Another rated A essay by Stephen Reid in 1998 is on Western Civilization. The same piece is found in his book 'The Prentice Hall Guide For College Writers, 4th ed", London. He wrote the essay in answer to the following questions: "What was the fifteenth-century view of "science" as described in The Hunchbback? How did this view tend to inhibit Claud Frollo in his experiments in his closet in the cathedral? The excellent response was written in this essay:
"The fifteenth-century view of "science" was characterized by superstition and heresy. In the Hunchbback of Notre Dame, for example, we see superstition operating when the king's physician stated that a gunshot wound could be cured by the application of a roasted mouse. Claud Frollo, a high ranking church official, had a thirst for knowledge, but unfortunately it pushed beyond the limits of knowledge permitted by the church. When he worked in his closet on the art of alchemy and search for the "Philosopher's Stone" (gold), he was guilty of heresy. Frollo read and mastered the arts and sciences of the university and of the church, and he wanted to know more. he knew that if he pressed into the "Black Arts," the Devil would take his soul. And indeed, the "Devil" of passion did. Frollo felt inhibited because of the many experiments he performed would have made him guilty of heresy and witchcraft in the eyes of the church. And this seemed to be the case in almost anything "new" or out of the ordinary. La Esmeralda, for instance, was declared "guilty" of witchcraft for the training of her goat. Her goat appeared to have been possessed by the Devil himself. When in fact, all the girl was guilty of was training the goat to do a few simple tricks. All in all, the fifteenth-century view of "science" was not one of favor, but of oppression and fear. Thankfully, Renaissance came along!", (Reid 597-598).
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