Just An Observation About The Phantom's Feelings Towards Christine

Many people say that what the Phantom feels for Christine is lust, which is evidenced by the fact that he sings several songs that express his feelings of lust. But I don't think it was just lust that he felt.

Here's why. In two of the song numbers, The Music of the Night and The Point of No Return, there is a moment where the Phantom expresses his love to Christine and asks her to be with him. In The Music of the Night, there is an instrumental refrain towards the end of the song. During the instrumental refrain, the Phantom shows Christine a life-sized doll of herself in a wedding dress and veil. There are no words said or sung, because words are not needed. Through showing Christine the doll of herself wearing a wedding dress and veil, the Phantom's message is clear: "I love you. Will you be my wife?"

Right after the Phantom and Christine finish singing The Point of No Return, he once again expresses his love and proposes to her. And boy, is this second proposal absolutely heartfelt and poignant. The Phantom sings: "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime

Lead me, save me from my solitude

Say you want me with you here beside you

Anywhere you go let me go too

Christine, that's all I ask of-"

The Greek word for the romantic and passionate kind of love is eros. Eros is characterized by a desire to possess the beloved. The Greeks thought of eros as more than a romantic, sexual love. They thought of it as a love that called a person into union with another.

Eros is often confused with another Greek word: Porneia. Porneia is lust. Lust says, "This is your body taken by me."

While the Phantom certainly exhibits the lustful "This is your body taken by me," attitude, I believe he also exhibits eros towards Christine. The Phantom, upon encountering Christine, desires to be united with her.

There's a deleted scene in the 2004 movie. In the deleted scene, the Phantom sings "No One Would Listen." This song is about how no one except Christine understood him and accepted him. The desire to be understood, accepted, and loved is intrinsically good and valid. And it's what the Phantom was ultimately looking for.

But there is another kind of love that needs to go with eros. In Greek, this kind of love is called Agape. Agape is the selfless and sacrificial kind of love.

The Phantom already had eros down. And at the end, he learned what agape is and how important it is when he let Christine go.

P.S. The Phantom does exhibit a transactional view of love. Love is not transactional. It is something that is given freely. Despite this fact, he still exhibits eros in some ways.