The local community theatre here recently put on a fantastic production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” based off the 1996 Disney animated movie musical. Above is one songs from the movie, which also appears in the stage adaptation, called “God Help the Outcasts.”
Honestly, despite being a huge Disney fan growing up and watching the movie multiple times, it was a song that I had forgotten about until I went to go see this production. Perhaps since Hunchback tends to not get as much attention as other Disney titles, but song should get more attention as it has a powerful message.
This song is sung by Esmeralda, who, as a Romani woman, faced more than her share of discrimination. The Roma were feared and mistrusted throughout Europe for centuries – even as recently as 2009, Roma were forcefully deported from France. They were viewed as swindlers and practitioners of evil magic. The term ‘gypped’ comes from the less than polite term “gyspy,” which itself is a misnomer. The term is derived from the word Egypt, as Europeans incorrectly believed Roma to be from there when their ancestors were, in fact, from India. All versions of the tale, from the book to the movies, explore this discrimination (to varying success).
So, it’s no wonder that Esmeralda feels inspired to sing and ask for God to save the outcasts. From her perspective, she sees the suffering and unjust treatment of her people, how they suffer in poverty and cannot receive much needed aid. Yet, she knows of the Catholic faith. Being in Paris, Notre Dame is an imposing, impossible to miss figure. She’s heard about the kind God worshiped there, that’s meant to care for the needy – even if she has received little from the people that worshiped there.
While looking at a statue of Jesus, she makes an interesting observation in the first lines of the song: “I see your face and wonder if you were once an outcast too.” She even says that she shouldn’t even be talking to him, something I am sure many people expressed to her. But she’s right. Jesus made himself an outcast in his time by keeping company with outcasts.
Jesus had several privileges by his birth, one being male, another being a Jew in a Jewish nation. Things that would allow him to escape certain discriminations. Yet, he ‘dirtied’ himself by associating with the outcasts of his time such as widows, the chronically ill and sex workers. He did help the outcasts when no one else would.
Another fascinating thing this song hits on is an aspect that some people believe, where success is directly correlated with morality. That having good standing in society meant you were in God’s good graces, and that the converse was true, if you had a low standing, then you were further from God. Hence the section where the various parishioners within Notre Dame are praying for their own success – that was how they could prove that God loved them.
But Esmeralda denies this idea – as should we. She is more concerned with her community, and anyone else that may be suffering and is shunned from society. She prays for God to give attention to all of the outcasts that need help, and in doing so, expressed a stronger Christian example as a nonbeliever than anyone that was performing the religion for selfish gain.
All of this is not to say that it’s inappropriate to pray for yourself. There are times where we need God’s help and it is appropriate and beneficial to look to him for that help. When it comes to the wealth, fame and love the song mentioned, what if we instead thank God for the good in our lives and wish others to experience that same goodness. The security and comfort we feel should be available to all – especially the outcasts who have never had it.
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