Poetry Approaches

“Music of the Night” By Jillian Valk October 28, 2008

Phantom of the Opera Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee The Novelistic Approach

Christine is over come with fright and shock and consequently faints.

The Phantom dances with Christine and shows her a wax The phantom catches figure of herself in a bridal gown. Christine as she falls.

The Phantom tries to persuade Christine to join The Phantom carries the dark side, by showing Christine to the bed to her beautiful images. She rest, and sings one last tries to resist due to her line to her. love for another.

The Phantom finally arrives at his lair with the kidnapped Christine.

Protagonist: The Phantom of the Opera Goal: The Phantom of the Opera wants Antagonist: Christine Daae Christine to join the dark side, so he can have her. Setting: In the Phantom’s underground lair Obstacle: Christine resists because she loves Speaker: Phantom of the Opera another. The Thematic Approach

Theme- Don’t give in to Quotes • “Since the Moment I first what others want. Stay heard you sing I have needed in control of yourself. you with me” The Phantom admits his Only do what you obsession and motive for his want. seducing behavior. • “Close your eyes and Explanation- In the poem the author surrender” is making the Phantom beg for He is demanding Christine to Christine by flattery, bribery, stop trying and let him be in and song. Slowly she is drawn control of her. into him, but then she realizes • Purge your thoughts of the life she is terrified of him and doesn’t you knew before” want to be with him. His voice and words had almost a hypnotic He tells her to forget her old life. affect to them. The Allusion Approach

• Science fiction and romantic music really do not go hand in hand, but Phantom of the Opera and Star Wars have similarities with their characters and actions. The Comparison “Music of the Night” In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker has to overcome obstacles Just like in the song “Music of that are innate to him. His the Night” when Christine father’s powerful draw to “the refuses to join the dark night force” is in him too, but he instead favoring the light. refuses to succumb to the dark Although for a moment or two side as his father did. she becomes fascinated with the Phantom. Luke may lose his temper at times to evil as they try to seduce him to join, but he does Both these opposite but slightly not give in. His evil father, similar characters push away the Darth Vader, tries to get Luke seducing powers of evil and dark. At some points they do become to join him is his quest for curious and forgetful of their power, but Luke refuses the morals, but in the end they evil side. Even though the always back away from the temptations are great, because temptation. of his father’s universal power, he remains good. The Musical Approach

The “Music of the The song uses Night” does not have a • Anapestic set rhythm. In the • Amphibrach • Iamb beginning it starts off • Trochee with the Phantom • Dactyl singing but he is not These are the most commonly rhyming instead it used in the song. There are sounds like in eloquent more though. The most speech. Later as the mood common meter is anapestic with an changes he begins to rhyme but imperfect foot. Diameter is the still with no pattern. Even dominant foot although other though it may be random it has patterns are present. words that flow together into a song. The Musical Approach Continued…

Key • Alliteration • Consonance “Music of the Night” • Assonance Floating, falling, Silently the senses sweet intoxication! I have brought you lived before . . . abandon their defenses . . . Touch me, trust me to the seat of sweet Softly, deftly, Slowly, gently savor each sensation! music’s throne . . . music shall surround you night unfurls its splendor Let the dream begin, to this kingdom Feel it, hear it, Grasp it, sense it - let your darker side give in to the where all must pay closing in around you . . . tremulous and tender . . . power of the music that I write - homage to music . . . Open up your mind, Turn your face away the power of the music of the night music . . . let your fantasies unwind, from the garish light of day, . . . You alone can make my song You have come here, in this darkness which turn your thoughts away take flight - for one purpose, you know you cannot fight from cold, unfeeling light - help me make the music of the and one alone . . . the darkness of the music and listen to night . Since the moment of the night . . . the music of the night Let your mind I first heard you sing, Close your eyes Sounds I have needed start a journey through a and surrender to your strange new world! you with me, darkest dreams! By using assonance, consonance, and to serve me, to sing, Leave all thoughts Purge your thoughts of the world alliterations the author grabs the for my music . . . of the life my music . . . you knew before! reader’s attention because of the you knew before! Let your soul Night-time sharpens, Close your eyes, repeated sounds. When someone reads heightens each Take you where you let your spirit long to be ! repeated sounds it almost sounds like sensation . . . start to soar Darkness stirs and Only then can you another form of rhyme, which catches wakes imagination And you’ll live as you’ve belong to me… never lived before the readers attention and keeps them interested. My Life The Song • “Close your eyes, • Peer Pressure is a common let your spirit problem for all teens and I start to soar! have been a victim of peer And you'll live pressure. as you've never lived before” • I have lost friends because of senseless rumors, that people • “Let the dream begin, have twisted to make it seem let your darker side give in” real. • Some friends have even tried • “Darkness stirs and to pressure me into something wakes imagination” wrong or cruel by using • “Let your soul simple words and pleas that take you where you long to make it sound okay to do. be” This song is all about persuading and pressuring. The English Teacher Approach

