Why Erik?
From Eric:
IN ALL honesty- I wouldof picked Erik because, well, He loves her to death and in truth- Christine chose Raoul because shes a stupid girl, not realizing what True love can do for you she chose the money and the guarentee of life- it was what they did .. and some people *sigh* sadly still do. I don’t know why Mr. Leroux chose to have him die (which angered me) because christine could of been compleatly happy with him if she had just gotten over her initial “Oh well.. hmm, whats paris going to think?” It irritates me. I think its very sad that he dies- and i blame her IF she would of ONLY CHOSEN to stay WITH him. I hated, and I mean HATED how the director of the new movie made her kiss him like that- he compleatly ruined the whole thing my gosh it made ME anyway, think that she ACTUALLY Loved him which was totally confusing but being the twit she is she chose Raoul. I’ve seen a local highschool play.. of Phantom -based off of the book it was a very… well…. stressed play, there were far to many themes.. and I liked how Andrew Lloyd Webber made it centered around LOVE while keeping hints of the other themes. In all honesty It did more for Erik’s character Mr. Webber made him more mysterious and compassionate about things which made it obvious his love is UNBELIEVABLY stronger than Raoul’s. For example, the phantoms declaration of her betrayal upon the roof of the opera house, before the chandelier crash- PROVES how much Erik ACTUALLY loves her. If he would cry, and become THAT compassionate about her betrayal, CURSE her, then Drop a chandelier at her feet, HONESTLY. He loves her MORE than The vicomte. Sadly, OVERALL, I think Christine is a stupid stupid girl for doing that to the phantom, she lead to his slaying in the end (orginal). IN Webbers version she obviously still loved the phantom- RAOUL at the beggining of the show says “she often spoke of you my friend” which ment she remembered all of the memories of Erik’s Hospitality. SHE stupidly disobeyed him and unmasked him scaring herself. She didnt realize how self consious Erik is. (way off subject >< )She just SHOULD OF CHOSE THE PHANTOM. thats final :-P i get worked up over this. if you cant tell :-) |
From Amanda Scudder:
I would have chosen Erik because he’s absolutely perfect. He lets his feelings out, which in my opinion not a lot of men do and he writes beautiful music. I first saw the Lloyd Webber musical when I was thirteen and when Christine chose Raoul I was mentally calling Christine a stupid idiot. |
From Berethir:
He is unique. He is the perfect man. And he only thinks of a woman… I love that. |
From Tamara:
I would have stayed with Erik because he was the one that was always there to comfort her when her father died. Singing to her in her dreams. Coaching her to become the Opera Populare’s greatest singer. Her protector. And also because he needed her the most. She was the only women he ever loved and the only chance for him to ever experience love. He adored and loved her so much it drove him to insanity. He had an unselfish love because in the end he let her go to be with the man who could give her a normal life. One that he could never provide her with. Also, Erik had the passion and fire to quench her “deepest urge”. One that Roul never could give her! I would have stayed because he gave his whole soul and life to her and she abandoned him to a life of loneliness and misery. |
From Faustina:
First and formost I respect others opinions on Christine wanting to be with Raoul. I’d go with Erik “even my sister, who has only recently heard the soundtrack said she’d choose the Phantom. Why- He’s not you garden variety man, true he’s not as handsome as Raoul, but isn’t beauty in the eye in the beholder as they say? Everyone has their own idea of what beauty is, but in my opinion true beauty goes beyond the surface of a persons face. The Phantom, in a way, gave Christine back her soul.She was devastated by the death of her father. Erik made her come alive agian through his music and presence. It opened her heart up agian to love, even though it was a love with Raoul and not with him. |
From Charlotte:
i would choose Erik over Raoul anyday because erik is sweet and kind and would do anything to help/please his loved one. Plus in the 2004 movie it mentions him being a magician so he would be able to keep me entertained. Plus when he has his a=mask and wig on he is down right sexy |
From Sian:
I would have stayed with Erik because he loves her the way only someone like Mr Rochester loves Jane Eyre you know. His love for her won’t die or fade with time the way Raoul’s would (come on, like you don’t agree) and this is established in how he never forgot her and loved her passionately and deeply till his dying day. |
From Christina:
One comment, Erik would give passion WITHOUT sex, and not ask for it all the time. The thing that’s on his face robs him the pleasure of the flesh. SO therefore he would make an awesome makeout, cuddle only person 🙂 |
From Masked Rose:
He is more caring & loving than Raoul is, plus he is a genius! |
From Clemence:
I would have stayed with Erik [not because he is dashing in the movie!] because he has never felt love before. Christine is a young, innocent and naive girl. One moment she is a ballet girl, next beloved by two powerful men. In her haste she chose Raoul, only because he was her childhood sweetheart! The phantom loves Christine more deeply, more passionately, more…… If they had stayed together they would have been happy [yes,they would!] and he, for the first time, would know love. |
From Kayla:
Erik should have been the obvious choice. Completely and total. He was so intensely passionate and when he sang to her you could tell that he loved her. *sigh* Absolutely amazing. |
From Kitae:
To be loved so deeply is a gift beyond compare, and not many of us are so lucky as to recieve it…so I’d always accept if asked, because anything else would be cruel. |
From Marika:
