Phantom of the Opera E

357 Words2 Pages
The Phantom of the Opera by Arthur Kopit undergoes a series of inner and outer reality conflicts. These inner and outer reality conflicts form between the phantom and the other characters. It is due to these conflicts that the phantom eventually dies at the end of the play. People’s inner reality can distort their image of themselves and alter their perception of the outer world. In the Phantom of the Opera, the phantom is a character who has lived in the subterranean levels of the opera house his entire life. He was abandoned as a child due to his disfigured face. The phantom has been shadowed from the face of reality. The phantom dwells upon his own thoughts and emotions. He prefers to remain in his own inner thoughts rather than with reality. He cannot comprehend the realities that encompass the outer world. The phantom later states “Up there is where hell is “(20). From this, it can be observed that the phantom has an altered vision of the real world. He sees the outer world as an underworld. The phantom is too passionate about his own emotions to focus on the outer reality. The phantom has never experienced the feeling of love. He states “If I am the phantom it is because man’s hatred has made me so. If I am to be saved it is because your love redeems me.” The phantom believes that the only way he can be saved is through love. Without love, the phantom is just the same as he already is. The phantom perceives himself to be a social outcast. This gives him a distorted image of himself. In one scene, the phantom depicts himself in a cradle. Inside the cradle is a doll with no head. The phantom’s inner reality and thoughts about himself are much different than the outer reality. The phantom believes it is better to dwell in one’s thoughts rather to live in the real world. He suggests that living in the underworld where it is free is a better place. The
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