How successfully has Carter reimagined a traditional story and increased its appeal to the Modern Audience.

Carter’s version of her fairy-tale is reimagined from the original fairy-tale, as it is untraditional in the sense that experiences within are ‘overt’ – as they explore the dominance/ sexuality of life. This is shown within ‘The Company of Wolves’ as Carter explores the idea that one can benefit from control/ dominance of those around them – as the Girl is said to ‘prosper’ from the murder of her Grandmother. However, this in the sense of the traditional fairy-tale is not necessarily imagined, as it could be suggested to be now created in a more ‘overt’ sense – but that the morals of the tale simply remain the same, as the Girl within ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ too, although not shown, would prosper from leading the Wolf, although not meaning to, to her Grandmother’s House.

Furthermore, Carter too shows that her tale is simply there to make the ideas portrayed with the original fairy-tale more ‘overt’ – as the Gothic is similar, as the young Girl must still contribute, despite now not meaning to, to her Grandmother’s death. Both tales create the sense of the isolation of life, and the idea that one must care for themselves from a young age – which therefore employs the Gothic element of the duality of life, as they young Girl is just that, but yet she must fend for herself. Therefore, the Girl would inherently have two personalities – but cannot show this within ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, meaning that Carter attempts to show this in a more ‘overt’, but not different, way within her enhanced tale.

Within the context of Feminism, Carter does not truly again change the tale to fit into second-wave Feminism, as she, unlike Caroline Duffy in ‘Little Red Cap’, only allows the Girl to partly seduce the Wolf – which means that her tale is not truly differed to fit with the ideas of the period – meaning therefore it cannot truly be ‘modernised’. It is Duffy that truly could be sit to ‘modernise’ the original fairy-tale of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ as she shows the idea that the Woman is inherently powerful – as first of all the Girl in her tale is suggested to sleep with the Wolf, and then to take an ‘axe to the Wolf’ – which shows the all controlling power of the Woman, which links more to second-wave Feminism during the period than Carter’s attempt to show partial power does.

Overall, although Carter partially ‘modernises’ the original fairy-tale, she does not fully create the ‘modern’ fairy-tale, as within the context of the period it does not link to idea’s on Feminism that it should do if completely ‘modern’ – whilst too not being able to fully change the Gothic elements within the original, as Carter simply makes existing ideas ‘overt’, which therefore may be in a sense her ‘modernising’ the text as she attempts to show the fact that the original elements in a fairy-tale used to warn Children of dangers are furthering becoming prominent as time progresses.

'In original Gothic, Women were often presented as trembling victims pursued by predatory Males.' How far is this true of the first narrative in Angela Carter's collection, 'The Bloody Chamber'?

Women, within early Gothic texts, were often portrayed as ‘trembling victims’; this is shown within the Character of Isabella within ‘the Castle of Otranto’, and furthered into later Gothic texts, such as Madeline in ‘the Fall of the House of Usher’. Despite this, Carter does not attempt to express the Character of either the Girl, or her Mother, in ‘the Bloody Chamber’ as a ‘trembling victim’; as both characters express traits of ‘power’ as well acceptance within the first of the short stories in her collection. Simultaneously, Carter may be expressing the Men within her short story as ‘predatory’, as the Marquis seems to prey on the societal view of female weakness as he murders his Wives, whilst Jean-Yves may be seen to exploit  the Girl when she is in her time of need – by doing this Carter may be attempting to present the relationship between Men and Women to the Reader, as from a Feminist perspective although Men appear different from the exterior, they are all ‘predatory’ in a sense when looked at in depth. Carter’s purpose of showing her Female characters as victims, despite not in an overt sense, may be an attempt to explore boundaries from her ‘modern feminist’ perspective – as she attempts to portray Women as stronger than the stock character presented in early Gothic fiction.

