Other Possible Influences
Cyrano de Bergerac
A French play written by Edmond Rostand in 1897 based of the real Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac who was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian (sending letters), and duelist. It is possible this play influenced Leroux for the characterization of Érik. Although it seems later version of the story may have pulled more then the original with adding in a sword fight between the Phantom and Raoul and having confronted him with words instead of originally the Phantom did not speak to Raoul and knocked him out with a skull. The story of de Bergerac in and of its self is a bit suspect especially since the main charterer Cyrano was born with a rather large nose, yes the opposite problem that Érik had although they both seem to handle the deformity with humor and anger when attacked as well as self-debasement. Both are highly intelligent, good with words rather through song or poetry. They both are very proficient in protecting themselves, Érik an assassin who specialized in the Punjab and Cyrano an accomplished swords man who boasted killing over a 100 men. Both fought in wars, both fell for a girl they could not have, both tried to woo said girl with words and song and both had a challenger, Christian to Cyrano and Raoul to Érik. Christian and Raoul insulted both of them at first and they hated them, they as well got in their way. In both cases they basically died from love or the result of unrequited love. It is however Christian who claimed he is dying of love.
English
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French
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Cyrano De Bergerac
CHRISTIAN : "you will tell me for whom I am dying of love."
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CHRISTIAN : "vous me direz pour qui je meurs d’amour."
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Phantom of the Opera, The End of the Phantom's Love story (Érik says)
"... of love ... Daroga ... I am dying of love ... that is how it is ..."
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"...d’amour… daroga… je vais mourir d’amour… c’est comme cela…"
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Christian insults Cyrano as a response to meeting him for the first time, he of course can't look past his nose and starts insulting it. Leroux uses this motif as well. Of course it could be just a coincidence.
Cyrano De Bergerac
CHRISTIAN : Nose to nose
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CHRISTIAN : Nez à nez…
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Phantom of the Opera, Is It The Phantom (Gaston writes)
"The truth is that the inspiration of the skeleton was born from the description which had been given of the Phantom by Joseph Buquet, the chief machinist, who, had really seen it. He had collided - we do not know how to say "nose to nose", because the Phantom did not have one."
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"La vérité est que l'imagination du squelette était née de la description qu'avait faite du fantôme, Joseph Buquet, chef machiniste, qui, lui, l'avait réellement vu. Il s’était heurté, – on ne sait dire « nez à nez », car le fantôme n’en avait pas"
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Phantom of the Opera, At The Masked Ball (Raoul says)
"Your Angel of music! But I will tear off his mask from his face, as I will tear mine off, and we will look at each other, this time face to face, without veil and without lies, and I will know who you love and who loves you!"
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"Votre Ange de la musique ! Mais je lui arracherai son masque du visage, comme j'arracherai le mien, et nous nous regarderons, cette fois face à face, sans voile et sans mensonge, et je saurai qui vous aimez et qui vous aime ! »
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There is even a lament on if either had been made better as in born deformed then perhaps they would not have so much trouble romancing.
Phantom of the Opera, Apollo's Lyre (Christine says)
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Cyrano De Bergerac
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The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Written in 1781 by an anonymous writer.