Monsieur Leroux, I have something I want to say to you. Although Im quite suremostlythat you didnt mean it, youve been a terrible influence on the reading public.
Lets take a moment to stroll through my bookshelves, shall we? Why yes, its a fact that theyre bristling with books featuring hideous love triangles and deviant suitorsoften both, actually. Theres some sort of obsession with men who lurk in the shadows, who tempt dull and interchangeable women into their icky webs, and who lure them away from, well, the world. Theres this preoccupation with stalkers, with lurkers, with abusive blokes whose definition of 'love is not so far from a criminal act, and which any normal person might describe as abusive, belittling behaviour. And, maybe worst of all, they have these saviour complexes going on. From both sides, actually: the women want to redeem the basest, most brutal of men through nothing other than the sheer power of lurve, while the guys want to rescue those poor little damsels. And keep them in a shack with no human contact.
Before you start protesting, I should say that I know that youre not entirely to blame. Literature, I know, is filled with all sorts of love affairs that should have been hacked off at their weedy little roots the minute they started to slink out from the mud. And I know that this book was actually only a minimal success in your timeit wasnt really until the various stage and film adaptations made from it that the voice of your phantom began to reach such a large audienceso its not like you ran about encouraging everyone to submit to a crazy chap with a hankerin for killin.
I also know that you had no idea that a hundred thousand young adult paranormal romance writers would leap upon the relationship dynamics in your book and turn them into somethingwait for itappealing and desirable.
I mean, lets take this Erik chap, shall we? Hearts have broken not just for your Erik but for all the Erik-inspired characters out there in the world. The broken man whose humanity has been denied him because of his disfigured visage. The love interest, really, of so many paranormal romances today. Never mind that your Erik gets about emotionally tormenting the woman with whom hes apparently in love, cutting her off from her friends and, you know, kidnapping her and threatening to do away with a whole bunch of others if she doesnt agree to marry him. No, of course its not stable behaviour, and of course you didnt mean for him to be some sort of delicate flower who just needs a little bit of TLC. Yes, you meant Erik to be sympathetic in a way, to be lost and mad from the utter denial of his right to walk amongst other humans, but you didnt mean for him to be actually a viable love interest, did you?
I mean, Christine, even if she is a little bit of a non-entitywhat does she do, really, other than blink a lot and become beholden to any man who shows a modicum of interest in her, no matter how clearly sociopathic?even Christine says no to your Erik in the end. Because, honestly, no matter how much weeping and sobbing and please-forgive-me business goes on, kidnapping and attempted murder is a bit of a deal-breaker, after all, isnt it? Especially with that whole jumping the shark with the jungle in the mirror-room and the turning grasshopper thing. It seems self-evident, but youd be surprised if you saw how many Eriks managed to get the girls in books these days. As Erik says, if people know how hideously deformed you are, just whack on that mask, and theyll manage well enough. And who doesnt want to live underneath a lake with a man with no face and a penchant for dropping chandeliers on people?
But lets be honest here, you didnt mean either Erik or Raoul to be decent romantic options, did you? Neither really seems to know anything at all about Christine, do they? After all, if youd swapped out Christine for just about any girl (or possibly guy) Erik probably would have done the same thinghe just wants to be loved, after all, am I right? No matter how much brutality that takes. Because being shunned by society is entirely reason enough to go about seeking violent justice. I mean, Frankensteins monster took the same approach, and that wasnt morally ambiguous at all.
And about that Raoul. I saw what you did there, dont think I didnt. Hes really just an Erik in miniature, isnt he? Although better looking and not quite as murderous, admittedly. But hes just got this whole thing in his head about Christine loving him because they were friends as kids, yes? Raoul, really, is just in love with the idea of being in love. He has this whole rescue narrative thing going onhe kind of loves that Christine is all damaged and crazy, because he can sweep her off her feet and show off how manly and heroic he is, right? I mean, hes fixated on the fact that he'rescued her scarf as a child. Really. That does not a relationship make, you know. (And its not a very impressive pick-up line at that, either, but thats by the by.)
But I think you knew that when you wrote of Christine and Raouls depressing nuptials, and of Christines return to bury the heartbroken Erik. None of that sounds very pleasant: because, after all, choosing the slightly less rotten of two bad eggs is still far poorer an idea than simply saying no. You knew that, some hundred years or so ago, so whats with all of these violent beasts who continue to beat their chests over these damsels in distress today?
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THANK YOU for this!
While I've seen the stage version of the book half a million times in various countries, I've never really understood why everyone has this passionate hatred of Raoul (for being controlling, no less), and yet all think this Phantom guy is such a great choice.
But then if you compare him to Edward Cullen (another 'romantic' lead I despise), then I guess I'm just wired differently to a lot of people. Stalking and controlling behaviour aren't my idea of true love, and yet you can hardly escape these guys in fiction at the moment!
Excellent post!
I just found the entire thing so utterly creepyboth Raouls behaviour and Eriks is honestly pretty unconscionable. Its obsessive and cloying and violent and abusive, and like you, those arent exactly things I seek out in a relationship! Ive had the same problem with so many novels of late: these worrisome love triangles are just so ubiquitous. I guess theyre drawing on that sort of gothic appeal and that us against the world whirlwind of passion, but frankly I dont see why a relationship that entails cutting yourself off from your normal life is at all desirable. Its saddening that its actually worth mentioning it when I do come across a healthy relationship. It goes to show how rare those are in fiction at the moment.