Carter shows the Girl within her first short story, ‘the Bloody Chamber’, as a ‘trembling victim’ in the sense that she is shown to be frightful of being left alone with the Marquis from the outset. This is suggested through the lines ‘unguessable country of marriage’, and ‘ceased to be her child in becoming his Wife’; this creates a sense of self-pity from the character as it presents her as ‘isolated’ from all she knows by becoming the Marquis wife. Carter may show her Female characters to be ‘trembling victims’ in this sense as, in the view of Wisker, she is renowned for challenging ‘gendered constructions and representations of power’; by showing the Girl as a ‘trembling victim’ Carter is in essence attempting to portray her Female stereotype as confined by social structures that are seemingly unnoticeable unless made overt through the form of literature.

Furthermore, the Girl is shown to be the ‘trembling victim’ within this first narrative of Carter’s collection as she says she is ‘forced to mimic surprise’ – this shows she is, in a sense, the victim of the patriarchal society in which she lives. It is shown that the Girl is forced to keep her place in Society, as was believed when Carter was writing the collection, as Feminism was developing ideas of how Women were portrayed in society through new forms of literature etc. that attempt to show Women as wrongfully portrayed. This point is confirmed by Carter that ‘characters become symbols’ within Gothic literature, as she may attempt to make the Girl be shown as a the binary opposite to the ‘liberated’ Woman – which may be an attempt to provoke the Female Reader as the Girl is shown to do the Man’s bidding, once this is made overt within the text Carter may expect a reaction that goes against this ideology of a patriarchal society being ‘all controlling’.

It is too shown within ‘the Bloody Chamber’ that Carter presents her Women as ‘trembling victims’ as the Marquis dead Wives are described as a ‘gallery of beautiful women” – this shows the way in which Women are objectified in the eyes of the Marquis. They may be described as a ‘gallery’ in order to show the extent of the patriarchal society in which Carter believes she lives, as the Castle is exhibited as ‘his world’, and that the Marquis is the Girl’s ‘purchaser’. It further shows the self-pity that the Girl feels, as she believes she cannot escape the Marquis ‘gallery’, or ‘world’, suggesting the Girl is deemed as helpless as she never seems to attempt to escape the Male dominated society. It is suggested by Atwood that Carter, by attempting to portray the ‘passivity’ of Women overtly, attempts to show the way in which Women must show a sense of ‘tigerishness’ in order to gain a certain amount of power within society/ life. This may be why Carter places this short story at the forefront of her collection, in an attempt to show the nature in which Women are portrayed as ‘trembling victims’ within literature in an overt way; in an attempt to show to the Reader the extent that Women are marginalised within society.

It is too suggested that the Women are shown to be ‘trembling victims’ as the Men within the text are portrayed as ‘predatory’. This is shown as the marquis conforms to the archetypal Man within Gothic fiction, as he is described as ‘leonine’, this may be symbolic of the ‘predatory’ nature that all Men have – as to create animalistic symbols suggests that, although the Women within Carters first narrative are ‘trembling victims’, they have due reason to be so as they are dominated by their Male counterparts. It is suggested by Carter that she may present her Men in this way in order to ‘provoke unease’, this is for differing reasons to the original gothic, as Dracula was used to provoke fright in an ostentatious/ unnatural way, Carter creates idea’s within her text that, although test boundaries of Gothic, create this sense of fear as they do link to inherent Human desires.

However, within ‘the Bloody Chamber’ the Mother, in contrast to her Daughter in many respects, is described as ‘indomitable’.  Carter may be attempting to challenge views on patriarchy within this suggestion, as she presents a need for Women to be ‘powerful’ within life, as she shows the Mother as a key figure through her ability to save her Daughter’s life whilst Men, such as Jean-Yves, cannot. As Carter appears to present the first tale in her collection as one of age, as it conforms to original gothic stereotypes such as the Marquis Castle, it could be proposed that the idea is to show Women as inherently strong – but confined by ideologies that have always existed, as it is suggested by Wisker that as Carter is a ‘contemporary writer’, it is her duty to ‘critique the contemporary world’.

