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26
Q:
What is the meaning of the lyrics in The Mirror number?
A:
Phantom’s jealousy and frustration over Raoul’s intrusion
🎭 In “The Mirror (Angel of Music),” the Phantom observes Christine and Raoul’s reunion, and his tone shifts from longing to jealous fury. From behind the mirror, he spits the famous lines:
“Insolent boy! This slave of fashion! Basking in your glory!”
“Ignorant fool! This brave young suitor! Sharing in my triumph!”
These are emotional outbursts, not rational accusations. The Phantom sees Raoul as a shallow aristocrat basking in Christine’s success — success the Phantom believes he created. The insults underscore his possessive frustration and deep insecurity.
🇰🇷 In the Korean licensed production, these lines are translated as “위선에 찬” (full of hypocrisy) and “거짓에 찬” (full of lies). This choice shifts the meaning dramatically: instead of calling Raoul vain or naïve, it portrays him as deceitful, as if he were deliberately misleading Christine. Yet neither the libretto nor the novel suggests Raoul deceives her; the Phantom’s words are meant as jealous attacks, not moral critiques.
⚖ This change alters character dynamics. In English, the Phantom is a jealous genius, tragically insecure, his rage exposing his vulnerability. In Korean, he sounds more morally justified, while Raoul seems manipulative. As a result, Christine’s emotional conflict is weakened — instead of being torn between two sincere loves, she appears caught between a deceiver and a jealous accuser.
📌 Takeaway: subtle translation choices reshape the story. The English highlights Phantom’s fragility and raw emotion; the Korean framing tilts sympathy away from Raoul, softening the Phantom’s tragic insecurity.