In the novel, Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux, we are introduced to a characterknown to everyone as the mysterious Opera Ghost. His character in this book is very complex. Although the Opera Ghost is very ugly physically and mentally, through his actions, we can findmuch beauty.
During the masked ball we are given, what the reader believes at the time, a very goodphysical description of the Opera Ghost. At the masked ball the Opera Ghost does a perfect jobimitating death. The Grim Reaper himself must have posed for it, the on looking crowd wouldcomment. But the hideous thing that he wears upon his head is, in fact, only a mask. What hehides underneath the mask is more wretched than anything imaginable to men. The Opera Ghostwas, Made up entirely of death,(138). He was so disgustingly ugly that, his mother wouldnever let him kiss her, she would throw his mask at him and run away,(263). Poor Eriks lifeknows nothing but ugliness.
We see more of the Opera Ghosts ugliness when we read of the Persians description ofthe Opera Ghosts love of torture. Before the Opera, Erik designs torture chambers for a littlesultana in Persia. His design was just a small room with six walls, with each wall being a mirror. There is also a tree with a Punjab Lasso. The Opera Ghosts idea of torture was not so muchphysical pain, but a torture in which a victim would go mad, and in their madness, they would killthemselves. On the outside of each one of these chambers there is a place the Opera watches hisvictims while they were going mad. Erik truly was ugly, not only physically, but mentally.
We are given our first example of Eriks beauty when Raoul is spying on Christine in herdressing room. He starts to hear a beautiful sound that seems to coming all around him. He seesno one in the room, but the music starts to get louder and more definite. A voice that unites allextremes at once,(103), Raoul tells, without knowing of the ugliness of the character from whichit comes. Raoul continues to praise the voice as, heroically sweet…, so delicate in strength, sostrong in delicacy, and so irresistibly triumphant,(103). This clearly shows that, without knowingthe physical ugliness of the Opera Ghost, a body could enjoy his beautiful voice.
Another example of Eriks beauty comes through his love of Christine. At the end of thenovel the Opera Ghost is talking to the Persian. The Persians asks Erik why he decided to sparethe live of himself, as well as the life of his enemy, Viscount Raoul de Chagny. I(Opera Ghost),felt her tears dropping on my forehead…, I took off my mask and she didnt die…, I then heard hersay, poor, unhappy Erik and from then on I was only a poor dog,(263). I (Erik), told her thatshe could marry her young man…, it was like cutting my own heart into little pieces,(264). Through Eriks selfless love for Christine we find his beauty.
