Phantom of the Opera Essay -- essays research papers

Phantom of the Opera   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the novel, Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux, we are introduced to a character known to everyone as the mysterious Opera Ghost. His character in this book is very complex. Although the Opera Ghost is very ugly physically and mentally, through his actions, we can find much beauty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the masked ball we are given, what the reader believes at the time, a very good physical description of the Opera Ghost. At the masked ball the Opera Ghost does a perfect job imitating death. â€Å"The Grim Reaper himself must have posed for it,† the on looking crowd would comment. But the hideous thing that he wears upon his head is, in fact, only a mask. What he hides underneath the mask is more wretched than anything imaginable to men. The Opera Ghost was, â€Å"Made up entirely of death,†(138). He was so disgustingly ugly that, â€Å"his mother would never let him kiss her, she would throw his mask at him and run away,†(263). Poor Erik’s life knows nothing but ugliness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We see more of the Opera Ghost’s ugliness when we read of the Persians description of the Opera Ghost’s love of torture. Before the Opera, Erik designs torture chambers for a little sultana in Persia. His design was just a small room with six walls, with each wall being a mirror. There is also a tree with a Punjab Lasso. The Opera Ghost’s idea of torture was not so much physical pain, but a tortur...