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Definition of Simile
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also... read full definition
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like... read full definition
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often... read full definition
Chapter 10
Explanation and Analysis—An Angel's Voice :
In Chapter 13, Christine tries to describe the indescribable voice of the Phantom. She uses a simile that compares his voice to that of an angel:
I could not hear the voice outside my door, whereas inside the singing continued. And not only did the voice sing, it also spoke to me: it answered my questions, like the voice of a real man, with this difference: it was as beautiful as an angel’s voice. How could I explain so unbelievable a phenomenon?
There are two similes here: "like the voice of a real man" and "as beautiful as an angel's voice." Christine cannot concisely capture the Phantom's voice in mere words; he walks the line between man and angel because he can speak but also has an unspeakably beautiful voice. In fact, Christine believes that Erik might have been an angel if not for his terribly disfigured face. Her two similes demonstrate how the Phantom straddles the line between human and angel and recall the novel's recurring juxtaposition of the natural and the supernatural. Christine's comparison of his voice to that of an angel serves as a reminder of his mysterious, otherworldly talent.
In Chapter 10, the narrator describes Raoul's reaction to the Phantom's voice in a similar way:
It was a tranquil and pure fountain of harmony from which the faithful could safely and piously assuage their thirst, secure in the knowledge that they were partaking of musical grace. Having touched the Divine, their art was transfigured.
The metaphor of a "fountain of harmony" evokes the endless, effortless beauty with which Erik sings. Words like "pure," "faithful," "piously," and "Divine" clearly have religious connotations that match the Phantom's nickname "Angel of Music" and recall Christine's apt simile. Although Raoul is loath to admit Erik's talent, he must recognize the beauty of his voice.
Related Themes:
Chapter 13
Explanation and Analysis—An Angel's Voice :
In Chapter 13, Christine tries to describe the indescribable voice of the Phantom. She uses a simile that compares his voice to that of an angel:
I could not hear the voice outside my door, whereas inside the singing continued. And not only did the voice sing, it also spoke to me: it answered my questions, like the voice of a real man, with this difference: it was as beautiful as an angel’s voice. How could I explain so unbelievable a phenomenon?
There are two similes here: "like the voice of a real man" and "as beautiful as an angel's voice." Christine cannot concisely capture the Phantom's voice in mere words; he walks the line between man and angel because he can speak but also has an unspeakably beautiful voice. In fact, Christine believes that Erik might have been an angel if not for his terribly disfigured face. Her two similes demonstrate how the Phantom straddles the line between human and angel and recall the novel's recurring juxtaposition of the natural and the supernatural. Christine's comparison of his voice to that of an angel serves as a reminder of his mysterious, otherworldly talent.
In Chapter 10, the narrator describes Raoul's reaction to the Phantom's voice in a similar way:
It was a tranquil and pure fountain of harmony from which the faithful could safely and piously assuage their thirst, secure in the knowledge that they were partaking of musical grace. Having touched the Divine, their art was transfigured.
The metaphor of a "fountain of harmony" evokes the endless, effortless beauty with which Erik sings. Words like "pure," "faithful," "piously," and "Divine" clearly have religious connotations that match the Phantom's nickname "Angel of Music" and recall Christine's apt simile. Although Raoul is loath to admit Erik's talent, he must recognize the beauty of his voice.
Related Themes:
Chapter 21
Explanation and Analysis—The Flaming Face:
The narrator uses a simile to compare the Phantom's yellow eyes to candles, which adds to his otherworldly aura. In Chapter 21, he also notes that the Phantom's head looked as if it were "ablaze...like a flame":
it was a face … a head, not just two eyes shining in the dark! Yes, a luminous head was coming towards them, a head of fire, at a man’s height from the ground, but with no body attached. It was ablaze and, in the darkness, looked like a flame with the features of a man.
In this scene, the Persian and Raoul explore the dark passageways of the opera house in hopes of finding (and defeating) the Phantom. Suddenly, they see a "head of fire" with human features. They assume it is one of Erik's tricks, but they soon realize it is only a rat-catcher. Nonetheless, this terrifying image of a fiery head heightens the Phantom's otherworldly quality. The narrator crafts a striking picture by comparing the Phantom's head to a flame and confirms the description given by Joseph Buquet in Chapter 1. This simile also encourages comparison between the Phantom and fire; both are powerful forces that can be destructive but are often beautiful.
Related Themes:
