Welcome to Gaia! ::

I personally believe that in the book, Christine was enamored by Erik. But only at first. She was consumed by his carefully placed "mask". I love how the mask is used both literally and metaphorically~he was a mere mortal pretending to be the angel of music. When Christine lifted the phantom's literal mask, all the awe she had for Erik was displaced. In the book, when Christine is telling Raoul of her capture, she says that she had pretty much lied to get the heck out of there.
One of my favorite quotes is of this scene: "'Erik', I cried, 'show me your face without fear! I swear that you are the most unhappy and sublime of men; and, if ever again I shiver when I look at you, it will be because I am thinking of the splendor of your genius!'" To bad she then immediately admits to Raoul "My lies were as hideous as the monster who inspired them."
And they were.

And so, to be quite frank, I do not believe Christine ever held any sort of love for Erik himself-only for the angel she thought him to be. She allows him to kiss her, but it seems that she only allows him that gift as a means of her survival.

Man, I really dislike Christine stressed SHE DIDN'T DESERVE HIM!!!
Then again, Erik shouldn't have kidnapped her-it's called free will-but that's for another discussion.

Oh, I'm not saying that Christine was all bad. Christine had many of her own problems that didn't even have anything to do with Erik. She was a lonely orphan, scared and abonded. For the mere fact that she had all of those hardships+a stalker, I respect her. But I think that when she sang for Erik, it was a moment of pity and obligation. Not love.

I like this thread. It's a very good debate topic.

I think that Christine was definately enamored with Erik, and he had such a dangerous dark air about him. I mean, I'm a little enamored with him. (Ok more than a little heart )

Raoul reminds me more of my boyfriend. He's sweet, safe, gorgeous, and also has kick-butt vocal cords. So I think she chose well, because if I might be frank (or fred haha! ok bad pun sweatdrop ) Raoul is much less likely to kill her in a crime of passion. It happens you know. eek

Okay, here's what I believe, plain and simple. Christine loved Erik in another way.

Here's why I think this:

Christine and Madeleine (Erik's mother for those who didn't know...) had the same relationship with him, in a way. They both knew that they couldn't love someone who had a hideous face, a huge array of genius, and a beautiful voice. But once he left them, they knew how much they really did love him and both women literally couldn't move on because they loved him so much. They hated his outside, but after knowing that they won't see him again, the women realized their deep, unseen love for him.

Poor Erik, I would have married him if I were Christine...but that's just me.

I understand that. But if you think about it....

And no, I don't think your trying to be mean, that's what you believe and I, in turn, respect that.

The existance of this thread confuses me.

Christine says in the Leroux that she doesn't love Erik. And then she tried to kill herself when faced with the possibility of spending the rest of her life in his batcave of doom. Yes, I so see the subtext where she secretly wants to have his crazy deformed children.

The entire point of the story is that Erik's love for her is unrequited. If you want the ugly guy to get the girl, go fangirl Beauty and the Beast instead of twisting Phantom to fit your ideal of a happy ending.

That wasn't at anyone specific, I might add... Just a general comment on all the 'Christine really loffed/should have stayed with/is a b***h for leaving Erik' people.

That's a good observation Phantom'sAngel, but it only applies to the Kay book, which, as Uta said, is far from canon. So you're right, but it's a moot point because Kay's Erik and Christine aren't really Erik and Christine.