Victor Marie Hugo (26 February 1802–22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer who was initially a Roman Catholic but gradually became strongly anti-clerical and advocated Republicanism rather than monarchy. His views of the medieval period were colored by his sense of social justice. He saw the powerful monarchy and...
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Roman Catholic Church of the period as dissolute and corrupt in ways that still had a negative influence on France of his own period.
His portrayal of the extreme power of the higher clergy and aristocracy, including their sense of entitlement to sexual privileges over women of the lower classes, is generally accurate. The portrait of Quasimodo also accurately reflects the discrimination against the disabled and disfigured in the period, when outward disfiguration was often seen as a divine manifestation of inward sinfulness.
The portrait of Esmerelda is probably overly romantic. In reality, if a clergyman wanted to rape a peasant girl, the odds of his getting his wishes were very high, and the likelihood of anyone being concerned or intervening was vanishingly small. The principle of the church acting as a sanctuary is also accurate. The lives of the gypsies and peasants, though, are portrayed from an overly romantic rather than realistic perspective.
In terms of general background, Hugo, despite lack of formal training, actually did extensive research on the period and introduced many elements from the history of the period into his work. The Feast of Fools was real but would not have been celebrated during this period, as it had been banned. Executions were indeed public spectacles. And, although Gringoire was a real playwright, he would not have been active in 1482.
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