Rhiannon Hendricks
In the final scene of *The Phantom of the Opera*, the Phantom has Christine wear a wedding dress. This is the dress the Phantom has prepared for Christine, and it has previously been seen on the Mirror Bride. The wedding dress has a mannequin resembling Christine, and she faints when she sees it. The Phantom proposes to Christine during Don Juan and wants to marry her to seal her to him. The final lair scene is supposed to be a marriage ceremony in Erik's mind, so Christine has to wear the wedding dress. It is unclear if Christine changed into the wedding dress willingly or if the Phantom forced her to change.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for Christine wearing the wedding dress | The Phantom wanted to marry Christine to seal her to him |
| How Christine got into the wedding dress | It is unclear if the Phantom forced Christine to change into the wedding dress or if she did it voluntarily |
| Details of the wedding dress | The dress has a cuirasse bodice and a bustle skirt. The bodice is hourglass-shaped with elbow-length sleeves and flounces. The skirt is cream, silver, and white with sloping rows of lace decorations and a slight train. |
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What You'll Learn
The Phantom's proposal
The Setup
In the final scenes of "Phantom of the Opera," the Phantom, also known as Erik, has kidnapped Christine and brought her to his underground lair. He has been obsessed with Christine and has manipulated her throughout the story by exploiting her father's words and preying on her impressionable nature. The Phantom's proposal is part of his deluded belief that Christine reciprocates his feelings.
The Wedding Dress
A key element of the proposal is the wedding dress. The Phantom presents Christine with a mannequin resembling herself dressed in a wedding gown, causing her to faint. The dress is described as having a cuirasse bodice and a bustle skirt, with elbow-length sleeves and a pleated belt around the hips. It is made of cream and metallic fabric, accented with glittering appliqués and fan decorations.
There is much speculation about how Christine ends up wearing the wedding dress. Some interpretations suggest that the Phantom forces her to change, while others propose that he deludedly believes she does so willingly. The ambiguity of this moment allows actors playing the Phantom to interpret the character's intentions differently.
The Proposal
With Christine now in the wedding dress, the Phantom proposes to her. In his detached state from society, he believes that this is the appropriate course of action, influenced by what he has read in books and seen in the theatre. He intends for the final lair scene to be their marriage ceremony. The Phantom even gives Christine a ring, which, in the stage version, is the one he has been wearing throughout the show.
Christine's Response
Christine does not truly love the Phantom, and her feelings toward him vary in different interpretations of the story. In the 2004 film and stage versions, Christine refuses the Phantom's proposal while still showing him a degree of respect and forgiveness. She returns the ring to him, indicating her rejection of his advances.
Impact and Interpretation
The Phantoms' proposal and Christine's response highlight the power dynamics and emotional complexities within their relationship. It is a testament to the enduring appeal of "Phantom of the Opera" that audiences continue to debate and interpret these characters' actions and motivations.
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Christine's ordeal
Christine Daae's ordeal in The Phantom of the Opera begins with her being manipulated by the Phantom, who exploits the words of her dead father. Her age is up for debate, with the original novel suggesting she is 15-16 years old, while other interpretations place her in her twenties. As a chorus girl at the Paris Opera House, Christine is thrust into the lead role after a rehearsal incident involving the Phantom.
Christine is then kidnapped by the Phantom and taken to his underground lair. There, she sees a mannequin resembling herself in a wedding dress and faints. The Phantom puts her on a bed, and it is implied that he rapes her while she is unconscious. After she wakes up, the Phantom proposes to Christine and wants her to marry him to seal her to him. He gives her a ring, which is his own in the stage version, and the final lair scene is meant to be their wedding.
Christine is forced to choose between the Phantom and Raoul, and if she refuses, Raoul will die. It is unclear if Christine changes into the wedding dress willingly or if the Phantom forces her to. Some interpretations suggest that the Phantom's belief that she wanted to change shows his delusion, while others argue that he threatened her to put it on. The wedding dress is described as having a cuirasse bodice and a bustle skirt, with elbow-length sleeves and a pleated belt around the hips.
