Sun Aug 04, 2013 8:18 am by PhantomoftheOperafan80
In terms of a romance novel, with a few Gothic twists, do you like Phantom or The Huncback more?
Here is how I look at it:
Phantom is a story about a man who has constantly been ridiculed and mocked due to a deformity. Suddenly, he falls in love with a beautiful young woman, who toys with his emotions, and ultimately lets him down in all ways, leaving with a much more stable, handsome man. Erik pressumably dies after this.
The Hunchback is a story about a man that, despite his physical deformities, is treated with respect by a kind Archdeacon, who even adopts him. And then, both the Archdeacon and the Hunchback fall in love with the same girl- a beautiful gypsy dancer. Both she and Quasimodo are outcasts, she because of her social standing and he because of his appearances. To cease the fued, Frollo has Esmeralda killed and then Quasimodo kills him, ending all the joys in his life. Quasimodo finds Esmeralda's corpse and sleeps with it in grave until he himself dies.
I think that Quasimodo is a much more tragic character. Even though POTO is very sad, Hunchback offers unique insight into Quasimodo's life- Victor Hugo gives him a history, and we often read about him when he is alone by himself. Never before have I read a novel and felt so bad for the main character.
Gaston Leroux, however, gives Erik very little history and we never read about Erik on his own.
What are your opinions? This topic was brought to mind because I just bought Dennis DeYoung's Hunchback of Notre Dame musical CD.
Here is how I look at it:
Phantom is a story about a man who has constantly been ridiculed and mocked due to a deformity. Suddenly, he falls in love with a beautiful young woman, who toys with his emotions, and ultimately lets him down in all ways, leaving with a much more stable, handsome man. Erik pressumably dies after this. The Hunchback is a story about a man that, despite his physical deformities, is treated with respect by a kind Archdeacon, who even adopts him. And then, both the Archdeacon and the Hunchback fall in love with the same girl- a beautiful gypsy dancer. Both she and Quasimodo are outcasts, she because of her social standing and he because of his appearances. To cease the fued, Frollo has Esmeralda killed and then Quasimodo kills him, ending all the joys in his life. Quasimodo finds Esmeralda's corpse and sleeps with it in grave until he himself dies.I think that Quasimodo is a much more tragic character. Even though POTO is very sad, Hunchback offers unique insight into Quasimodo's life- Victor Hugo gives him a history, and we often read about him when he is alone by himself. Never before have I read a novel and felt so bad for the main character.
Gaston Leroux, however, gives Erik very little history and we never read about Erik on his own.
What are your opinions? This topic was brought to mind because I just bought Dennis DeYoung's Hunchback of Notre Dame musical CD.
