Author's Notes: This essay originally was a debate over a certain footnote from The Essential Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, edited by Leornard Wolfe. The debate was over whether or not Erik was involved with another woman before Christine. I was supporting the fact that he was NOT.
-Anonymous
Quote from book (pg. 76): "I brought the footstool. Evidently, the footstool he asked for was for his lady and not for him. As for her, I never saw nor heard her."
pg. 77: "Some evenings I find flowers in my box-- a rose that must have fallen from a woman's corsage. He must sometimes have come with a lady, because once I found a fan they left behind."
FN: "for his lady" 'This is an intriguing detail this early in our fiction. Though her mention raises all sorts of questions about the Phantom's private life, we will never hear of his "lady" again.' --LW
This can apply to many theories, although I think Leonard Wolfe's doesn't fit in with the rest of the story. I've noticed Leonard Wolfe writes very bitterly towards Erik, usually calling him a name or two or stating Erik as a villian and everything he does is commited selfishly or intentionally cruel. Since his attitude is rather cynical towards the character, I can't help but assume he's going to say something derogatory.
First of all, Gaston Leroux wrote 'The Phantom of the Opera' to be part, horror, part mystery, and part historical romance. Noticed I listed MYSTERY, which is the key word. I once read somewhere suspense authors and the writing itself are supposed to mislead the reader to make the climax more surprising and enjoyable. Don't you think Gaston Leroux added this bit of information to mislead the reader to thinking Erik has this other private life? Like there's more to the Phantom we really know about?
That is the essential question. Matters eventually clear up in the end, but we still don't know much about Erik and Christine's relationship. It's a possibility Erik's obsession was stronger than anyone imagined and he might have taken flowers and a fan that represented her to help him think she was really there spending time with him. People have done it before. Or maybe the fan was left from the afternoon performance (Erik attended only in the evenings) and wasn't found till later, and the flowers Erik had brought specifically for Christine, but ended up he ended up forgetting them.
Maybe Erik and Christine's relationship was more developed than anyone knew and she really did spend time at the opera with him before Raoul came along. It would explain a lot since Christine almosts sounds as if she is directly talking to the REAL Erik, and not the idealistic Angel of Music. It would also explain why Erik rubbed off as so offended when he suspected Christine of loving Raoul. Yes, he was jealous, but it seemed like a little bit of disturbance was thrown in there, too.
When I first read this footnote, I was shocked and disturbed by what Leornard Wolfe may have been insinuating. Of course, I immediately objected because it just didn't make sense, and I've thought about the underlying situations numerous times in the past. What I believe Leornard Wolfe may have been insinuating is that Erik was involved with other women, or possibly, a prostitute before Christine.
To clear the whole prostitute thing, prostitutes are not paid to attend the opera. They are paid for one thing, and that's it. End of story. If you remember the ending to 'The Phantom of the Opera', you should be familiar with the scene where Erik visits his good friend, the Persian, one last time. He reveals the truth about his death and cries as he tells the Persian how he and Christine exchanged kisses on the forehead. Here are the exact words:
"She was waiting for me, standing straight, alive, like a true fiance who had sworn on her eternal salvation. And when I approached, more timidly than a child, she did not run away. No, no. She stayed. She waited for me. I actually believe, daroga, that she slightly, oh not very much, but ever so slightly, like a living fiance, presented her forehead to me. And... and... I kissed it... I, I, I. And she is not dead. And she stayed normally beside me after I had kissed her like that, on the forehead. Oh! It's so good, daroga, to kiss someone! You can't know. But I... I... my mother, daroga, my poor miserable mother never wanted me to kiss her. She would run away... throwing me my mask... No woman... never... never... Oh! Oh! Oh! And given such happiness, isn't that why I wept."
In this excerpt, Erik describes the elation he felt when he was abe to kiss Christine on the forehead, and found she wouldn't die. Now isn't that quite interesting? Why would Erik believe a woman would die at the touch of his lips? In the excerpt, he mentioned his mother and how she forbids him to kiss her with a child's affection. I believe Erik's mother must have convinced him that since he was so ugly, he would never be able to kiss anyone, without killing them or making them run away in only an attempt to.
Because of Erik's revelation and his happiness, I'm convinced he never even touched another human being in his fear. That eliminates hiring a prostitute or having another woman accompanying him to the opera, or anywhere else. Erik doesn't strike me as the type to have some random woman with him, just so she can tag along and listen to good music. Before Christine came alone, Erik wanted to be alone. That's the whole point of being misanthropic and reclusive.
And Erik isn't stupid enough to reveal his identity to another when all of Paris is completely aware of the Opera Ghost. If he had revealed his identity, word inevitably would have spread, and Erik would have been arrested. Also, it would be hard to explain his deformity if he denied being the phantom when nearly everyone had a pretty good idea on what he looked like.
In conclusion, it's utterly ridiculous to think Erik was in a relationship before when he's virginal in every aspect of physical affection, and when he hardly knew what love was. Leornard Wolfe should have left the quote alone, for in my eyes, it was only a misleading piece of information.
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