Silently the senses lived before . . . Floating, falling, I have brought you sweet intoxication! to the seat of sweet abandon their defenses . . . Softly, deftly, Slowly, gently music shall surround you Touch me, trust me music’s throne . . . savor each sensation! to this kingdom night unfurls its splendor Feel it, hear it, Grasp it, sense it - closing in around you . . . Let the dream begin, where all must pay let your darker side homage to music . . . tremulous and tender . . . Open up your mind, Turn your face away let your fantasies unwind, give in to the power music . . . of the music that I You have come here, from the garish light of day, in this darkness which turn your thoughts away you know you cannot fight write the power of for one purpose, the music of the night and one alone . . . from cold, unfeeling light - the darkness of the music and listen to of the night ...... You alone can Since the moment the music of the night Let your mind make my song take I first heard you sing, flight - I have needed Close your eyes start a journey through a and surrender to your strange new world! help me make the you with me, music of the night . to serve me, to sing, darkest dreams! Leave all thoughts for my music . . . Purge your thoughts of the world my music . . . of the life you knew before! Night-time sharpens, you knew before! Let your soul Close your eyes, Take you where you heightens each Figurative Language Key let your spirit long to be ! sensation . . . • Personification start to soar! And you'll live Only then can you Darkness stirs and • Anaphora as you've never belong to me… wakes imagination • Simile • Parallelism The purpose for the figurative language is not only to get the reader’s attention but it adds more emotion and life to the poem. When it says “one purpose… one alone” it is emphasizing the words. The figurative language opens up the imagination and puts images and feelings in to the readers mind’s because of its vivid use. The language puts the reader into the poem and feels pressured and trapped also. The Significant Event Approach

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Past Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the play “The Phantom of the Opera,” which is where the song “Music of the Night” comes from.

• Webber wrote the musical after his first divorce and second marriage in 1986. In fact, he cast his second wife, Sarah Brightman, as Christine the main character. • Unexpectedly, Webber told the world in one announcement that he would divorce Hugill and marry Sarah Brightman in 1983. Journalists have reported that he had been cheating on his first wife for Brightman. • Many cynics believe he married his second wife for show and to hide his theatrical driven goals, and Brightman used Webber for the money and to further her acting career. Also it was said she had begged him for awhile to divorce his first wife and be with her. Allegedly it was reported that after her fame came Sarah had many open affairs. As a result in 1990 Webber got his second divorce. Significant Event Approach

nd 1st Wife Continued… 2 Wife Connection to the Song

During the “Music of the Night” the Phantom is trying to persuade Christine to leave her beloved light of day and her childhood friend, who is the man she loves, and join him in his lair underground. This song could be a a slight imitation of Webber’s past experiences with love and life.

It is no doubt though that his emotions and thoughts played a part in the plays he wrote. For instance, the “Phantom of the Opera” had lots of emotion and context, which he gained from personal experience and the voice of others.

3rd Wife and Webber The Art History Approach

Imagery The Affect “Seat of sweet This is where the song begins and this imagery gives off music's throne to this kingdom” a majestic, warm feel.

“Night-time sharpens, The song now begins to pull the reader into the night by heightens each sensation” saying it heightens your senses. “Darkness stirs and The song is doing the same thing as before except it is wakes imagination” talking about waking the imagination. “The garish light of day” This line is trying to get the reader to turn their back on light because garish means tasteless or gaudy. Also garish is not a nice, happy sounding word, regardless if the reader knows the meaning or not. “Floating, falling” Even though it is only two words it gives off the feeling of relaxation talking about the feelings of darkness. “Night unfurls its splendor” This means the night is opening up and showing its magnificence and that it is more than darkness. “Cold, unfeeling light” In this line the song is back to bashing and ruining light’s reputation with unwanted, mean connotations. “Closing in around you” The song slowly has slowly been persuading throughout the song and now the reader feels trapped as though he or she has no other choice. The Structural Approach

Explanation Example

There is only one shift in the “You have come here, “Music of the Night.” It is near for one purpose, and one alone . . . the beginning where the Since the moment Phantom is telling Christine I first heard you sing, why and where she is. I have needed you with me, At this point she is not scared to serve me, to sing, but curious of the place and of for my music . . . the phantom. Then all of a my music . . .” (changing mood) SHIFT sudden, he begins with a “Night-time sharpens, change in mood as he tries to heightens each sensation . . . get her to join the darkness and Darkness stirs and wakes imagination . . . becomes scary and maniacal as Silently the senses he sings to her. Therefore, she abandon their defenses . . . is now frightened of the Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor . . . Phantom. Grasp it, sense it”