the phantom of the opera: a soundtrack i would die for

3/5

---

This soundtrack starts playing the moment it starts getting the slightest air of a moody feeling outside. I have such fond memories of playing The Phantom of the Opera at a music camp, the cello’s proud to have that moving and bold baseline. The novel is good, moody, with a twinge of gothic feeling that I truly enjoyed, though at times, it dragged for me or wasn’t super comprehensible on what was happening. Even with the downsides, The Phantom of the Opera is the perfect little fall read.

---

Synopsis :The Phantom of the Opera follows a gifted and beautiful young singer at the Paris Opéra, Christine Daaé, who is both haunted and mentored by a secretive music teacher she calls her “Angel of Music.” In actuality, Christine's tutor is the titular “Phantom,” who nurtures a dangerous obsession with his protégée.

The themes within The Phantom of the Opera are vast, whether you would like to focus on sexism, corruption, yearning or the multitude of others to found within it’s pages, I’m going to shed some light on my favorite. The thematic telling of “othering”.

Within the story we are introduced to this “Phantom” of the Opera, he demands money, refuses to be seen and has a deep obsession with Christine, one of the singers. While the romance of this novel is often the epitome of what draws people to it, I found it slightly terrifying and rooted in pain. The Phantom or Erik, is ugly. His fate is that he is disfigured and cast out, due to this he simply becomes a menace to society. Why be kind to anyone if they are to just judge and cast him out for his looks? Why try and fit in if there is no room for him anywhere? Feeding off of this notion, Erik starts to “other” himself before and sometimes after others have done the same to him. When Christine starts to sing and they form this relationship it is the first time that Erik feels related to, feels that he perhaps has a place in this world, a place with someone. Though through their tumultuous and slightly obsessive relationship, Erik is pushed further into madness when he realizes the girl he loves, in fact, does not love him back. He could never be the type of man that a girl like Christine would love. 

---

This theme hits me so deeply as it’s so relevant today. Othering is the disease that plagues society, the "them vs us mentality" is deteriorative and honestly, mean at it’s core. Why take time to every understand someone if they are simply going to cast you off as an “other” as someone they could never understand because you are different. Differences come in all shapes and sizes and yet the tolerance for anything different, even within groups labeled as “accepting” can be horrifying.

IF we are to judge someone based on what they look like, if we are to judge someone because we don’t understand their lifestyle or religion, is it fair that we are to receive the consequences they play on us out of anger and hate as we have done to them? Erik's revenge in the book felt just to me at times, why play nice with a world that will never play nice with you?

That’s not saying he was right, only that his feelings could be empathized with at a base level. His obsession with being different and society placating into that turned him inot an arrogant monster. He took this “othering” and used it in a way to make himself almost god like, angel like if you will. He uses contraptions, speech, and sly tricks to aid in his facade – if they think you’re a phantom why not show them what you can do? It’s a caution to those who read it in my opinion. Kindness is the cheapest thing we can provide to people and understanding is simply a notch above. 

---

The Phantom of the Opera is strong due to it’s thematic elements, which you can buffet style pick from and think about. Though the story sometimes lacked the true grit of a gothic novel that I am used to. I didn’t feel much for the romances, and at  time was simply confused on what was happening. It was a novel with big ideas that sometimes jumped around too much for me to follow. That being said, The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack will continue to live rent free in my head – I suggest you give it a listen.

happy winter reading :)

xoxo,

paige

booksta