I think Christine should have stayed with Erik because he needs her. He can understand sorrow, rage and a mix of other fellings, but he needs her to show him love. Erik atcually loves Christine, he adores her, her worships her, but Raoul (in my opinion) doesn’t love Christine, he just thinks she beautiful and likes her because she’s famous. In the movie, when Raoul first appeared, Raoul walked right next to Christine without saying a word to her, but when he’s watching her sing from box #5 he notices her. |
From Kristi:
Raoul and Christine share a siblingish love, yet Erik and Christine share a passonate love. I DO respect Christine’s decicion though… |
From Robin:
Erik deserved Christine, even if she didn’t deserve him. Erik, as everyone has already said, is brilliant, passionate, talented, obsessed with Chrissy, et cetera. But Christine didn’t deserve him, because she is childish and irritating, and some more things that people have already said but I have no information on, seeing as how I live in St. John’s, Newfoundland where there are no Phantom plays, and my public library has NONE of the books. So I’ve only seen the movie. Because I live in St. John’s and the video rental places suck. But in the movie, she’s ready to ditch him with no explanation, just dissapear with her famous fiance and her own fame, and figure that poor Erik is too stupid to listen to gossip. and, if you forget about that for a moment, she is really immature and naive, saying stuff like she only wants freedom, a world with no more night, etc. But in the year it takes place, 1870, women have virtually no freedom at all, and she would have gotten much more with Erik than with Raoul, him being all proper and stuff and Erik giving her whatever she wants, and killing anyone who acts like a jerk. He could give her freedom, not Raoul. Plus, that thing about no more night is just childish. Night is unavoidable, unles you plan to live on the sun. She’s going to see evil and darkness anywhere. And, she loved him before she saw his face, right? She thought he was perfect in every way. It wasn’t the temper he showed when she saw him that disgusted her. He wasn’t that bad, in my opinion. My mother is more frightening than that, and she’s never knocked me to the floor. Raoul, yes, he loved her, and he’d give her presents and stuff, being rich and all, but he isn’t really very interesting. He’s pretty shallow, in my eyes, actually, and a bit self-centered. He didn’t listen to Christine at all when she said she didn’t want to go to dinner with him, he just ignored her objections like they didn’t matter. He just assumed that she wanted to go, had no other plans, wasn’t tired, and so on. Then, later, he insists on using her as bait for the Phantom. He uses the excuse that if he isn’t gotten rid of, “He will haunt us till we’re dead.” Here’s an idea; keep Chris out of harm’s way and leave Paris. It’s probably what Erik would have done. No, he can go out in public, like when he drove Christine to the graveyard, but it’s unreasonable to think he’ll leave everything familiar to chase her across the country. Maybe. Erik would never sacrifice his Christine. Maybe his Chris puppet, but never the real one. I just read this over and it’s a bit disorganized. Sorry ’bout that. I still love you, Erik! |
From Adriana:
I wastched the Phantom of the Opera for the first time this year (the 2004 version) and instantly fell in love with it. I knew how the story should run, but was shocked to see Christine go with Raoul. Erik is such a better choice! For one, he adores Christine. Another thing is that he made christine fall in love with him. He had a fair shot at it and succeded. But then this Raoul comes in and just because she’s seen him before, Christine decides to leave the Phantom. I can see why he would go insaine. He really loved her, to the point of letting her go so she would be happy. She couldn’t see that? Erik would have let her be free, treated her as an equal. Raoul just wants to control. If anything, Raoul should have been the insaine character. Christine should have chose Erik. |
From Catherine:
I would not have been able to tear myself from Erik’s side. I agree that he was passionate in all he did…and his passion for Christine was profound…earth-shattering. He most certainly had a keen wit and dry sense of humor which would keep any woman amused. Mostly…I wouldn’t have been tempted to go with the comfortable friend from my childhood, Raoul, because he is safe — his love is safe — and while there is no doubt of its purity or depth…it has almost been cultivated and nurtured, whereas Erik’s love and passion are those of a man who discovered a treasure and he saw Christine through a lover’s eyes…a *man’s* eyes. Then too, my little personal hang-up…is that Erik’s passion has never really been let out to play. It is a virtual volcanic explosion, waiting to happen…and women intuit these things…and become breathless, jelly-legged creatures when in the proximity of such raw emotion. *sigh* |
From Ashley:
I would have chosen Erik. He is such a sweetie! I mean anyone who gives their sweetheart a long stemmed rose has to be highly romantic. Also, he is dark, he likes skulls and death and that’s totally rad. He is so much more respective of Christine too. It’s like, Christine tells Raoul she can’t go to dinner with him because of the Angel of Music and he laughs! Then she says she is afraid of Erik and Raoul says “There is no Phantom of the Opera” what is he calling her a stupid liar?! Did Erik ever do anything like that? No! He has a really seductive manner as well. If he had been singing Music of the Night to me I would have said “Take me I’m yours!” Plus, Raoul thinks he’s so cool and handsome and that Christine is totally his but Erik hates himself and is desperately trying to get Christine to love him. Someone like Erik needs a good woman to make him happy! Besides, Raoul’s a coward. I think part of the reason he was saying Erik didn’t exist was because he was afraid he would gain Christine’s love. And at the end he says “Say you love me and my life is over!” What a cowardly thing to say! Not to mention Raoul is a spunky, rich, fashionable young man who wants to be noticed and Erik is the tall, dark and handsome type who sticks to the shadows. Talk about dreamy. Also, he loves music and I love music. I also love his music. Out of all the operas on the new movie, Don Juan Triumphant was my favorite! And could you imagine at the masquerade? The phantom makes his entrance, everyone cowers in fear while you think, there’s my man! Talk about cool. I totally love the Phantom of the Opera but the ending always makes me cry. Ever since I first say it I wished I could play the role of Christine in real life but choose Erik in stead. I mean, seriously, he IS my dream man! |
From Marty:
I, personally, would have chosen Erik because he’s so deep and moody and emotional… and so completely honest… about what he feels and thinks and is… he never changes just to make people like him. In my own humble opinion, though, I don’t really think that Christine and Erik would have been a good match. True, she would’ve been very lucky to have him. But I think she was a bit too young and naive to truly grasp all that he was and to love him unconditionally. So in that sense, she kind of did belong with Raoul (vs. Erik), but she still would have been better of with Erik. |
From Kate:
Why Erik? Why NOT Erik? Seriously! And, I just want to quote my cousin here (because it’s so, so true): “I mean, why can’t a guy do that for me?” This was when we were watching the movie together, and it came to the bit where he was singing, “I have brought you….” To any Raoul-lovers who use the “phantom-as-a-looney” explanation, the Phantom really *wouldn’t* be such a killer if it weren’t for the fact that EVERYONE in the world shunned him! He said it himself, folks: “The world showed no compassion to me!” But what if someone did? I’d bet anything that if someone loved him and cared for him, he’d shape up right quick. And Christine does love the Phantom. Okay, so I don’t really have too much evidence from the film or broadway show, but read the freaking Susan Kay novel, and that’s plenty of evidence that she does, indeed, love him. And, honestly, I think that love is so much deeper than she could ever feel for Raoul. I believe that it was Joel Schumacher who described her love for Raoul as a teenager’s love, but she had a very deep pull to the Phantom. And Raoul’s sort of stupid. So there. |
From Katie Lowe:
I think Christine should’ve stayed with Erik because he would’ve done anything for her, like killing for her and try to force her to love. Also in every Phantom movie I have seen Raoul looks like a crybaby.The only Phantom movie I have seen that Raoul doesn’t look like a freak is in the Robert Englund version. I don’t have anything against Patrick Wilson or any of the other people that play Raoul. Raoul didn’t even notice Christine until she was the star of the show.Erik was the one that helped Christine get her beautiful voice. |
From Destiny:
Well, being the hopeless romantic… I don’t know how Christine chose Raoul. Erik spent all his time DEVOTED to her teaching her to be the best she can be. Unconditionally loving her. Then there is the absolute seduction. I mean c’mon what lady wouldn’t get weak in the knees during his angle of music. WHat woman doesn’t dream of having candles lit all around, while a GORGEOUS man sings her praise. He is just so Passionate about her. It’s not his fault the way he looks, however, you can’t change who he is- a Genius |
From Janet:
I would have chosen The Phantom over Raoul because of the passion inside of him and the pain he felt so deeply. If Christine would have stayed with him he would have known happiness for the first time in his life. |
From Krystal aka Krys:
I would have stayed with Erik because like you say, he is passionate. True love is good, but passionate love is great…Erik adores Christine in such a way that love really kills him. (in the Leroux novel) |
From Chloe Cook:
I think Christine should have chosen the phantom because he has always loved her and Raoul has only just sarted loving her. But I do get why she did go with Raoul because she couldn’t really live down there, could she? But still I would stay with him. |
From Soignante:
I was entirely divided on this issue. In most of the books, Erik is not only a passionate genius – he’s also a man driven past the brink of insanity by the hatred of the rest of the world. He’s a remorseless killer. Could I look past multiple murders to see the man behind the monster? Maybe – ONLY if I had reason to believe that my super-special love would change him entirely. As an adult woman who’s been through quite a bit in and out of relationships, I’ve learned one valuable lesson. Love may soften, but it cannot change. My answer to this dilemma? I rewrote the novel. Entirely. From beginning to end. Erik kills, but his killing is entirely justifiable. I also had to give Christine a backbone. She’s far too weak in all the other stories – she’d be crushed like a violet in the wake of his passion. Only by completely rebuilding the characters could I realistically pair Christine with Erik. Otherwise, delicate-fainty little Christine has to go with the fop and live a foppish little noble Victorian life. Of course, historically speaking, if she did that she’d be brutally murdered by the Commune – along with her husband and any offspring they might have produced. |
From Trevor:
I’m a guy, but I’m a big fan of the phantom play and movie- seeing it for my 5th time in march ! – 5th time seeing the show I mean, lol, anyways, Erik, shows a lot more responsibility and cares very much for Christine- plus she’d get to live in an underground lair! how cool! In a way I feel bad for Erik because he has never been respected and he is very misunderstood. |
From Sasha:
