Phantom Verses

By Angela Patmore

These verses explore the psychology of extreme emotions.  Anyone who loves The Phantom of the Opera will understand them: indeed anyone at all will understand them, because they are about all of us.  Here is a stocking-filler with a difference, and not just for the millions of fans of Phantom.

The Phantom of the Opera is essentially a story about a man in emotional agony. Terribly disfigured and reclusive, he falls in love with a young singer through whom he lives out his dreams of intimacy and fame.  One of the reasons why the musical has proved so popular is undoubtedly that many of those who experience it identify to some extent with the suffering of the eponymous hero – with his emotional turmoil, loneliness and rage over thwarted hopes.  From such tragedy springs human compassion.  As Shelley put it, 'Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought'.

• Language: English
• Publisher: APS Publications
• Release date: Sep 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393531234

Book preview

Also by Angela Patmore

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THE PHANTOM VERSES

These verses explore the psychology of extreme emotions.  Anyone who loves The Phantom of the Opera will understand them: indeed anyone at all will understand them, because they are about all of us.  Here is a stocking-filler with a difference, and not just for the millions of fans of Phantom.

The Phantom of the Opera is essentially a story about a man in emotional agony. Terribly disfigured and reclusive, he falls in love with a young singer through whom he lives out his dreams of intimacy and fame.  One of the reasons why the musical has proved so popular is undoubtedly that many of those who experience it identify to some extent with the suffering of the eponymous hero – with his emotional turmoil, loneliness and rage over thwarted hopes.  From such tragedy springs human compassion.  As Shelley put it, ‘Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought’.

Angela Patmore

CONTENTS

Baptism of desire

Creation

Creatures of night and fire

Crossing the Rubicon

Don Juan triumphant

Elevation

In loco parentis

Keeping an eye on her

Lost in flight

Mask macabre

Music of the spheres

Oxymoron

Passing the test

Prayer to unveil

Red Death

Saved

Second skin

Seducteur au bord du lit

Snake song

Square one

The burial

The