Amanda Frederickson's Blog: Musings - Posts Tagged "phantom-of-the-opera"
Phantom of the Opera
What springs to mind when you hear the words "Phantom of the Opera"?
You might think of the iconic mask and of the tortured soul living beneath the Paris Opera House. You might think of Christine, the naive but talented young singer that the phantom fixates upon. Heck, if you're not a fan, you might be thinking about how much you hate musicals.
I posed the question to my sister and she started singing. I asked another question and it caught her by surprise.
Do you think of it as a love triangle?
She hadn't thought of it before. I asked another of my sisters the same question, and she vehemently denied that it was any such thing.
It's like not being able to see the forest for the trees. We have the phantom who is obsessed with Christine who is infatuated with Raoul who is in love with Christine who has a... rather complicated relationship with the phantom upon which the entire plot hinges. The love triangle is integral to the story, yet it is a completely different dynamic than what springs to mind at the words "love triangle." (Admit it, "Team Twilight" springs to mind these days, even if you haven't read the books or seen the movies.)
The love triangle is the driving force behind the entire plot. The conflict centers around the phantom's efforts to acquire the object of his affections, and his most significant obstacles are Raoul and Christine herself. Without it there is no story.
The vivid development of the characters, including secondary characters such as Carlotta and the new managers, keep the drama from becoming super focused on the three central characters. The triangle is not a self contained bubble. Instead, the advancement of the plot is character driven, supported by cause and effect, not "just because," and is affected by other influences. The managers' efforts to thwart the phantom's demands only make him more determined to get what he wants.
Here's another thought: as the story unfolds, we may favor either Raoul or the phantom to "win," but can you wholeheartedly support one or the other? The phantom pulls some nasty stuff, including murder and attempted murder, yet his motivations are presented as deeply sympathetic. Raoul is the knight in shining armor, but let's face it: when it comes to character depth, he's painted with a rather thin brush.
There are now several variants on the ending, but personally I favor the "everybody lives" edition. Raoul and Christine get each other and the phantom has Christine's kiss as the shining affirmation that it is possible for someone to love him. The driving motivations of the plot are satisfied.
That may be the most significant reason why this love triangle actually works. It is ultimately about more than which boy gets the girl at the end.
You might think of the iconic mask and of the tortured soul living beneath the Paris Opera House. You might think of Christine, the naive but talented young singer that the phantom fixates upon. Heck, if you're not a fan, you might be thinking about how much you hate musicals.
I posed the question to my sister and she started singing. I asked another question and it caught her by surprise.
Do you think of it as a love triangle?
She hadn't thought of it before. I asked another of my sisters the same question, and she vehemently denied that it was any such thing.
It's like not being able to see the forest for the trees. We have the phantom who is obsessed with Christine who is infatuated with Raoul who is in love with Christine who has a... rather complicated relationship with the phantom upon which the entire plot hinges. The love triangle is integral to the story, yet it is a completely different dynamic than what springs to mind at the words "love triangle." (Admit it, "Team Twilight" springs to mind these days, even if you haven't read the books or seen the movies.)
The love triangle is the driving force behind the entire plot. The conflict centers around the phantom's efforts to acquire the object of his affections, and his most significant obstacles are Raoul and Christine herself. Without it there is no story.
The vivid development of the characters, including secondary characters such as Carlotta and the new managers, keep the drama from becoming super focused on the three central characters. The triangle is not a self contained bubble. Instead, the advancement of the plot is character driven, supported by cause and effect, not "just because," and is affected by other influences. The managers' efforts to thwart the phantom's demands only make him more determined to get what he wants.
Here's another thought: as the story unfolds, we may favor either Raoul or the phantom to "win," but can you wholeheartedly support one or the other? The phantom pulls some nasty stuff, including murder and attempted murder, yet his motivations are presented as deeply sympathetic. Raoul is the knight in shining armor, but let's face it: when it comes to character depth, he's painted with a rather thin brush.
There are now several variants on the ending, but personally I favor the "everybody lives" edition. Raoul and Christine get each other and the phantom has Christine's kiss as the shining affirmation that it is possible for someone to love him. The driving motivations of the plot are satisfied.
That may be the most significant reason why this love triangle actually works. It is ultimately about more than which boy gets the girl at the end.