Carter too attempts to reference her Character’s as strong, this is shown through the link created to Catherine de Medici within the short-story, this links to the idea of all tales being adaptations to the past – as Catherine de Medici is viewed as the epitome of Feminism in the sense she battled patriarchal society in order to become the Queen of France. This may create the suggestion that Carter is attempting to show her Characters as inherently strong, but that they have simply been controlled through time to believe that they have no ‘power’ – meaning that Carter attempts to link her Characters to strength through covert means; for example she uses a lack of emotional language, like ‘he kissed me and left me and died’. This suggests that all Women within original Gothic literature are truly ‘strong’, but are portrayed as the ‘trembling victim’ in order to keep up the idea of Male dominance – despite this not being the reality of life.

The statement presented may too be suggested to be untrue as the Men within ‘the Bloody Chamber’ could be viewed to be presented as not ‘predatory’. This is shown through the character of Jean-Yves, as he is blind he cannot truly control the Girl, this is shown through the line ‘lover kissed me’ – suggesting that unlike the Girl and the Marquis relationship they are on equal terms, as the Girl finds Jean-Yves as somebody who ‘loves’ her. This links to the idea of ‘the Male Gaze’; as without Jean-Yves’ look she cannot be controlled by him, meaning that they must be on equal terms. By making Jean-Yves blind, Carter subverts the gaze, as she wishes the Man to be the one who is dominated, as although he cannot see the Girl, the Girl can see him for what he is; which means that instead of being a victim, like original Gothic literature would have made her, the Girl is even if only for part of ‘the Bloody Chamber’ viewed as ‘powerful’.

Overall, within the first narrative of Carter’s collection, she does attempt to show the Marquis as ‘predatory’; but simultaneously she attempts to show her Female characters as ‘strong’, as by creating the character of Jean Yves it subverts ‘power’ to the Girl. This is uncommon within original Gothic texts, as the Female is usually portrayed as a melodramatic character that has no ‘power’ within the text – therefore Carter may be attempting to suggest the changing of Feminism throughout time, as she believes that this is the time for Women to show themselves as more dominant within society.  

'The Lady of the House of Love' - Presentation of the Male Character & Interpretations.

Pages 111 - 112 - How is the Young Man presented?

The Young Man is described by Carter as the 'hero' within the text - he is not the natural 'hero' that is described within stereotypical Fairy-Tales, but a figure that represents both a 'hero', as well as a 'natural man'. This is through the Man's ability to be described as 'rational' whilst simultaneously having the 'special quality of virginity' - which symbolises the Man's ability to not fear the supernatural, as he cannot fear what he does not understand.


Page 111 - 112 - What is the significance of the Bicycle?

The Bicycle is a symbol of the Man's rationality, as within 'the Lady of the House of Love' the Man refuses to give the Bicycle to the Governess - which symbolises the Man's inherent belief in 'rational' idea's and his inability to view the 'irrational' as the 'norm'. Carter may be attempting to express the Feminist View whereby Man is, through Social Constructs, unable to perceive the 'irrational' within a Woman as a natural idea - which links to the idea of the 'liberated' Woman forever being dominated by Societal Ideologies, as the Countess, no matter how hard she may try to win over the Man, will never be able to live in coexistence. This is not due to the 'Vampyric' nature of the Woman, but because of Man's inability to accept 'boundaries' within Society as 'norms' - as these views are not in Man's eyes 'rational'.


Page 113 - What might be the significance if 'he gratefully washed his feet and hands' in the village fountain?

