"Say you love him and my life is over" What?

[PhantomLover2]

What does Raoul mean in the muscial when he sings "Say you love him and my life is over?" Does he mean that if Christine really loves Erik that Raoul will kill himself? (And do everyone a favor in my opinion.) Or is it something deeper than that? Also, Erik's song/lament "This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing. A mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing. pity comes too late, turn around and face your fate, an eternity of this before your eyes." What does he mean and, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this the first reference to Erik's mother? That lament makes me want to hug Erik and beat Raoul up. Anyone else feel like that?

[BleuUnicorn]

I've wanted to hug the movie version of Erik several times through out the movie. The version in the novel is not so sympathetic.

I don't know if Raoul would have actually killed himself but he's saying that if she chooses Erik, he might as well be dead because without her there is no life.

I think that Erik was trying to tell her that he's never know any love in his life. Even his mother was rejected him when she saw his face. Instead of a nice little sailor suit when he was a baby, his mother stuck a sack on his head.

[jennarom]

maybe raoul means that if christine says she loves erik, then erik will hang raoul. because whatever she says, erik shall win her heart.

[readyourleroux]

1) No, he doesn't mean that he's going to kill himself. He means that he loves Christine so much that without her his life is virtually over. I'm sure if Erik was saying that phangirls would be swooning.

2) Suicide isn't funny. Don't EVER say that someone is doing someone a favor by killing himself. Yes, I am being serious. I lost someone very close to me because he killed himself and it hurts every day. It hurts all the more when some insensitive person throws suicide around like it's some joke. It's NOT.

3) Erik means exactly what he says. His mother loathed him because of his face. A mask was the first scrap of clothing he wore because she couldn't bear to look at him. Don't think pitying him will get you out of this mess Christine. You're going to marry him whether you like it or not, so face your fate. You're stuck with this ugly mug the rest of your life.

4) Yes, in the stage musical it's the first and only reference to his mother.

5) No, I don't want to beat up Raoul. He loves Christine so much that he risked his life for her. I guess everyone really must hate Christine to want her to choose a psychopathic murderer over a sweet man who would do anything, even die, to keep her safe.

[PhantomLover2]

I understand what you are saying and I'm sorry about your friend it's just that I'm so much like Erik that I can't bear Raoul. I have Cerebral Palsy which Is a brain defect but thank God that it never affected my intelligence. My mother gave me up because she couldn't bear me as a burden on her. I can't get a boyfriend, I can't get a dance date, I don't even get common human decency most of the time. This has turned me into a very bitter person. The answer for this poor Christine is always no and always will be no. From my first day of school til today and tomorrow and the next day I will be teased a thusand times before I seek refuge in the Choir Room with my angel of music the one person outside my grandparents who can bear me. Tomorrow, I'm joining my angel and going to an all-state NCIC choir competion. My one wish is to be treated as a human being and to be loved. Which is all Erik ever wanted. Please accept my sympathies for the loss of your friend.

[NightTigress]

Alright, the thing with Erik and his mother, is that Erik was so disfigured from birth, that even his mother wouldn't kiss him, and hold him, like children should be. She was disgusted by her own son.

Erik is a perfect example of a Bryonic Hero (Tragic Hero). He was made to draw sympathy and fear unto himself, which he did both successfully, both from Christine, who sympathized for him, and was afraid of him when he threatened her, [" 'Why can't she get married? [...] He forbids it? The Spirit of Music forbids her to get married?' [...] 'Oh, he forbids her without forbidding her ... He just says that if she married, she'd never see him again. That's all. He also says he'd go away froever. So, you understand, she doesn't want to make the Spirit of Music go away forever. It's only natural.' " (Bantam Classic, Phantom of the Opera, 90)]
He's also a social outcast, and was doomed from the very beginning to fail in his attempts to gain Christine's true affections. It's only natural to feel that way towards him, Leroux's portrayal of him was amazing.

[smsram]

My guess is, 'say yo love him and my life is over' means if she loved erik roul would either die of a brouken heart or commit suicide.

[smsram]

my 2nd guess is his life would be over because he'd not want to live at all cause christine is his life. I cant believe i am talking about raoul! I hate that Fop!

[smsram]

I love LOVE L O V E Erik! I would never Ever leave him not even for that rich handsome Fop Raoul!

[13blackroses]

First, like everyone's already said I think Raoul meant that if Christine loved Erik his life wouldn't be worth living, not that he'd necessarily kill himself. Second, well no, I didn't want to beat Raoul up - he loves Christine, Christine loves him - I understand that. But I do feel desperately sorry for Erik, even his own mother never loved him. In his entire life no one has ever shown him love and few have shown him compassion.

[RDraconis]

He means he loves her that much. And I doubt he'd kill himself... but he wouldn't have much of a life. If you've seen the movie, old Raoul can barely stand, needs a nurse, etc. And Christine isn't there... hmm.

And yeah, that's the first mention of his mum. But it doesn't want me to hurt Raoul, I wanted to hurt Christine for not being even the remotest bit sympathetic. When he said that (and I was watching with subtitles so I could actually understand it) I had an "Ah. Well, that makes sense, then." moment. She just said "You're soul is what's screwed up, not your face."

Now, the flashback from when he was caged makes me want to beat up Raoul because he doesn't say "Aack, poor guy..." or even show any sympathy, it's just "genius has turned to madness!" >_<
He didn't know about the mom thing, so I can't hate him for that.

[emilysweety]

Isn't it obvious?

[Phangirl7]

Like everybody else has said, it means that if Christine chose Erik, he would not want to live (not literally.) It doesn't look like he has much of a life without Christine at the beginning of the film anyway.
Everything else I agreee on.
P.G.7.