Raoul de Chagny's Journey

The character destiny of the young viscount, from carefree sailor to haunted lover.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Innocent Youth

The Innocent Youth The Sailor Lad Raoul is the younger brother of Count Philippe. He is twenty-one, fair-haired, and shy. He has just completed his naval training and is about to join an Arctic expedition. He is innocent and inexperienced in love. The Reunion At the Opera, he sees Christine Daae, his childhood friend. He is immediately captivated. He begins to follow her, but she seems distant. He is tormented by the mystery of the man's voice. The First Kiss On the roof of the Opera, under Apollo's lyre, Christine confesses her love and gives him a kiss. But her fear of Erik casts a shadow. Raoul vows to protect her, little knowing the danger ahead.

The Desperate Lover

The Desperate Lover The Secret Engagement Raoul and Christine play at being engaged. They roam the Opera, enjoying a brief happiness. But Raoul is jealous of the Voice. He demands to know its name. Christine reveals it is Erik, and he is horrified. The Shot in the Night Raoul sees Erik's yellow eyes in his room. He fires a pistol at them, wounding the ghost. The shot erases any hope of a peaceful resolution. Raoul's action sets the stage for the final confrontation. The Rescue Mission When Christine is abducted, Raoul does not hesitate. He follows the Persian into the cellars, ready to fight or die. He shows courage, but his inexperience makes him vulnerable. He nearly loses his mind in the torture chamber.

The Survivor's Guilt

The Survivor's Guilt The Loss of His Brother Raoul learns that his brother Count Philippe died trying to rescue him. The body was found in the lake. Raoul is devastated. He feels responsible for his brother's death. The New Life with Christine Christine and Raoul leave Paris to start a new life. They marry in secret. But the tragedy haunts them. Raoul must live with the memory of Erik and the price of his happiness. The Legacy Raoul never speaks of the Opera ghost. The narrator suggests that he and Christine lived quietly in the North. Raoul's fate is to be forever grateful for Christine's love, but forever marked by the horrors he witnessed.

before the gala

during the secret engagement and the abduction

after the rescue