Comparing God Help the Outcasts and Hellfire Side by Side:
Here is the full video (its much better quality than the gifs too):
So the beginning of both songs begin with them both addressing the Virign Mary in very different ways. Esme beings with a sort of causal, unsure greeting and is not even sure if she would listen to such a noble prayer. Frollo instantly jumps into his intercession with quick and swift words indicating his confidence or at least his own certainty in the words he is speaking (at this moment). He fully believes that he is a good man, virtuous and apart from humanity.
Interestingly enough when Esme approaches the Virgin Mary's statue there are white lilies in the background symbolizing purity, innocence and rebirth. Frollo moves at the same time towards the fire which also symbolizes these same themes. Emse herself also sees herself as unworthy of speaking to Mary or at least unsure while Frollo assumes that he deserves the Virgin Mary's intercession.
Frollo asserts himself as apart from the crowd while the supposed "licentious crowd" is asking Mary for intercession or otherwise known as Esmeralda. On the right, the camera pans upwards towards Mary's face, possibly symbolizing that Esme is speaking towards Heavenly figures. Frollo, however, his own camera angle pans down from the cross all the way down to him, solidifying that his prayer is not truthful nor is it holy despite him acting as it is.
Both also pose questions to the Virgin Mary at the same time. The answers? Well, to Esme's question Mary is in fact an outcast...she was a refuge who fled from King Herod in order to protect baby Jesus. Romani and refuges are not the same but some consider them such since they were fleeing from India due to the Doma caste system and other reasons.
Frollo asks whether Mary has the answers for his own lust even though he has already convinced himself that Esme is a witch. Deep down, I feel that he knows why he is feeling these emotions of lust but instead he looks to other sources in order to justify him and to assure him that he is not to blame. The choir says: cogitatione. Which means in thought because after this word is said he implies that he has had fantasies about Esmeralda beyond their brief "intimate" interaction at the Festival (and possibly the church). Cogitatione also refers to him being tortured by remembering the event over and over again and possibly adding more onto this fantasy.
In this clip noticeable they are both paralleled with fire imaginary. The image of Esme that Frollo sees is not like Esmeralda in the slightest and is far more erotic than what was seen at the Festival. Esmeralda meanwhile simply walks calmly passed the controlled flames of the cathedral. Visually fire is seen in quite different lights. Frollo both craves the flame and fears it. Meanwhile, Esmeralda seems quite indifferent to it and rather calm around it.
Verte et opere means in words and deeds. This phrase indicates that he is lacking severe control of himself. I mean, he burns down all of Paris for one woman? Talk about lack of control? He also continues to seek her out and continues to antagonize her which refers to in word and deed.
All of the Latin words throughout reference the contrition prayer which is to repent for your own sins. Obviously, it is used in an ironic sense because Frollo is not at all repenting, if anything he is spiraling further into his obsession.
Here it yet another parallel. Frollo is at the center of the hall and is very literally under trial by the monks. He is frantic, running about and almost shouting about how he is innocent in this matter. Esmeralda meanwhile, walks calmly and is not even acknowledged by the church. She passes the pillars which vaguely resemble the monks who Frollo is surrounded by.
There are also windows behind the monks which I thought was interesting except these monks block them once they appear. Frollo is surrounded by his guilt and I feel that this movie associates windows with freedom (as I detailed in an earlier post).
Quasimodo himself looks down upon Esmeralda and is the only one that sees her but does not judge her and rather looks upon her with admiration. Around him he is surrounded by windows while Esmeralda walks past a windowless wall. She is also occasionally overshadowed by the passerbys which I thought was interesting. The light falling on her occasionally and then her figure is plunged into darkness.
Frollo, however is fully exposed to light throughout the sequence. There is even a silhouette of a coffin that he stands in (which is not depicted very well in the video but its okay). I am not sure where the light is coming from but it could possibly mean that Heaven is watching him (I mean there is a song before this called Heaven's Light). I could be spewing nonsense.
The woman on the right raises her arms in a similar way to Frollo and professes that she wants love she can SPECIFICALLY possess with is a direct reference to Frollo. Fire Esmeralda is also shown during this. Frollo also speaks about how he doesn't want Esme's "fire" to sear his flesh and bone yet willing drags her scarf across his skin.
All of the church goers are asking for trivial things, very much like Frollo and I find it to be suitable that Frollo and the church goers raise their hands at the same time.
This also parallels again where Frollo is demanding that he has possession of Esmeralda. Esmeralda, unlike the church goers does not need anything. She knows there are those that need more than her even if she herself is oppressed.
Frollo says that he can only live in two realities. Esmeralda only has two choices either she must be his or she must die. Esmeralda does not say that there is one reality but rather poses a rhetorical question to God. Esmeralda prays for all of the Outcasts while Frollo prays for only himself and Esmeralda. No one matters in his world and he is selfish. Esmeralda, however, does have empathy for all of the Outcasts or those who are unlucky or are in poverty. Ironically enough, the judge has very little misery for the unfortunate while the "witch" does.
Also this is such a great ending to both songs. The camera angle zooms out to not only highlight them but to also show how small they are in comparison to the world. Both are totally exhausted from their songs/confessions. Esmeralda is bathed in light while Frollo has light upon him but shadows are surrounding him. Her goat comforts her and Esmeralda melts into Djali's arms. She even offers her pet a small but sad smile. Frollo has no one to comfort him (or talk him out of this ludicrous plan) and instead falls flat and rather dramatically onto the stone.
I know I restated a lot of stuff that already seemed obvious but I love the parallels between these two characters.
To address Quasimodo, in the book he is almost a Christlike figure and here he witnesses Esmeralda's intercession/prayer in the cathedral which I find to be beautiful. Quasimodo is also an outcast much like Mary as well. There is nothing Christlike or Godlike in Frollo's own intercession/prayer.