Throughout the show, Christine is preyed upon, kidnapped twice, and sees two people killed by the Phantom, who claims to love her. She is also threatened with the death of Raoul unless she marries the Phantom, an obsessive, homicidal stalker. Ultimately, Christine kisses the Phantom, realizing that he cannot compel her to love him, and he releases them.
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The wedding dress mannequin
In the final scene of The Phantom of the Opera, the Phantom has Christine wear a wedding dress, which he had shown her earlier on a mannequin resembling Christine. This scene is referred to as "Down Once More/Final Lair".
The wedding dress is described as having a cuirasse bodice and a bustle skirt. The skirt has sloping rows of lace decorations and a waterfall back drape at the back. The colours of the dress are cream, silver, and white. The bodice is tight-fitting, with elbow-length sleeves and an A-shaped opening that reveals a decorated corset front. The skirt is between ankle and knee length, with a split that reveals a lace underskirt. The actual bodice is made of a ribbed cream/metallic fabric, with fan decorations and glittering appliqués over the bust.
There are differing opinions on whether Christine changed into the wedding dress willingly or if the Phantom forced her to change into it. Some sources suggest that the Phantom's actions were manipulative and that he took advantage of Christine's vulnerability. Others speculate that the Phantom deludedly believed that Christine wanted to change into the dress, or that she did so voluntarily, indicating some doubt about her relationship with Raoul.
The wedding dress scene is significant because it represents the Phantom's proposal to Christine and his desire to marry her. It is also a turning point in the story, as Christine ultimately rejects the Phantom's proposal and chooses to be with Raoul instead.
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Christine's agency
In the final scene of *The Phantom of the Opera*, the Phantom has Christine wear a wedding dress. This is the dress the Phantom has prepared for Christine, and it is not her personal dress. It has been seen previously on the Mirror Bride. The dress has a tight-fitting bodice with elbow-length sleeves and a fringed scarf around the neck opening. The skirt has a split, revealing a lace underskirt, and is ankle to knee-length.
There is some ambiguity about how Christine changes into the wedding dress. Some sources suggest that the Phantom forces her to change, while others suggest that she does so voluntarily, perhaps as part of the Don Juan costume. It is clear, however, that the Phantom manipulates Christine throughout the story, exploiting her vulnerability and using her father's words to his advantage.
The interpretation of Christine's feelings toward the Phantom and her agency in their relationship is left open to the audience. However, it is clear that she is an impressionable young girl, and the Phantom uses this to his advantage.
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The costume change
The wedding dress is comprised of two major parts: a cuirasse bodice and a bustle skirt. The bodice is hourglass-shaped with elbow-length sleeves and flounces. The skirt is cream, silver, and white with sloping rows of lace decorations and a waterfall backdrape.
There is some ambiguity about how Christine changed into the wedding dress. Some viewers assume that the Phantom forced her to change, while others believe that she did it voluntarily, perhaps as part of the Don Juan costume. It is suggested that the Phantom may have hidden the wedding dress underneath the Don Juan costume, showing how far in advance he planned the marriage ceremony in his mind.
One source describes the costume change as follows:
> "I usually had to finish dressing my Christines as we entered the stage for the final lair, and since then I’ve always thought he kinda hurriedly dressed her on the way down."
This quote suggests that the costume change was done quickly and in the moment, rather than being planned out in advance.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear whether Christine changes into the wedding dress willingly or if the Phantom forces her to change into it. Some viewers doubt that she would have changed willingly given the context of the scene.
The Phantom intends for the final lair scene to be a marriage ceremony between him and Christine. He proposes to her during Don Juan and wants to marry her to seal her to him.
The wedding dress has an hourglass-shaped bodice with elbow-length sleeves and flounces. The bodice has a basque, or a pleated belt around the hips, ending in a big bow in the back. The fabric is ribbed and cream/metallic, with fan decorations and/or glittering appliqués over the bust.
The wedding dress is significant because it represents the Phantom's delusional belief that Christine will marry him and be sealed to him. It also highlights the power dynamic between the two characters, with the Phantom manipulating an impressionable young girl by exploiting the words of her dead father.
Christine is angry and upset about the situation, as she has been kidnapped by the Phantom and forced to choose between marrying him or letting Raoul die. It is unclear if she changes into the wedding dress willingly or under duress.
