I know it seems to be a flaming head of some sort, in the cellar, but does anyone know exactly what it is? How it came to be? It is the only character in the book that truly leaves me lost.
2007-12-14 16:09:09 · 5 answers · asked by Allison H 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
The ratcatcher that Raoul and The Persian encountered in the cellars of the Opera was just that---a professional ratcatcher, a permanent employee of the Opera House, whose job it was to patrol the Opera House and its cellars and catch and kill the rats which infested the place. He carried a lantern high, close to, but shielded from, his face, to reveal but not startle the rats. A long-time employee who worked best in the dark, he lured rats to the killing places and traps, hence his somewhat creepy appearence and his scuttling, squeaking entourage.
2007-12-14 18:28:30 · answer #1 · answered by Palmerpath 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There were a lot of ratcatchers back then and in one version of the Phantom of the Opera, the one with Claude Rains I believe, he actually paid the ratcatchers to keep the rats away. The only reason Raoul and the Persian saw a flaming head was because he held a lantern up so the rats would follow him, they were kind of hypnotized by the light and thats how he led them to wherever he could catch them...a pit of somesort i'm guessing.
PS- I'm a huge PHAN too :D
2007-12-15 10:04:51 · answer #2 · answered by angelofmusic13 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ratcatchers used to go around and catch rats.
Kind of like an exterminater today.
2007-12-15 00:14:34 · answer #3 · answered by Gabby 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the one who catches rats..
hahaha... joke..
2007-12-15 00:32:18 · answer #4 · answered by katecroft 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"phan" is spelled f-a-n.
2007-12-15 00:57:37 · answer #5 · answered by YahooAnswers 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