Even ignoring the creepy romantic leads, I can't remember many (any?) books where a love triangle worked for me. Especially if it's supposed to be a romance: someone's always going to end the book in a bad place.
It seems to be THE thing in YA at the moment, with the 'hot bad boy' always winning the girl ' naturally!
I agree, Sonya. I actually have a blog post forthcoming with Walker Books about the problems with love triangles in YA. Some of the issues I touch on include the fact that the love triangle is often used to define and validate the female central character, that it undermines the male characters, and that it creates needless and false suspense. It can also undermine how we feel about the main character, because we become frustrated by her back-and-forth between the two love interests.
Great post it summed up a lot of things Ive been thinking when reading books like Twilight and 50 Shades.
Its astonishingly common. Obviously we cant expect all books to portray happy, healthy relationships, but the fact that there are so many of these sorts of books out thereand particularly in the young adult genreis really quite frightening. Not only are the heroes these truly creepy, terrifying men, but the heroines are painted as helpless and hopeless without them.
OMG This was SUCH a refreshing and candid post. So first, I should say thank you. Its nice to know Im not alone when it comes to finding obsessive, controlling, dangerous men absolutely abhorrent. Its pretty despicable and speaks of nothing but weakness when the women of their desires just cant say no. Its unrealistic and far too creeptastic! And sure, I know stories are meant to take you to a place far away but, cmon man! Give me someone who is sure of herself. Give me a man of morals and values and substance! I know nobodys perfect but attempted murder and kidnapping really? Thats what makes you swoon? Somethings seriously wrong there. If I thought todays society was desensitized to violence, youve just made a great case for the fact that its been this way for quite some time.
Brilliant post.
My pleasure, Nikki. I agree entirely! I know that the whole overcoming adversity and black moment thing is huge where romances are involved in fiction, but surely they dont need to be quite so dramatic and, well, abusive, as what were regularly seeing?
In terms of your final point: its disturbing that all of this is so popular in spite of the advances of feminism. Youd think that wed see so many more heroines running away from these situations rather than being lured into them, but thats not the case. I wonder whether this is part of a backlash against feminism? Perhaps people are looking for some sort of return to the oh-so-dramatic gothic tales of the past not just because of the apparent passion of these relationship, but also because things were easier in a sensebecause somebody else would take responsibility (and control of) their actions? I think a lot of women (and men) are quite conflicted over changing gender roles because there has been so much change it can be overwhelming, and some people are looking for a sort of escape from the challenges that emancipation brings.
I think you make a very valid point, Stephanie. It does seem easier to submit than to take control of ones destiny. Its just frustrating because I try to put myself into a characters place and when they dont make smart choices, I just want to shake some semblance of sense into them.
I know exactly what you mean, Nikki. I guess I expect all characters to act like me! I was reading a news article recently about a woman who married a guy who was on parole for murder, and about how he was subsequently arrested for a series of rapes a year or two later. I just couldnt fathom how on earth that woman even ended up in a relationship like that, because for me, a murder record is a bit of a dealbreaker! It was fascinating in a way, because the woman was so clearly working with a completely different set of values/beliefs from what I do, which is something that I guess we can easily forget.
You knew I wouldnt be able to resist I love me a good romance.
I dont mind a semi-triangle where a girl has a taste of romance with one bloke, it goes sour, then she finds the real thing with a new bloke (who was the right one for her all along). But the love triangle that keeps going round and round like a Spirograph does my head in.
Give me a heroine who is an advocate for her own happiness!!!! :-)
Lol
Tell you what, they do the love triangle in reverse all the time over on The Bold & The Beautiful and its just as insane, two gals fighting over a bloke A bloke who cant make up his mind between two gals It demeans them all.
I find it really frustrating when one character is so obviously just there to create tension between the other two, or just to drag out the plot. I really think it undermines the heroine as well, because it just makes her look indecisive, or even beholden to the *idea* of love rather than actually being truly interested in either of the guys. I completely agree with you about heroines and happiness!
Ha, theres someone on my Twitter feed who uses the hashtag #ohbrookeohtaylorohbrooke every dayIm assuming thats what youre referring to? :)
Hahaha, #ohbrookeohtaylorohbrooke has continued to the next generation with #ohsteffieohHopeohSteffie #OhPassMeTheSickBag. Lol
And yes, when its a gal who cant make up her mind between two amazingly fabulous blokes, she comes across as indecisive and unsympathetic . It doesnt feel real to me. Maybe Im just jealous that I didnt have blokes throwing themselves at my feet in high school?
Wow, Im totally behind the times. I did watch Passions for a bit during high school, but thats about it. :)
I completely agree with you about the indecisive and unsympathetic thing. And not to mention the lack of realismIve heard so many people complain that its so clearly a wish fulfilment thing, because love triangles are so rare in real life. Love relays (where A loves B who loves C), on the other hand? Sure!
Awesome post! I agree, neither Erik or Raoul are very good prospects, though I never really understood the people who are all, Team Phantom! You know, that dude who kidnaps her and murders people and all HOT.
Unless were talking Gerard Butler. Ahem.
Neither especially appeals to me, although I suppose Id take hero(ine) worship and wish fulfilment over kidnapping if I had to
Honestly, Id write the most boring romances in the world. And then she met a nice guy. And there were no mind games. And they respected each other as equals. The end.