Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Phantom of the Opera, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Natural vs. the Supernatural
Love vs. Jealousy
Violence, Revenge, and Redemption
Beauty vs. Ugliness
Summary
Analysis
After discovering that Erik’s barrels contain gunpowder, the Persian understands that he plans to destroy the Opera through a grand explosion. Raoul and Daroga panic, realizing that their own lives are not the only ones at risk, and that Christine’s decision will determine the fate of everyone in the Opera. The two of them quickly crawl back into the torture chamber, wondering whether there is time left to tell Christine about Erik’s plan.
The Persian establishes a connection between this present discovery and Erik’s past, obscure statements—the very comments that had prompted Daroga to keep a watchful eyes on Erik’s actions. Erik’s plan highlights his misanthropy and desire to take revenge on society—probably because of his own suffering.
Themes
Back in the chamber, they suddenly hear footsteps and an alarmed Christine calls out to Raoul, saying that she only has five minutes left before eleven o’clock. She explains that Erik has given her a bronze scorpion and grasshopper. If she turns a pivot on the scorpion, she will be accepting Erik’s offer, but if she turns the grasshopper, they will die, like a grasshopper jumps into the air.
The image of the grasshopper jumping in the air confirms that Erik’s plan is to make the Opera explode (thus making it burst in the air) if Christine rejects him. This puts an enormous pressure on Christine, as she must choose to sacrifice the rest of her life in order to save innocent people in the building.
Themes
Regaining strength, Raoul then tells Christine to turn the scorpion, but the Persian intervenes, saying that Erik could have lied to her—and that the scorpion might make everything explode. They all suddenly hear footsteps approaching, and Daroga tries to talk to Erik, who tells him to keep quiet. Erik explains to her that, if she chooses the grasshopper, they will all die, whereas the scorpion will flood the gunpowder-filled barrels, thus averting disaster. In a gentle voice, which the Persian interprets as a sign of Erik’s cold-bloodedness, Erik tells Christine to make her decision in silence.
Daroga’s fear about Erik’s dissimulation suggests that Erik’s violent impulses are not only physical, but also psychological, since he might take pleasure in deceiving Christine and forcing her to die anyway. Unlike Raoul, who often becomes agitated and overwhelmed by emotions in complex situations, Erik’s coldness signals a total lack of concern for others and a certain detachment for the world, on which he has chosen to take revenge—either through Christine’s submission or by causing the deaths of others.
Themes
As Erik threatens to turn the grasshopper if Christine does not make a decision, Christine suddenly cries out that she has chosen the scorpion. After everyone waits in silence to see what will happen, the Persian suddenly perceives a hiss of water flooding the basement. At the same time, the water begins to rise, soon covering the basement as well as the torture room. Christine then begs Erik to stop the flow, so as not to kill Raoul and his companion. The Persian tries to swim upward but soon loses consciousness.
Christine’s empathy serves as the perfect counterpoint to Erik’s total lack thereof, since she decides to accept unhappiness in order to save others from harm, whereas Erik’s only way to express his unhappiness is by harming others. Even though Christine has just abandoned her freedom to become Erik’s wife, she remains true to her feelings and compassion by begging for her friends’ lives.
Themes
Literary Devices
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