Dangerous Love
and Fatal Attractions



The Phantom's Love for Christine Daaé





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Why did Erik love Christine? What sparked his interest in her? What drove him into eventually kidnapping her? Why risk everything for the love of this young woman?

This is the sort of questioning I often see by people who are new to the story. Gaston Leroux never really explains it in his own novel. As in the case of Erik's last name, this has not prevented the creative-minded from trying to explain this mysterious missing link.

Listed below are various theories accompanied by their sources.


SourceExplanation
Novel by Gaston Leroux (1911)All that is said is that Erik wants to be loved for himself. Why he believes Christine can fulfil this wish is not blatantly explained.
Movie by Universal Studios (1925)Erik is criminally insane; his love is obsessive and dangerous. He believes that somehow Christine's love will save him.
Movie by Universal Studios (1943)Both he and Christine are apparently from the same village. His feelings are almost like a self-appointed father figure for her.
Movie by Hammer Films (1962)He overhears Christine singing in an audition and loves her voice. He is dying, and his dying wish is to hear her sing the role of the heroine in an Opera that he has composed.
Movie by Harper Productions (1974)Before he becomes the Phantom, he befriends the unknown but talented singer (renamed "Phoenix") during her audition for a part in an opera he composed. She is his happy, positive link to what his life was before his series of bitter betrayals by the powers-that-be.
Movie by Robert Halmi Productions (1983)The new soprano shares a striking resemblance to the Phantom's late bride, who had committed suicide several years earlier.
Musical by Ken Hill (1984)As in the novel by Leroux and the film starring Chaney, he is certain her love will save him. He seems persuaded that she does love him, but she does not know it yet.
Musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (1986)From the moment he first hears Christine sing, he is captured by her voice and has a passionate need for her to sing the music he has composed. Yet this time it is not platonic; there is more to it than just the music. Christine's innocence, youth, and beauty are too irresistible to the Phantom.
Children's Video by Emerald City Productions (1987)Reasons are never provided. He just loves her, pure and simple.
Movie by 21st Century Film Corp (1989)Now an immortal slave to the devil, the story of Dr. Faust is all too real to Erik. Like the young country girl Marguerite, Christine has an attractive kind of innocence that makes Erik believe that somehow her love will rescue him from his curse.
Movie by Saban Entertainment (1990)Christine bears a striking resemblance to the potrait of Erik's long-deceased mother Belladora, the only woman who could look at his face and smile. Her voice also sounds much like Belladora's used to sound.
Yeston and Kopit Musical (1991)Christine's voice sounds very much like Belladova's used to sound. As in the NBC movie, Belladova was Erik's long-deceased mother, the only woman who could look at his face and smile.
Novel by Susan Kay (1991)Erik overhears her singing and thinks her voice is lovely but lifeless and untrained. Additionally, another reason is that Christine has a striking resemblance to his mother (even though, according to her own testimony, Erik's mother Madeline hated her only son and abused him mercilessly).
Novel by Nicholaus Meyer (1993)Reasons are not provided.
Movie by Waterbearer Films (1993)Although Erik is widely accomplished, he considers himself "a musician first." He thought Christine would be different from other women; he wants her to join him in his quest for Perfect Music.
Novel by Sam Siciliano (1994)This time, it turns out to be a simple situation. Christine is remarkably talented in singing, exceptionally beautiful, and unusually kind and innocent. She proved irresistible even to the Phantom.
Recording of Musical by Theatreworks (1997)Christine shows unusual talent, albeit untrained. Her unique abilities could save the Opera House, which had been on the verge of bankruptcy. She also shows compassion about others, in contrast to La Carlotta (who can't sing very well and who's biggest concern is having the biggest dressing room).
Novel by Brigitta D'Arcy (1997)Although reasons are not blatantly provided, it follows in the same line as Leroux in that Christine just might have been able to fulfil Erik's simple wish to be loved for himself.
Movie by Medusa Films (1998)The Phantom hears Christine singing in the opera house after-hours. He appears to have psychic abilities in this film. He can hear Christine's thoughts, and Christine can hear his. He tells her that her voice is sublime and that she is a light in his dark soul.
Novel by Frederick Forsyth (1999)Reasons are not provided.
Novel by Nancy Hill Pettengill (2000)Because of both of their unique situations plus his age and declining health, he saw her as his last chance to experience love.
Movie by Warner Brothers (2004)Same as in the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber






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