If you are fond of masquerades, you must have come across the infamous mask from the classic Phantom of The Opera. An acclaimed book, musical and film, the very theme has grown to be a highly appreciated work of art and beauty. And the Phantom’s mask has become an icon of its kind.
The Phantom’s mask is both a reminder of the classic romantic mystery and a symbolic representation of the sadness depicted through the character of Erik, the phantom himself. Having always been depicted as a scarred and ugly face, the otherwise extremely talented Erik had to put on a mask to hide from the world as well as from the love of his life. Apparently, the society recognized his lack of external beauty over his beautiful talents in music and architecture. And this eventually, made him declare himself as the ghost who haunted the Paris Opera.
If seen from a different perspective, the phantom had to wear a mask not to hide his ugliness but for the society that couldn’t take any reality that is far from its dreamy standards of perfection.
The deep symbolism and the beautiful storyline make the Phantom’s mask a wise choice to sport at a masquerade. Unlike ordinary masks meant for such events, this mask and its variants are designed to only cover the right half of the face. Though the mask was originally a plain one, you can find multiple prints, ornaments and colors in the modern versions.