I would have chosen Erik for sure. I mean he’s the best and he loves Christine much more than Raul does. I bet you that he would have died for her and think of it this way, if it wasn’t for him he I don’t think Raul would ever even remember Christine, it was all because Erik taught her how to sing Raul would have never realized that it was her, she would still be the same ballet dancer. |
From Claire:
I love the phantom because he seems to love Christine… more then raoul. Raoul could have any girl in the world because he’s “Good Looking”. Erik, though, has lost all hope with finding his true love. Then, he meets Christine and he instantly knows that he loves her. Raoul, however takes a big spot light, having front row seats and a beautiful song. |
From Jacqueline:
I would have totally chosen Erik over Raoul. Raoul is a perfect representation of the typical “men” of today…obsessed with women, appearance, and popular culture. He was just a fop, and when he saw Christine, it was as though he thought “Oh what a coincidence! My old girlfriend sings here. Since I was her last love she’s probably still single, because no woman would marry after being my object of affection.” He never taught her anything useful. Erik, now..he didn’t go straight to romance. He taught her, and helped perfect her voice. He knew he was ugly, knew that Christine could never love him for his looks. But he still clung to the hope that she might love him for his talents and his passion. When she didn’t, you never figure out what happens to him in the musical, but in the Leroux book, it says that he dies three weeks after she left him. Raoul would have simply gone onto another woman. |
From Charly:
I don’t see how Christine didn’t take up Erik’s offer! Come on! Okay,so she might have been a little scared, but he LOVED her. He wrote her music so beautiful and amazing that it made her faint. There was a bit of mystery, danger. That’s a good thing! Well I woould have gone with Erik anyway. Raoul’s too cute. |
From Emily:
He loved Christine much longer than Raoul did. Although Christine said that she and Raoul were childhood sweethearts, did they ever see each other again? I think not! Erik loved Christine from the first time he heard her sing, and his love for her never stopped! |
From Traci:
Christine and Erik belong together. End of it. Either of them with someone else doesn’t feel right, it is very clear that they should be together even though Christine doesn’t see it |
From Meg:
Besides all the facts that so many people have stated that clearly marks Erik as soooooooooooooooo much better than Raoul, consider what would have happened if Christine DIDN’T choose the phantom. He probably would have killed Raoul and forced her to live with him anyways, and then she wouldn’t be happy. Raoul really bothers me. Christine didn’t love him. The only reason she got engaged to him was because she was afraid. If you look closly at the music, there is every indication that Christine loves the phantom: “yet his voice stirred my spririt with a strange sweet sound, in that night there was music in my mind, and through music my soal began to sing!” Erik makes Christine feel better than she has probably since her father died. Raoul really doesn’t care about music. music is the phantom’s life! There is no question that Erik is a much better match for christine than Raoul. |
From Wanda:
“Erik” is gorgeous … even disfigured I would have stayed with him. He put his whole heart and being into his love and commitment for Christine and I feel she was a fool for not choosing him. That kind of feeling between two people is rare indeed and I would treasure it if I had someone that felt like that about me. |
From Zarah:
I chose Erik long before I was old enough to even see the musical. The only thing I had was the music, and this is enough to understand how deep his passion for Christine is. Is there a woman who would not want to be loved like that? And the music he writes for her, only for her…*dream* But it’s not only his passion. He has a special sort of dark aura which attracts me extremly strong, this fine line between genius and insanity, between passion and furious jealousy, this slightly dangerous mind. I adore that. From the first moment I heard this musical (in German^^) I thought Christine had chosen Erik because in the German recording their voices are quite similar for young girl’s ears. How disappointed I was when my mother told me it was Raoul she went with. I always have to cry at the end of the musical, first of hapiness when Christine says “Gott gib mir Kraft dir zu zeigen, du bist nicht allein!” and then of sadness when Erik sings the Masquerade song after she left. I never understood that. How much I prefer the end in the book. =) |
From Paige:
If I were Christine I would’ve chosen Erik, mostly because Erik really loves Christine and I don’t think Raoul does. I think Raoul and Christine are good friends,the best of friends but I also think that, because this story is set in the 1800s,their relationship is more of a “I’m rich,you’re pretty,let’s get married.” type of thing. |
From Alex:
Erik all the way! You see, I can relate to this a bit better than many fans, for I have my own real life Erik and Raoul. I’ll call my Erik S. and my Raoul E. S. is my voice teacher for quite a while now, and he “made my song take flight.” He took the voice of a child and put it on the stage as a woman. He is like Erik, a musical genious, and has a mysterious hold over me. When I look into his eyes I can’t look away, he is my Angel of Music. All the talent, passion and love Erik has in the book, I feel every week. My Raoul is very similar to the fictional version: a golden boy who ran into me and fell in love. He loves me with all his heart, yes, but there is no fire of life that S. has. So you see, I wouldn’t need a life or death situation to make my choice. If you ever meet Erik, you’ll understand. |
From Phantom freak:
