RAOUL IS NOT A FOP!
*breathes*
To say so is a sign that someone certainly has been more interested in drooling out every orifice at the prospect of Erik, instead of actually paying attention to the story and characterization of everyone else in the story.
Now that I have that off my chest...
I'm not saying you have to like Raoul, but at least give the man some credit! If any of you have been exposed to the Scarlet Pimpernel: that is a fop. Does Raoul prance and flounce about like Percy? I highly doubt it. Does he wear anything even remotely close to Percy in the musical when he is in 'fop-mode' Does he even act like Percy when he's in fop-mode? He doesn't! Percy is attempting to create a severe case of foppery for various reasons, but Raoul does not even begin evince any of these behaviors! In all actuality, Raoul is a very serious young man, if any of you cared to notice. It makes me wonder if we were all reading the same book and watching the same musical.
Where did all this fop business come from? I suspect it came from some of Andrew Lloyd's Webber's Erik's first lines: "Insolent boy, this slave of fashion!" But where is Erik's justification? There isn't any! Oh, but it's Erik, you say! Erik always tells the truth -- he's a genius -- everything he says is utter truth! Well, doesn't anyone see that Erik is simply calling names in this case? Erik sees a well-dressed, handsome young man and is intimidated. There isn't any rationality behind this other than Erik seeing a threat. Besides, this is Andrew Lloyd Webber. He doesn't care for anyone else but Erik and Christine, in case anyone hadn't noticed that either. And even then, Raoul does not display any foppish tendencies, despite Webber's horrible characterization.
And another thing: the only thing Raoul has going against him to nominate him for fopdom is effeminacy and dressing in fine clothes. There is not much one can say for effeminacy, but look at Erik! He wears nothing but expensive evening clothes and those don't come cheap. Erik always looks very fetching in his clothing and is always impeccable in dress. Why don't we just call Erik a fop, too, since he appears to show about the same level of interest in his appearance as Raoul does. Yes, Raoul looks nice in what he wears, but so does Erik! As 'Phantom of the Opera' takes place almost wholly in the eyes of Raoul, did we even once see him preening before a mirror? Going out to the tailor for a new waistcoat? Primping a cravat? I didn't think so.
Denotative definition of fop: "A man who is preoccupied with and often vain about his clothes and manners."
Historically put, a fop was one who wore outrageous and inconvenient fashions to the point where everyone raised and eyebrow and laughed! I don't know about you, but Raoul and Erik wear pretty similar things to me.
If any of you can show, from CANON (that is Leroux, only), that Raoul has even an inkling of foppish habituation -- then by all means, go right ahead and prove me wrong, but until then?
I apologize, but this has been something that has been bothering me for years among the phandom so I beg you to indulge me. I'm not expecting responses; I simply felt I needed to get this off my chest.
stare xp
