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Chapter 23
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
The Persian continues his narrative, explaining that they then hear Christine running toward them as Erik interrogates her, furious. Erik says that he does not like inquisitive women and, when Christine cries out in pain, the Persian concludes that Erik must have forcefully taken the keys from her. At this sound, Raoul cries out and Erik immediately becomes suspicious. After concluding that this must be Christine’s lover, he explains, laughing, that a light indicates whether someone is in the chamber. Erik mockingly says that Christine should not be scared, since her husband is so close to her, on the other side of the wall.
Once again, Erik does not hesitate to use violence against Christine in order to assert his authority over her. In addition, the evident pleasure he demonstrates at knowing that he has discovered Christine’s secret and that she is trying to trick him highlights his propensity for cruelty. Dissatisfied with killing others in an expedient way, he enjoys making everyone suffer in the process. By contrast, Raoul’s concern for Christine reveals the peaceful, protective nature of his love.
Themes
Suddenly, the torture chamber is illuminated with light, and the Persian understands that the torture has now begun automatically. Erik continues to tease Christine aggressively, asking her about Raoul’s beautiful face. He makes her climb up a ladder and look into the room. Christine says that there is no one there, but Erik notes that she is about to faint.
Erik enjoys demonstrating his superiority over Raoul by emphasizing that he holds the man’s life in his hands. His lack of concern either for Christine’s or for Raoul’s life suggests that he has very little empathy for others, focused as he is on achieving his own goals.
Themes
Still trying to pretend that there is no one there, Christine asks Erik how the torture chamber works, saying that all she can see is a forest. Erik laughs, explaining that one of the branches in the forest is meant for prisoners to hang themselves. However, Erik then begins to lament his life, saying he is tired of living in a house full of illusions, with a torture chamber. He says that he wants a normal life, with a wife and ordinary activities. The Persian concludes that Erik’s long monologue about love and marriage must be meant to divert Christine’s attention from the torture chamber.
Erik’s laughter at the thought of violence once again underlines his callousness. His sudden change of subject, although potentially sincere, can be interpreted—as the Persian understands—as a diversion. This suggests that Erik’s eloquence is not necessarily genuine, and that he enjoys torturing others more than aspiring to normality—since, instead of stopping the torture in the room next door, he keeps it active.
Themes
Impervious to Christine’s pleas to put out the light in the torture chamber, Erik uncovers his mouth, showing her that it is closed and that his voice comes from his stomach, through ventriloquism. He shows her that he is capable of projecting his voice everywhere. Erik begins to speak threateningly, from everywhere at once, imitating his own voice as well as Carlotta’s croak. The Persian is amazed to note that it feels as though Erik were speaking to them, right by their side.
Instead of acknowledging the fact that he is torturing people in the next room, Erik continues to distract Christine. His revelations about his extraordinarily talent at ventriloquism explain some past mysteries, which made him seem like a ghost—for example, his capacity to speak to people through walls while remaining invisible, and his manipulation of Carlotta’s voice.
Themes
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Noticing that it has become very hot, Christine panics and asks what is happening. Laughing, Erik tells her that the forest in the torture room is a forest from Congo. Raoul then yells and hits the wall, though he is unable to drown out Erik’s laughter. Then, they hear the sound of fighting, a body falling, and the door closes, leaving them alone.
Although there are no typical torture instruments in Erik’s chamber, the torture process derives from the creation of illusions: in this case, the virtual transposition of Raoul and the Persian into a dangerous forest, capable of causing their death.
Themes