I think Christine should have gotten the Phantom in the one with Charles Dance, or the musical version Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit wrote, which is the same but it’s not opera singing it has beautiful songs. Well, anyhoo, I think Erik had a kind of innocent love for her. She reminded him of his mother, her voice and beauty. I wish he didn’t have to die at the end. But the thing I like about that, is that Christine holds him in her arms and takes his mask off and sings “You are Music, beautiful music and you are light to me. You are music sunburst of music and you are life to me.” Then she kisses him, telling him that he was not ugly but beautiful. It’s so sad, but kind of cool that he finall got his wish that someone (besides his mother) could love his face. |
From Ella:
I’m sure if I had been Christine, I would have chosen Erik. Why? I have many reasons. I absolutely agree with the statements on the top of this page. He is a genius (quoting Madamme Giry: an architect, a designer, a composer and a magician). He is talented as well. He is a genius because he can compose beautiful music, but he is talented as well because he can sing it beautifully. His sense of humour is great. Especially in Leroux’s novel. I love the part in wich he gets the 20.000 franks from the managers, and his way of driving them crazy is fantastic. I also love the part at the end in wich Raoul walks into his trap, and Erik says to Christine: “Handsome young men, who have their noises, are fools. If I was a handsome young man with a noise, I would have never come down here. Handsome young men don’t know what a happiness it is to have a noise.” Ok, it’s bittersweet a bit, but great. He’s passionate, he really is, I think I don’t have to convince anyone. And he loves Christine with neverending, true love, with all his heart. He dies when Christine leaves him, and he knows his future when he lets her go, but he still does, because her happiness is more important for him than his own life. Some says he is attractive and sexy. Well, if you’re talking about the new film-version with Gerard James Butler, I totally agree. But I know it’s only a matter of taste. In the original novel of Gaston Leroux, Christine says Erik smells like death; his hands are wet, cold, and he’s like a skeleton. But, in my own opinion, “true beauty” is very shy sometimes, you can’t find it only looking at a face. But my main reason is the fact that Christine loved Erik. Yes, perhaps it sounds silly, but I let you know the parts that made me think it. In Leroux’s novel there’s a conversation between Raoul and Christine. I don’t remember it word by word, but I can recall the most important sentences. Raoul asks her what she feels, if she hates Erik. Christine becomes scandalized because of this misconception, and says she would never hate him, she just loathes of him. Then Raoul asks her: “Would you love me even if Erik hadn’t been so loathsome?” At that moment Christine becomes embarrassed, and doesn’t dare to say simly a yes or a no, but starts to talk about fate, and finally says something like this: “Don’t try to find out what I’m hiding deep inside myself away from me, just like it was a sin.” In the new film-version, when Raoul and Christine stand on the roof, Raoul lets her know his own feelings with Erik’s words. He says: “I’ll guide you and guard you.” Can you recall the lyrics of the song “Angel of Music”? Christine always calls Erik her “guide and guardian”! When Raoul says these words to her, it reminds her to the emotions she feels towards Erik, and Raoul is clever enough not to miss the chance. |
From June:
Who says Erik is not rich than Raoul? In the novel,he is paid a 20 thousand franc salary for each month! And he owns a “kingdom”,god! |
From Kate:
There’s no doubt in my mind that I would have chosen Erik because Raoul is just a young rich guy who thinks he’s hot stuff, and the Phantom is a MAN, a very compassionate man who can write and sing music! Like the reasons above, he’s a talented genius! Also, he’s the only man that can be mysterious, but still funny. When he makes Carlotta’s voice squawk, then he just starts giggling, I was laughing my ass off! It’s adorable! I absolutely love Erik! But also because he is VERY mysterious, and if i were Christine, I would think it’s so cool that this mysterious man who hides in his own world wants to share it with me. Christine DEFINATELY made the wrong choice in choosing Raoul. ERIK RULES! I LOVE HIM! HE ALONE CAN MAKE MY SONG TAKE FLIGHT! I know that I already posted something, but I forgot to add how incredibly romantic he is to Christine. I would give ANTHING for a guy to leave me a single red rose; when a guy gives you a bouquet of flowers, it just symbolizes all the other girls he’s given flowers to, but a single red rose(and roses are the romantic flowers, mind you) symbolizes that you are his one and only love. and the black ribbon that he ties around it adds to his sexy mystery. |
From Fritz:
I would definitely choose Erik for he’s very romantic and gentle. he’s the kind of man who would do everything for the one he loves. he deserve more the love of christine than Raoul. Raoul only loved Christine when he sees her sing and they’ve known each other for a very short time unlike she and the Phantom. I’d go for Erik. |
From Lyndee:
for all those people out there who love erik, A.K.A the phantom, this is for you. the best summary that i can think of, not boasting or anything, of why i think that christine should have stayed with him. i would have stayed with the phantom for many reasons. but to write them all down on this site it would take me a lifetime to type and your lifetime to read, so ill shorten it for you to abit less than that. you can count if you want. ill just type until i get called for dinner in about 2 hours time. |
From Amanda:
The reason I would have gone with Erik is actually a very deep feeling, one that you don’t get that often. I can’t express it to most people unless they know alot about him, which I’m sure all of you do. Erik has never been loved by anybody, in his whole entire life. Most people back then considered anybody with a deformity (as you probably well know) a freak of nature. Erik was one of those. I would have gone with Erik because he was really so wonderful and beautiful and so misunderstood. He needed someone to love him. And even though Christine did love him a certain way, it wasn’t enough to keep her from going with Raoul. I may be a bit young to feel that way (I’m 14), but that’s how I feel. |
From Akira:
I think I would have gone with Erik. Why? Because for one he’s a pure gentleman, but he does have a wicked side to him. Secondly is because he actually cares for Christine, and that shows how emotional one person is towards another person. And the last reason is because I don’t judge people on looks alone or their past, unless it is continued, but I look for the good in all people. Thank you for understanding. |
From Chelsea:
Hmm…I feel slightly blasphemous in saying this, but if I had been in Christine’s place at the time all this was happening, I think I would have stayed with him out of pity. Like in the book, Erik says, “If you would only love me, I would be as gentle as a lamb!” I would think it unjust that such a wonderful genius couldn’t be loved, even though he loved me so much. I mean, true, he’s a bit of a stalker, a bit of a blackmailer, a bit of a fraud, a bit of a murderer, but if I was cursed, I might be the same way. I really don’t have a right to judge him. And as for dear Christine, she *did* love him in her own way, before she knew what his face was like…so therefore, what should a face matter? He’s prepared to give *everything* to her, and she simply dismissed him…well, not simply…she was a bit reluctant to leave him…she may not have loved him, but she did care for him, which is something. And he’s the kind of person who would stick by her NO MATTER WHAT. |
From Sara:
He’s her true soulmate, in every sense of the word. Come on, she’s a talented operatic soprano, and I’m supposed to believe that she went from a career in something she really loves that was just beginning to flower to becoming the next stuffed shirt in an aristocratic family happily?? Christine and Raoul connect on the basis of a pre-adolescent crush, but Christine and Erik truly understand each other. They connect over what really matters to both of them–art that stirs the soul, that speaks beyond the boundaries constructed by social mores. She may sometimes behave as though he is “too much” for her, but that really just amounts to a refusal of her own deeper instincts; if she did not connect with him, on a really primal level, she would have left immediately, without regret. What can ever be more important than being around people that fuel one’s true passions in life?? What, Christine? Why did you do this? Why…why…why….. |
From Anna:
Erik would by far have been the better choice because he would be so unbeleivably stimulating in every aspect. The mans’ virility and passion are so blatantly evident in every detail, be it a carefully chosen word or the constructing of any fine piece of art. It would be so awe-inspiring to just listen to his ideas that any woman he chose would have to be highly intelligent just so as to not be drowned by his zeal. Any man that can sing like that as well, honestly, any woman with a claim to her sensuality would be held in utter rapture by his voice. After being near him, the world without would seem a dark and dreary life full of neanderthals with no understanding of how high the spirit of a human can be raised. He is the epitemy of what mankind strives for, to be talented in every area. Raoul would be safe, but is it truly living to merely be comfortable at all times? With Erik there would be passion and music, and a life truly lived to the fullest of its capabilities. |
From Cheyenne:
I definitely would have chosen Erik! He has so much love to gve; he’s a much better pick than Raoul. If anyone who reads this has read the original novel and was interested by the first line of the book (“The ghost in the Paris Opera existed.”) join me in my search to find the real Erik! Research him and post what you find somewhere! I’ve been looking for info for over a year, and it’s a hard task to do alone. Any help would be appreciated! |
From Hannah:
Come on. There’s Raoul, young, rich, handsome Vicomte. Then there’s Erik, rich, handsome (it is true of half his face at the very least), not that old and he’s a man, rather than a boy. On top of that he’s a genius, worships the ground Christine walks on, would rather die than hurt her, adores her, wrote Don Juan Triumphant for her, helped her excel just like she wanted. Seriously, what more could she want, it’s clear in the book, film(s) and musical that she loved Erik. The question shold be why Raoul? Erik’s the obvious choice, why did Christine choose Raoul? Someone shed light! |
From Carolyn:
My true understanding for Erik did not come until I read Gaston Leroux’s novel. Within those pages Erik unfolds as one of the most unusual and dynamic characters I have ever encountered. Though the entire depiction of Erik in this original novel is heart wrenching no scene can capture my soul the way the following does: “‘Yes, she was waiting for me…waiting for me erect and alive, a real, living bride…as she hoped to be saved…And, when I…came foreard, more timid than…a little child, she did not run away…no, no…she stayed…she waited for me…I even believe…daroga…that she put out her forehead…a little…oh, not much…just a little…like a living bride…And…and…I…kissed her!…I!…I!…I!…And she did not die!…Oh, how good it is, daroga, to kiss somebody on the forehead!…You can’t tell!…But I! I!…My mother, daroga, my poor, unhyappy mother would never…let me kiss her…She used to run away…and throw me my mask!…Nor any other woman…ever, ever!…Ah, you can understand, my happiness was so great, I cried. And I fell at her feet, crying…and I kissed her feet…her little feet…crying. You’re crying, too, daroga…and she cried also…the angel cried!…'” This sad scene continues on for another page and makes it impossible to think that anyone other than Erik should be with Christine. Also, a not on all of the pauses during Erik’s dialogue here are to represent his extreme emotion and disablity to state the events in a clear form due to his upset state. It is as if he is a child who does that pityful sucking of air when he/she is too upset to control the reaction. You know what I’m talking about, we’ve all done it ;-). Anyway, I just felt the nearly complete text of this moment must be included because of the depth it adds to Erik’s plight thoughout his life. |
