# Was Eric (Phantom of the Opera) impotent?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 21, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776 "2005-09-21T20:47:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/1 "2005-09-21T20:47:04Z")

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Please settle a bet. 🙂

In the ALW version (movie and stage) of PotO, Eric has the following lines:

_That fate which condemns me to wallow in blood  
Has also denied me the joys of the flesh.  
This face, the infection which poisons our love._

Now, is he simply saying that his face has prevented him from getting any (now, really- I’m sure there are prostitutes with a mask fetish who wouldn’t think twice), or does the underlying cause of his disfigurement also effect his naughty bits?

What think you?

-BK

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/2 "2005-09-21T20:56:30Z")

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That was Michael Crawford’s interpretation. I can’t cite, but it was on an interview; he claimed that when he performed the scene in which Christine kissed him he did it as near to an orgasm as he could manage within decency because it was the closest thing the Phantom could have.

Personally I took it to mean that “the girls won’t play with me”. Considering that the deformity seemed to be limited to his face and that Chang & Eng Bunker and numerous other people _far_ more deformed than Erik found women, it didn’t make sense to me either way.

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**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/3 "2005-09-21T21:14:03Z")

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In context, Christine has more or less just asked him if he’s going to rape her, so I’ll plunk $0.02 down on the side of his answer meaning “No, you tactless hussy, I can’t”.

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**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/4 "2005-09-21T21:17:55Z")

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For a while I assumed he was physically incapable, but later I started to think it was more that he was just really Ugly and there’s the fact he’s physcotic, and lives in a basement. But then again, there are women out there who continue to live with men who are ugly, unemployed and who regulary abuse them, so I guess the phantom could get some.

The movie doesn’t really do the deformity justice(and doesn’t make any sense when his mask gets ripped off), particulary since in the book it’s described as looking much like a skull.

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**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/5 "2005-09-21T21:26:22Z")

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The Phantom is not about to bed down with some prostitute.

He’s mesmerized by Christine – not simply because of her physical beauty, but because of her voice and ability.

I never got the sense he was impotent – his injury left him unable to woo the girls he would possibly be interested in. In other words, his standards are unrealistically high.

Now, if only he could have lived in our time, and seen Courtney Thorne-Smith married to Jim Belushi, he would have been much more hopeful.

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/6 "2005-09-21T21:34:34Z")

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> [@bobkitty](#):
>
> Please settle a bet. 🙂
> 
> In the ALW version (movie and stage) of PotO, Eric has the following lines:
> 
> _That fate which condemns me to wallow in blood  
> Has also denied me the joys of the flesh.  
> This face, the infection which poisons our love._
> 
> Now, is he simply saying that his face has prevented him from getting any (now, really- I’m sure there are prostitutes with a mask fetish who wouldn’t think twice), or does the underlying cause of his disfigurement also effect his naughty bits?
> 
> What think you?
> 
> -BK

I always thought so. Though with that face, impotence would be just adding insult to injury. Clearly Zeus really didn’t like that fellow.

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/7 "2005-09-21T21:35:36Z")

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> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> In context, Christine has more or less just asked him if he’s going to rape her, so I’ll plunk $0.02 down on the side of his answer meaning “No, you tactless hussy, I can’t”.

Hmm, are you calling Christine a tactless hussy, or are you saying the Phantom was? Beause the rape question seems pretty reasonable to me.

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**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/8 "2005-09-21T21:36:55Z")

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> [@Bricker](#):
>
> I never got the sense he was impotent – his injury left him unable to woo the girls he would possibly be interested in. In other words, his standards are unrealistically high.  
> .

Just a slight nickpick. The Phantom’s condition has nothing to do with Injury either in the book, the musical or the 1920’s movie. He was born looking like that. The “Acid” thing came from the badly done 1940’s version with Claude Rains.

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/9 "2005-09-21T21:46:20Z")

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> [@HPL](#):
>
> Just a slight nickpick. The Phantom’s condition has nothing to do with Injury either in the book, the musical or the 1920’s movie. He was born looking like that. The “Acid” thing came from the badly done 1940’s version with Claude Rains.

Quite right. in fact

[musical geek]  
**Christine:**  
“Have you gorged yourself at last in your lust for _blood_?  
Am I now to be prey to your lust for _flesh_ ?”

