Raoul de Chagny and Philippe de Chagny

The relationship between Raoul de Chagny and his elder brother, Philippe Georges Marie Comte de Chagny, is the story of a devoted guardian and a beloved ward whose bond is shattered by love, jealousy, and a tragic misunderstanding that ends in death. Philippe, who raised Raoul after their father's death, is at first a proud and indulgent protector, but his opposition to Raoul's marriage to Christine Daae drives the brothers into open conflict, culminating in Philippe's desperate search through the Opera's cellars and his fatal fall into the underground lake.

Identity and Guardianship

Philippe Georges Marie Comte de Chagny, forty-one years old at the time of the story, is the head of one of the oldest and most distinguished families in France, with an ancestry dating back to the fourteenth century. After the death of their father, old Count Philibert, Philippe assumed the management of the family's considerable estate. His two sisters and his younger brother, Raoul, who was born twenty years after Philippe, waived their claims to their shares, leaving themselves entirely in Philippe's hands. The Comtesse de Chagny died giving birth to Raoul, and Philippe busied himself actively with the youngster's education, assisted by his sisters and an old aunt. Philippe spoiled Raoul, was very proud of him, and pleased to foresee a glorious career for his junior in the navy. He took advantage of the young man's leave of absence to show him Paris, with all its luxurious and artistic delights, considering that at Raoul's age it is not good to be too good. Philippe's own character was well-balanced in work and pleasure alike, his demeanor always faultless, and he was incapable of setting his brother a bad example. He took Raoul with him wherever he went, even introducing him to the foyer of the ballet.

The Growing Rift Over Christine Daae

Philippe's indulgence of Raoul's curiosity about the Opera takes a serious turn when he realizes that his brother's interest is focused on Christine Daae. After Christine's triumphant performance at the retirement gala, Philippe notices Raoul's pallor and agitation, and he understands why Raoul has been absent-minded and always trying to turn every conversation to the subject of the Opera. Philippe follows Raoul to Christine's dressing-room and, seeing his brother's passionate behavior, laughs and calls him a rogue, adding that he is a Chagny after all. However, when Raoul returns from a rapid and mysterious journey to Perros in an alarming state of health, and Christine Daae refuses to see either brother, Philippe becomes angry. He gnaws his mustache, shrugs his shoulders, and frowns, betraying his inner feelings in a way unusual for the usually cold and correct count. He wonders what Christine wants and what she is hoping for, calling her a little baggage and an artful angel from the North. Philippe's opposition to the match becomes public when a newspaper paragraph announces a promise of marriage between Christine Daae and Raoul, noting that Count Philippe has sworn that, for the first time on record, the Chagnys shall not keep their promise.

The Final Confrontation

The morning after Raoul fires at Erik's eyes on his balcony, Philippe confronts his brother at breakfast. He hands Raoul a copy of the newspaper and says, "You see, Raoul, you are making us ridiculous! That little girl has turned your head with her ghost-stories." Raoul simply says, "Good-by, Philippe." When Philippe asks if he is going that night with Christine, Raoul gives no reply. Philippe declares, "Surely you will not do anything so foolish? I SHALL know how to prevent you!" Raoul again says good-by and leaves the room. This scene is described to the examining magistrate by the count himself, who does not see Raoul again until that evening at the Opera, a few minutes before Christine's disappearance. During the performance, Philippe sits alone in his box, apparently indifferent, but his thoughts seem far away. When Christine vanishes from the stage, Philippe springs to his feet and disappears from his box.

The Tragic End

Philippe's fate is revealed after the events in the torture-chamber. The Persian, upon recovering his strength, sends to inquire after the viscount's health and learns that the young man has not been seen and that Count Philippe is dead. His body was found on the bank of the Opera lake, on the Rue-Scribe side. The Persian, knowing Erik, reconstructs the tragedy: thinking that his brother had run away with Christine Daae, Philippe dashed in pursuit of him along the Brussels Road, where everything was prepared for the elopement. Failing to find the pair, he hurried back to the Opera, remembered Raoul's strange confidence about his fantastic rival, and learned that the viscount had made every effort to enter the cellars of the theater and had disappeared, leaving his hat in the prima donna's dressing-room beside an empty pistol-case. The count, no longer doubting his brother's madness, in his turn darted into that infernal underground maze. This explains the discovery of his corpse on the shore of the lake, where the siren, Erik's siren, kept watch. When the Persian confronts Erik, the ghost claims that Philippe's death was an accident, that he fell awkwardly but simply and naturally into the lake. The Persian shouts, "You lie!" but Erik, already dying of love for Christine, offers no further defense. The tragedy of the Chagny brothers, who had worshiped each other all their lives, becomes the dark center of the story, a fact noted by General D------, who writes that malevolent people have tried to picture two brothers killing each other who had worshiped each other all their lives.