From Erika:
Well, the Phantom is waaay better than Raoul! A girl would never be bored with him, and Raoul… well, I was bored just to look at him. He’s so… wow! How come she left him for Raoul? Also, I would like to make a comment about the “talented” part of your reasons: I know you have never seen the brazilian production, but this reason is really well shown here. When Saulo sings “Music of the Night” (I guess you can say this is a music written by the Phantom, isn’t it?), every single person in the theatre gets mezmerased, just like Christine. When he sings “close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams”, everybody closes their eyes (or at least feel like it). I fell like it every time I wacth him, and I’ve seen it 4 times! I’m not so sure of who this music feel in other countries (I’ve “seen” only the brazilian production, but “heard” many more) but I’m pretty sure that if he had sung “jump off a bridge” everyone would jump. Well, this is what I think. And sorry about the lame english… |
From Lindsey:
Erik loved Christine passionately. she just threw his love away. she is a fool. even with all that he did for her she just did not even notice. he would do anything for her and that is why he gave her up. he knew that she did not love him. giving up someone that you love is the hardest thing to do. that is what makes him better. |
From Cutepiku:
Me and my friend Erica were discussing this. Now, to begin with, I am a Phantom fan, so I am opinionated towards him. So anyways, I think that if the Phantom got with Christine, even if he is nutty beyond words, being with her might tone him down, because he has finally become happy. Since he is so passionate towards her, he could probably very easily change his ways, and care for her the same way Raoul does (I will not deny it, Raoul did truely love her). And as Erica described it, the Phantom is just as much under her spell as she is under his. They compliment each other, and so I believe they are better suited. |
From Bonnie:
Erik IS pure seduction and sensuality in it’s truest male sense……… he Is what we as women Crave in a man, if we are able to look past the obvious. He is love everlasting, you can see it in his eyes and hear it in his music…….. passion to the point of pain. |
From Laura:
I would have chosen Erik if I was Christine because it is true love. and in most of the phantom books that I have read the writers have proved that. Why would you leave your true love for Raoul? |
From Anna:
I would have chosen Erik not because he was a genius, not because he was deformed, but because he was a MAN. He was a man like any other, and I think he finally realized it at the end. That he was indeed like everybody else. Christine just couldn’t look beyond the mask. I think that’s the trouble that we have with people. We percieve them as what they are, rather then who they are. To other people, Erik is a deformed, mindless crimminal. But to say who he is, words aren’t enough. He defined himself through his music. Music is the voice of the soul. Its a language few truly can master. Anyway, I’ll quit rambling. But I really do think Christine would have chosen Erik, if she’d only had the courage to see who he was. Besides, in Susan Kay’s Phantom, we all know he got compensated in the end! |
From Sara:
I would have gone with the Phantom, like that. First of all, Raoul loved Christine more as a brother would love his sister, there was no passion with them, like there was between Erik and Christine. Second, he is protective and loving. If it cost him his life, Erik would kill himself. I am sure Raoul would do that too, but it’s more of an immediate action for Erik. If she stayed with Erik then he would have shown her the love and compassion any husband would have given their wife. But Christine was scared the night of Don Juan. She wanted to save Raoul. When Erik told her to go, she went because she was afraid that she get angry. That time, it was all about the safer choice, not the one you wanted. |
From Jenn:
I understand that Erik scared Christine after Joseph’s death. But if you really understand Erik, you know he had to do it. He warned Carlotta not to sing and he warned his managers not to put her in the lead. The managers trying to prove they were boss insisted and begged Carlotta to play the lead. So her voice was messed with and Joseph died. What Christine failed to realize was Erik did this out of total love for her. I will never understand why in a million years she chose to leave him. He was strong, devoted to her, in the movie version absolutely adorable. Rauol was weak and didn’t totally love Christine or he would not have asked her to set up Erik during Don Juan. She begged him not to make her do it and he did. The Phantom would never have put her in harms way. |
From Ithiliel:
His voice is so beautiful. |
From Pamela:
Simple. Raoul was still a boy, and a spoiled one who would undoubtedly attempt to make Christine into a woman who would be accepted by the society he lived in – which would probably include giving up her career and letting her talent go to waste in order to raise children and pay social calls all day. IOW, he’d try to turn her into one of the people who attends the opera in a ball gown instead of performing in it. Erik was a man, and one who lived in the same artistic world that Christine did, and one who wouldn’t sublimate her talent for the sake of proper society. Besides – he was so much brighter than Raoul, and who could spend the rest of their life with a man who’s not bright? |