**Eric:**  
“This fate which condemns me to wallow in blood  
Has also denied me the joys of the flesh.  
My face, the infection that poisons our love.  
This face which earned a mother’s fear and loathing,  
A mask my first concealing scrap of clothing…”

[/musical geek]

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**Author:** ![Phantoms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e36b37/32.png) [@Phantoms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantoms)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/10 "2005-09-21T22:02:16Z")

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> [@Fabulous Creature](#):
>
> Quite right. in fact
> 
> [musical geek]  
> **Christine:**  
> “Have you gorged yourself at last in your lust for _blood_?  
> Am I now to be prey to your lust for _flesh_ ?”
> 
> **Eric:**  
> “This fate which condemns me to wallow in blood  
> Has also denied me the joys of the flesh.  
> My face, the infection that poisons our love.  
> This face which earned a mother’s fear and loathing,  
> A mask my first concealing scrap of clothing…”
> 
> [/musical geek]

I always thought it was:

This face which earned a mother’s fear and loathing,  
A mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing…"

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/11 "2005-09-21T22:22:57Z")

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Then there’s the line from the deleted scene of the musical in which he sings to Christine:

“Your face, which makes my love flow like Niagara…  
a shame we live twelve de-cades before Viagra…  
or then I’d sex you up  
instead of messing French dudes up  
and to the editors of Penthouse I would write…  
Let Me Tell You Bout the French Babe I banged last night…”

which would imply he was impotent.

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/12 "2005-09-21T22:25:30Z")

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> [@Phantoms](#):
>
> I always thought it was:
> 
> This face which earned a mother’s fear and loathing,  
> A mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing…"

Doesn’t “concealing” make more sense in this context? I’ll check my soundtrack, though.

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**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/13 "2005-09-21T22:35:04Z")

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> [@Fabulous Creature](#):
>
> Doesn’t “concealing” make more sense in this context? I’ll check my soundtrack, though.

Concealing makes sense, but I also always heard it as “unfeeling.” Subtitles from the movie support “unfeeling” as correct.

Keep the opinions coming- this is fun!

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/14 "2005-09-21T22:39:25Z")

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> [@bobkitty](#):
>
> Concealing makes sense, but I also always heard it as “unfeeling.” Subtitles from the movie support “unfeeling” as correct.
> 
> Keep the opinions coming- this is fun!

[snobbish nerd]  
I haven’t seen the movie, as I was unwilling to gouge out my eyes.  
[/snobbish nerd]

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/15 "2005-09-21T22:39:38Z")

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> [@Bricker](#):
>
> The Phantom is not about to bed down with some prostitute.
> 
> He’s mesmerized by Christine – not simply because of her physical beauty, but because of her voice and ability.
> 
> I never got the sense he was impotent – his injury left him unable to woo the girls he would possibly be interested in. In other words, his standards are unrealistically high.
> 
> Now, if only he could have lived in our time, and seen Courtney Thorne-Smith married to Jim Belushi, he would have been much more hopeful.

He’s not about to bed down with a prostitute now that he’s become infatuated with Christine, certainly, but considering he was supposed to be significantly older than her, what about the intervening years? Sure, living in a sewer would limit the possibilities a bit, but he appears to have normal male urges… what’s prevented him from pursuing others?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/16 "2005-09-21T22:40:43Z")

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> [@Fabulous Creature](#):
>
> [snobbish nerd]  
> I haven’t seen the movie, as I was unwilling to gouge out my eyes.  
> [/snobbish nerd]

😃 It was the closest thing I had to hand to check… sorry to remind you of its existence.

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/17 "2005-09-21T22:59:53Z")

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> [@bobkitty](#):
>
> 😃 It was the closest thing I had to hand to check… sorry to remind you of its existence.

Fear not. I have already wiped my memory. In fact I don’t even know what we’re talking about.

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/18 "2005-09-21T23:25:29Z")

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Doesn’t the book make reference to a wife (a member of Persian aristocracy, as memory serves) married when he was working for the Shah? I’m not positive of this (and of course it was taken out of the movie where his backstory was, in a word, stupidly simplistic [the play still made mention of the maze of mirrors he designed in Persia]) but I seem to remember that he abandoned his fortune, estates and wife when he had to flee Persia.

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/19 "2005-09-21T23:43:32Z")

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> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> Doesn’t the book make reference to a wife (a member of Persian aristocracy, as memory serves) married when he was working for the Shah? I’m not positive of this (and of course it was taken out of the movie where his backstory was, in a word, stupidly simplistic [the play still made mention of the maze of mirrors he designed in Persia]) but I seem to remember that he abandoned his fortune, estates and wife when he had to flee Persia.

Perhaps he abandoned persia because of a misunderstanding with a harem-keeper and also had to abandon his orbs. 😃

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**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-eric-phantom-of-the-opera-impotent/322776/20 "2005-09-22T00:03:21Z")

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> [@bobkitty](#):
>
> Concealing makes sense, but I also always heard it as “unfeeling.” Subtitles from the movie support “unfeeling” as correct.
> 
> Keep the opinions coming- this is fun!

I coulda sworn it was “unfeeling” (this is especially noticable in the cast recordering with Crawford. The man announciates well).

I never once thought that he was impotent, just a crazy dude who was obsessed (or beautifully in love) with Christine. The way I see it: he could have raped some woman or gotten a hooker, but he wanted JUST Christine. He wouldn’t rape her because he wanted her to actually want him.

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