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[ERIK]

how can you like raoul.he's a big cry baby a spoiled brat! he does not think of love only lust.

[Charlotte Mitchell]

How can you like Raoul best? He's such a wimp in the book, and does nothing to deserve any sort of praise, except possibly that he would do anything for Christine. But, then again, so would Erik. Erik's by far the best character in the books, films and musical. He's just so...there's no words really to describe what he is...just pure genius and the embodiment of perfection...of complete and utter love for and devotion to Christine. I hate Vicomte Raoul de Chagny in every version of 'The Phantom of the Opera' there is, and love Erik/Phantom...especially Michael Crawford and Charles Dance when they acted as the Phantom. Go Erik! Kill Raoul!

[genielou]

I must say that this novel did not appeal to me at first look but when I started to read it, I thought it hard to even put the book down. The story is absolutely amazing and I fell in love with its characters, most especially Raoul. He sounded like a child and his actions only proves him to be not level-headed at all, but this is because of his blind dedication to the one and only Christine. It is so romantic how he would do nothing short of impossible to free her from the Opera Ghost. Again, I cannot say anything but good comments towards this book. Anyone else who says otherwise is most absolutely mistaken.

[Amourdelafantom]

nope try again. perhaps that concept was there but if you actually READ the book Raoul didn't think enough of his child hood friend to try to discover where she disappeared to and it was no til both his brother and a mysterious teacher showed such interest in her that he decided he wanted her. Someone else had what he wanted? as the youngest son he might eventually get his brothers title, unless he decided to finally marry 1 of the chorus girls he dallied with and beget an heir and chances are he'd never see a penny of the family fortune since his 3 sisters had to be dowered off... what Raoul wanted was to take away something his brother showed an interest in. Recall he was only 20 and a military man (no offense guys!!!) hot tempered and a petulant little boy he wanted someone else's "toy"

[avari]

how can you like raoul.he's a big cry baby a spoiled brat! he does not think of love only lust.

first of all, I understand how you can see raoul as a cry baby.. he does shed a few more tears in the book than even erik, but a libidinous spoiled brat he is not.


what Raoul wanted was to take away something his brother showed an interest in

I can understand that, but I don't think childish spite is what fueled his and christine's relationship. I think he was genuinely taken with christine and he was just too young to really understand what was going on behind the scenes.

...no pun intended on the 'behind the scenes' bit...

[RDraconis]

how can you like raoul.he's a big cry baby a spoiled brat! he does not think of love only lust.

In the movie I think he actually loved her. Even long after her death he visits her grave, he was just a bit of an idiot. He forgot three things:
First- Don't speak of anything that you don't want Erik knowing in the Opera House. Amateur mistake.
Second- Don't talk about how you plan to kill him (as long as he lives he'll haunt us till we're dead) in a room where you know he was listening because he gave Christine lessons.
Third- Don't assume a man who caused kidnaps and kills won't do anything bad just because there's a gun aimed at his head.

So, yeah, he loved her, he's got money, he's a bit spoiled, he forgot to train his brain to be of any use. I'm sure alot of born-rich can be like that, or so the media says.

[Wandering_Child]

I am taking this lovely post from a friend of mine on POTO.com:

I will not deny that Raoul wanted Erik out of the picture. Put yourself in Raoul's place for a moment, please. You have a childhood sweetheart whom you find years later, a beautiful soprano adored and loved by everyone. Naturally you feel something for her and go to see her. But later, you find out that she has been having meetings with a man in her dressing room. Totally alone. This was unthinkable back then. When you confront her, she pushes you aside, claiming you really wouldn't understand. Then suddenly, she disappears. No trace for a fortnight.

The rest of the well-known story takes place. But poor Raoul is getting frustrated. He loves Christine dearly, and she still won't tell him who this mysterious man is. Finally, at the Masked Ball, she tells all. What's your reaction?

Jealousy, of couse.

This is what generally irks me about people dishing out the dirt on Raoul. They call him a "stalker," saying he listens at Christine's door and follows her around. What would you have done? If Raoul hadn't done any of that, if he had simply walked off, people would have abused him still, claiming he didn't care at all about Christine and that he simply lusted after her or some other crap like that.

Raoul executed his decisions to the best of his ability. He was confused and frightened for Christine's life. After all that time trying to do everything for her, trying to save her and gain her trust, he finds himself in the torture chamber. I admire Raoul greatly for his courage and stamina.