From Erin:
I would have chosen Erik for many reasons. He is modern in a way that supports his woman and whatever she chooses to do for herself and her professional goals. Raoul wanted a wife to protect. Plus, Raoul at times treats Christine like a child or lesser soul. Erik always treated Christine as though she were supreme if not equal. With Erik, Christine could know richness, beauty, adventure, music beyond her dreams, and deep love. With Raoul, she wold know a title, money, an estate, and social requirements; she would have her place in the house, she would be restricted and not free. And Christine told Raoul, she wanted to be free. Raoul could never give her that freedom. With Erik, Christine had a true partner, unbounded support, a kindred spirit, true love, sky is the limit, and true freedom. With Raoul, Christine had a sentence to the rest of her life being his wife and nothing more, not a star, not a dancer, not an actress – just wife and mother, a bird in a cage. |
From Phantom’s Destiny:
I would give anything to have someone love me that much. Someone with that much passion in them, you could actually become blind to the world. He has never loved, and yet WOW the man does know how to seduce a gal doesn’t he… =) P.S. does anyone else enjoy the little solo dance (in the movie) during masquerede. Starting to have a little crush on him as well ;. |
From Catty:
I definitely would have chosen Erik. first off he’s not only everything you’ve said, but there’s something about him, he’s mysterious you can never quite figure him out. to me that’s very attractive. i also don’t like always doing the right thing, in which Raoul represents the good in everything, being bad is good sometimes, “Let your darker side give in…”. And of course, music is literally my life, so when Raoul basically blows off the Angel of Music i was very upset at him, and since Erik can not only write the music, but he can sing it, AND teach it, i’m 100% for him… those are my reasons for picking “Mon Ange de Musique”, over Monsieur Fop. |
From Lyndsey:
If I was Christine (and I wish I was) I would’ve chosen the Phantom over Raoul as well. I actually find Raoul a bit patronising. The Phantom loves music as much as I do. I would love to live in a ‘kingdom where all must be homaged to music.’ When he lets Christine go at the end and sings ‘it’s over now, the Music of the Night’, that makes me tearful because I’d feel the same way. I’d hate to live my life without music. Phantom, forget Christine. Take me instead! I’ll be your Angel of Music for eternity! |
From Diyana:
If we look and listen to the movie attentively, Madame Giry says to the two new managers “..Christine Daae,orphan since she was 7..”So, at that time she was 16 years old,and The Phantom has been teaching her since she moved to the ballet dormitories,which means that they have known each other for 9 years,whereas Raoul and Christine have only known each other for a mere 2 or 3 years. Need I say more? I think you get my drift. |
From Courteney:
I would have definitely chosen Erik. He really loved Christine. He did everything that he thought was romantic for her. If some guy told me he was deeply in love with me and wrote beautiful songs for me, it wouldn’t matter what he looked like or where he lived. Raoul, he rubs me the wrong way. He knows that he is attractive. He also, sort of stumbled upon Christine again. He didn’t seek her out. Erik believes himself to be hideous. I think that the inner battle that Erik has with himself is very appealing in the sense that he can find love in a heart that has been filled with hatred. Erik is, in my opinion, more of a man than Raoul is. I would live in a sewer with a man that truly loves me and would tie ribbons around a rose. |
From Pru Turner:
I would have chosen Erik because he is soo pasionate and his love for Christine runs so deep. Yes he may have frightned her at times, but he would never have hurt her. Plus he has guarded and guided her since she was brought to the opera house, and he loved her even before she became prima donna; Raoul just happened to notice her because Erik had guided her to the spotlight. Plus with Erik she would still have been able to dance and sing, but to live a high society life, she would have to give up her first true love. |
From Denise:
Raoul’s love for Christine is not for the woman she becomes, but for the little girl he know growing up. He is always calling her “Little Lottie”, I wouldn’t be able to stand it. Erik, however, loves Christine for everything that she is, for everything she becomes. When those two are alone together, the passion between them is palpable. |
From Tin:
He needs Christine more than anything else in the world. He would most definitely protect her and love her. Where would *you* find a male who only wants you to be with him because he loves you? |
From Brittany:
The Phantom is a dangerous character due to his past. I believe that he felt the true impact of love when he let Christine go, he sacrificed his heart for her so she could be happy. I bet if Raoul was in that situation he would kill the Phantom. |
From Kura:
I would have chosen Erik because for one thing, he had a more compassionate soul than Raoul. After all, he took care of her ever since she came to him. Raoul on the other hand, didn’t really look for her. He just happned to find her in the opera house. Erik also feels deeply about everything. And when people say he is a bloodthirsty killer, that’s how he was rasied. He was raised in an unforgiving manner, and what else could have he done? no one wanted him and wanted him dead. I haven’t seen the other moives, but from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, I really felt his emotions, his ties to the world and his love for Chirstine. She was foolish to have chosen Raoul. |