Phantom of the Opera: Father-Daughter Incest, Trauma, and Recovery.

I offer a psychoanalytic interpretation of The Phantom of the Opera as an allegory of father-daughter incest and psychological recovery. Christine Daaé's journey illustrates the internal dynamics of trauma-denial, dissociation, and identification with the abuser-while her final confrontation with the Phantom symbolizes the reclamation of agency and selfhood. Drawing on symbolic actions such as unmasking and descent into the unconscious, the analysis explores how narrative, performance, and relational support can reflect the nonlinear process of healing. Ultimately, Christine's transformation from victim to survivor reveals the potential for integration and autonomy through insight, confrontation, and emotional truth.