Please, people. Stop being so childish and immature. Raoul was the sweetest guy out there. He was nowhere near as clever as Erik, but who is? This marvelous story shows flaws in every single one of the characters, and this is why it is such a marvelous book. Erik was not perfect, Christine was not perfect, and Raoul was not perfect. We can relate to each of them because of their mistakes.

[AngelofPhantoms]

I don't like Raoul. He's whiped *whip noise* and does anything Christine says. I thought him a stalker when he followed Christine to perros, peeked into her dressing room, didn't stop bugging her. I wish she'd choosen Erik, someone who could actually protect her from danger, unlike raoul who overreacts to every little thing. Plus, he only liked her because she could sing. If she sang badly, Erik would still love her, because he knew she had potential. This is my opinion and any Erik/Christine fan like me's.

[Wandering_Child]

I don't like Raoul. He's wiped *wipe noise* and does anything Christine says. I thought him a stalker when he followed Christine to perros, peeked into her dressing room, didn't stop bugging her. I wish she'd choosen Erik, someone who could actually protect her from danger, unlike raoul who overreacts to every little thing. Plus, he only liked her because she could sing. If she sang badly, Erik would still love her, because he knew she had potential. This is my opinion and any Erik/Christine fan like me's.

What? This is silly! Wait...let me get this straight. RAOUL the stalker? You know, this is what bugs me about little peeps who like to call themselves fans. Did you even read the above post? If Raoul had not followed Christine around, people would still have smeared his name in the mud. They would have said something like, "He didn't really love Christine! He just wanted her body!" And you cannot make assumptions such as that; you don't know why Raoul loved her, whether she could sing or not. He. Is. A. HUMAN. Prone to make mistakes, just like you and me and even *gasp* Erik! *ignores faint groans of NOOOO in the background* Yes, Erik! He made mistakes! No, he was not perfect, no matter what the twelve year-olds say.

Hey, don't get me wrong. I love E/C. I've written a novel-length E/C fanfic and am starting another long one. The whole thing comes down to Christine; I think she's absolutely a peach, yet she probably wasn't ready for the whole demented-corpse-angel type thing. Some versions she's strong enough to handle it; sometimes she's not.

This is really just a wrap-a-round argument. Erik is a peach. Christine is a peach. Raoul is definitely a peach. They're human, they all make mistakes - that's why we love them.

[AngelofPhantoms]

What? This is silly! Wait...let me get this straight. RAOUL the stalker? You know, this is what bugs me about little peeps who like to call themselves fans. Did you even read the above post? If Raoul had not followed Christine around, people would still have smeared his name in the mud. They would have said something like, "He didn't really love Christine! He just wanted her body!" And you cannot make assumptions such as that; you don't know why Raoul loved her, whether she could sing or not. He. Is. A. HUMAN. Prone to make mistakes, just like you and me and even *gasp* Erik! *ignores faint groans of NOOOO in the background* Yes, Erik! He made mistakes! No, he was not perfect, no matter what the twelve year-olds say.

Hey, don't get me wrong. I love E/C. I've written a novel-length E/C fanfic and am starting another long one. The whole thing comes down to Christine; I think she's absolutely a peach, yet she probably wasn't ready for the whole demented-corpse-angel type thing. Some versions she's strong enough to handle it; sometimes she's not.

This is really just a wrap-a-round argument. Erik is a peach. Christine is a peach. Raoul is definitely a peach. They're human, they all make mistakes - that's why we love them.

You make a great argument. You're right they are human, that's why we DO love them. I just don't like Raoul, I guess sometimes when I remember that dreaded 2004 version that made Raoul look like what I mentioned before, I get angry that Christine left with him and go on a anti-Raoul ramble. Raoul can be seen as heroic, it's just that he's nothing like Erik, who's really not perfect. I guess i feel a lot of sympathy for outcasts.

It's not Raoul, it's me. I just don't like him and that may never change. But you don't have to criticize my opinion, or call it "silly" because it doesn't follow yours.

[Phangirl7]

Thank you, everyone who pointed out that, yes, the characters are human, they do make mistakes! That's one of the reasons we identify with them so much! Now, can we please stop before this gets into a huge argument? There's just no point in it.
Thank you,
P.G.7.