Raoul

Raoul (also known as the Vicomte de Chagny) is one of the main characters and often the protagonist in Gaston Leroux's book, The Phantom of the Opera. He is the childhood friend and lover of the second common protagonist, Christine Daaé.

Biography and Background

Raoul de Chagny is a viscount and Christine Daaé's childhood friend. They first met when he was a young child when he went on vacation in Northern France. He meets up with her again after watching her performance at the former managers' retirement ceremony at the Palais Garnier. He reminds her that he is "the little boy who went into the sea to rescue your scarf," which provokes her laughter. At first, Christine refuses to recognize Raoul, in fear that the "Angel of Music" would return to heaven. However, they become engaged later. Unknown to them, Erik had been spying on them. On the day they were going to elope, Erik kidnaps her during a performance of Faust at the opera house. Raoul then, along with the mysterious man known as "The Persian", goes down into the cellars of the Opera in an attempt to rescue Christine. He and the Persian endure near-drowning and torture in a mirrored, super-heated chamber before Erik eventually relents due to Christine's willingness to sacrifice her happiness for Raoul's life. Raoul nearly commits suicide under torture, and, when Christine's marriage promise to Erik saves them, has to be put to bed by Erik because of a poison that has left him "limp as a rag."

In Gaston Leroux's novel, The Phantom of the Opera, Raoul is described as having a 'small, fair mustache, beautiful blue eyes, and a complexion like a girl's and an air of "just having left the women's apron-strings." (In the 2004 movie, Raoul (played by Patrick Wilson) becomes an extremely handsome sword-fighting, horse-riding hero.) His elder brother and former guardian, Comte Philippe de Chagny, is a man of the world who indulges in dalliances with the Opera's ballerinas and is exasperated by his brother's attachment to "the little baggage" Christine. Philippe is later drowned by Erik when he goes looking for Raoul in the cellars of the Opera.

Raoul is described as 'having been petted by his two sisters and his aunt' and spoiled as a child, but he is very kind-hearted. Raoul has been to sea, and plans to go on a rescue expedition to the North Pole before falling in love with Christine. Christine decided they would play at being engaged as was scheduled to leave the country, although she later begged him to take her away from the Phantom, no matter how much she resisted later. He is puzzled and sometimes angered by her allegiance to Erik, and thinks that she may be toying with his heart. He is the youngest member of his family, with an older brother (Philippe De Chagny) and two sisters already married. However, in the film adaptation of the Lloyd Webber musical he mentions his (still living) parents, who had died long before the events of the novel.

Major Portrayals of the Character

In Film...

• 1925 Norman Kerry
• 1943 Edgar Barrier
• 1962 Edward de Souza
• 1983 Michael York
• 1990 Adam Storke
• 1991 Christopher Rath
• 1998 Andrea di Stephano
• 2004 Patrick Wilson

In Theater...

• Ken Hill's 1984 James Saxon
• Andrew Lloyd Webber's (Original) Steve Barton
• Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies (Original) Joseph Millson