Armand Moncharmin Character Analysis in The Phantom of the Opera

Moncharmin is one of the new directors of the Paris Opera House, after Debienne and Poligny. Unlike his colleague Richard, Moncharmin is a charismatic, patient man who knows nothing about music. He writes extensive Memoirs about his time at the Opera, which provide a window into his various states of mind. Like Richard, Moncharmin refuses to believe in the existence of the Phantom and even becomes suspicious of Richard after they give the Phantom his monthly due of twenty thousand francs. When the directors receive the Phantom’s money back, Moncharmin concludes that this proves that the Phantom did not exist and that they were victims of a prank. Therefore, despite the strange, violent episodes that have taken place at the Opera, Moncharmin’s skepticism keeps him from uncovering the truth.

Armand Moncharmin Quotes in The Phantom of the Opera

The The Phantom of the Opera quotes below are all either spoken by Armand Moncharmin or refer to Armand Moncharmin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

The Natural vs. the Supernatural Theme Icon

Terror struck, followed by a general stampede. My intention here is not to revive the memory of that momentous event, for the curious reader can easily consult the accounts that appeared in the press at the time. Suffice it to say that many people were wounded and one died.

The chandelier had crashed upon the head of a poor woman who had come to the Opera that evening for the very first time in her life, and killed her instantly. She was the concierge whom Richard had chosen to replace Mme Giry, the Phantom’s preferred attendant. The next day one of the headlines read: ‘Two hundred thousand kilos hit concierge!’ That was her sole obituary!

Related Characters: Erik / The Phantom of the Opera / The Ghost / The Voice, Carlotta, Firmin Richard, Mme Giry, Armand Moncharmin

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 92

Explanation and Analysis:

After Opera directors Richard and Moncharmin fail to abide by the Phantom’s demands, such as leaving his opera box empty for him to watch the show and allowing Mme Giry to return to her post, the Phantom takes his revenge. He makes the singer Carlotta croak on stage, thus ruining her performance, and then causes the chandelier to fall on the audience, killing Richard’s concierge. This episode highlights the Phantom’s callousness, as he does not hesitate to kill innocent people, such as Richard’s concierge, in order to assert his authority and force others to obey his wishes. The injustice of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis conse

Armand Moncharmin Character Timeline in The Phantom of the Opera

The timeline below shows where the character Armand Moncharmin appears in The Phantom of the Opera. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Debienne and Poligny then head upstairs for a meeting with the new directors, Messrs. Armand Moncharmin and Firmin Richard. After a lively dinner, some guests suddenly notice a mysterious, thin, and... (full context)

Violence, Revenge, and Redemption Theme Icon

...death, the two ex-directors turn pale and become extremely agitated. The narrator then quotes from Moncharmin’s memoir to describe the rest of the evening. Moncharmin explains that Debienne and Poligny, who... (full context)

Although Moncharmin and Richard believe this must be a joke, the ex-directors inform them that they have... (full context)

Still believing that Debienne and Poligny are joking, Moncharmin and Richard stand up and thank them. However, the ex-directors keep on saying that the... (full context)

The narrator describes the two new Opera directors. Though a charming man, Moncharmin knows little about music. His colleague Firmin Richard, by contrast, is a famous composer and... (full context)

Richard and Moncharmin both believe that this is a prank. Instead of agreeing to the letter-writer’s demands, they... (full context)

...finally arrives. Richard talks to her in a brusque way, which shocks her, and leads Moncharmin to take charge of the interrogation. Mme Giry explains that someone has upset the ghost.... (full context)

...and received a box of sweets as a gift. Judging that Mme Giry is crazy, Moncharmin and Richard decide to dismiss her. They also establish a plan: to spend time in... (full context)

At the Opera, Messrs. Moncharmin and Richard decide to examine Box Five for themselves. In the silent, half-lit theater, the... (full context)

When the shape is gone, the directors realize that their visions were not identical: while Moncharmin saw a skull, Richard perceived the figure an old woman. They both conclude that they... (full context)

On Saturday morning, Moncharmin and Richard receive a letter from the Phantom reminding them of his conditions. He tells... (full context)

Moncharmin and Richard are then told that Lachenal, the Opera’s chief groom, in charge of the... (full context)

...they might defend her against what she assumes to be Christine’s followers. In Box Five, Moncharmin and Richard wait to hear or see the ghost. After the end of the first... (full context)

In Box Five, while the public is in uproar, Moncharmin and Richard are struck with horror, convinced that this is the prelude to other catastrophes.... (full context)

...Christine disappears. Worried and confused, Raoul searches for her everywhere. When he goes to see Moncharmin and Richard, who are unrecognizable after the previous tragic events, having given in to gloom... (full context)

...the directors, who have given orders not to be disturbed. When their door finally opens, Moncharmin angrily asks for a safety pin. Gabriel, the chorus-master, notes that this situation must be... (full context)

...office. Mercier then arrives, telling the two men that he was finally able to tell Moncharmin and Richard about Christine’s disappearance. However, they failed to show any reaction, merely saying “Good... (full context)

...Raoul to follow him and searches for the directors. When they finally succeed in making Moncharmin and Richard open the door, Raoul hears someone whisper in his ear that Erik’s secrets... (full context)

...the Phantom’s box and, after a few hours, when it has not disappeared, Richard and Moncharmin open it again, breaking the seal. They initially believe their money is still there, but... (full context)

The morning of Christine’s disappearance, Richard and Moncharmin receive a second letter from the Phantom congratulating them for the previous exchange and asking... (full context)

Since Moncharmin still proves mistrustful of his partner, Richard agrees to do whatever Moncharmin desires to put... (full context)

That evening, Moncharmin and Richard thus repeat the previous night’s movements, making sure that no one touches Richard.... (full context)

In the office, Richard and Moncharmin wait anxiously for midnight. As soon as they hear the bells toll, they sigh with... (full context)

...Mifroid enters the directors’ office, he asks whether they have seen Christine Daaé. Utterly confused—since Moncharmin now knows that neither Richard nor he took the money—Moncharmin finds himself unable to reply.... (full context)

Reading Moncharmin’s Memoirs, the narrator also learned that the Phantom ultimately returned all the money he had... (full context)

Armand Moncharmin Character Analysis

Armand Moncharmin Quotes in The Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 8 Quotes

Armand Moncharmin Character Timeline in The Phantom of the Opera