Esmeralda is the deuteragonist of Disney's 1996 animated feature film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She is a young Romani woman referred to derogatorily with the slur 'gypsy' by many characters. Esmeralda is an outspoken humanitarian, which drives her to protect the deformed bell-ringer, Quasimodo, from his oppressors—namely, Claude Frollo. This act of mercy, coupled with her beauty and cultural background, makes Esmeralda the main target of Frollo's wrath.