050 - Hobbyist, General Artist | DeviantArt Now I know I would have to rework not just the story, but the illustrations. Especially recoloring the pictures of Quasimodo and Esmeralda. As well as redesigning her festive dress to not look too revealing. (Though I'll be posting them in another fan-fic site, since stupid DA won't allow you to go back and re-edit old fan-fics that are years old. I'll probably have to use either FanFiction or Home | Archive of Our Own)
I did try to ask the Romani subreddit to ask, but they politely declined, saying "No off-topic posts or Outsiders looking for inspiration" I ended up saying in response "Sorry for the inconvenience."
Romani Community & Education
If you're not interested in responding, I'll respect your wishes and will try to look elsewhere. Maybe recommend some sources I should cite and used as a guide to understanding this culture.