The act of washing within the village fountain may symbolise the cleansing of the Human soul in order to be rid of 'imperfections' - as the Man may be cleansing his soul in order to rid himself of the sin of killing within the War. The act of cleansing may too symbolise the idea of Jesus with Holy Water in order to cleanse himself, as Jesus acts as a saviour, the Man may to be a saviour to the Countess as he attempts to cleanse her of her Socially created impurities - through allowing the Countess to die the Man is in essence her saviour as she can live free of stereotypes. However, from a Feminist perspective this may too show Man to be the 'destroyer' of all Woman - as in order to let her live freely he must kill her, which may symbolise the death of a Woman as she becomes involved with a Man as he destroyers her true self in order for her to be accepted within Society through the form of Marriage etc.


Page 114 - 'curiouser and curiouser' - What does this suggest about the Young Man? What Character/s are you reminded of?

This line is used to suggest the idea that due to the Countess the Man is beginning to let go of his 'rational' idea's as he embraces the 'irrational' - it is reminiscent of the Woman within 'the Bloody Chamber' as she begins to search for the Count's secrets she too lets go of her 'rational' idea's, it is the belief in the 'irrational' that leads to the Character's being able to discover the truth - showing that the 'irrational' should be accepted in order to realise the truth of Society etc.


Page 116 - The Crone is described as bringing the Young Man to 'Juliet's Tomb'. What is the significance of the intertextual reference?

This, despite connoting love/ passion between the Man & the Countess through the reference of 'Romeo & Juliet' - too symbolises the sense of 'forbidden love' that the Character's must feel, as they are from two separate Societies/ World's (the 'rational' & 'irrational'). It is, however, because of the Man that they cannot be together as the Countess attempts to be 'perfect' - so is therefore not Human, it is the Stereotype's made by Men that cause Women to strive for the idea of 'perfection'.


Page 117- 'What a grisly picture of a capering skeleton! He covered it up with a happier one - of two young lovers, smiling at one another...'
How is the Young Man presented her? What might Carter's purposes be?

At this point, Carter may be attempting to show the Young Man as naïve, as he is uncomfortable with the thought of death; despite this concept being an integral part of Human existence. It may therefore be an attempt by Carter to switch Gender Roles within Society, whilst presenting these new idea's as the 'norm' - this is because it is the Soldier who would usually connote death due to his profession, whereas it is the Countess who is frequently associated with the thought of death. Moreover, by the Young Man removing the painting of the skeleton from the Wall, he is actually refusing to accept the Countess (as she is the embodiment of all the Painting stands for) therefore further showing that they can never truly be together due to social 'norms' that are only accepted by the 'simple minded'.

Page 119 - 'Can a bird sing only the song it knows, or can it learn a new song?'
                  'One kiss, however, and only one, woke up the Sleeping Beauty'
Carter makes significant use of repetition within this Story. Why might this be? What is the significance of the examples above, both of which are repeated in the course of the Narrative?

Carter may be attempting, through the repetition of lines, to drive an ideology further into the Reader. The line whereby the Countess asks whether a Bird is confined to one song throughout its life, could be symbolic of whether or not the Countess is confined to the life that she does not wish to possess for the rest of her days, that is, the life of a Vampire. As Carter uses the Bird to symbolise the Countess it could create the question of freedom - as the Bird is truly free to be as it wishes, whilst still being confined to constructs that do not allow it to deviate from its purpose within its life. Therefore, Carter may showing the extent to which Women, amongst other things, are objectified within Society; as like the Bird the Countess will never truly be free, due to the superstructure that keeps all in place.
Carter, however, uses the reference of 'Sleeping Beauty' in order to create the suggestion that the Reader should feel sympathy for the Countess, as she, like 'Sleeping Beauty', is isolated in a World given to her. Despite this, the Reader still feels anger towards the Countess, as she is still the murderous villain within the Story - but through the comparison to 'Sleeping Beauty', Carter offers the Reader a chance to challenge their own notions of right/ wrong, which may be an attempt by Carter to blur the boundaries of her Tales in time for the 'transformation' Tales that come at the end of the Narrative Collection.

Page 123 - 'And so he puts his hand to the wound. He will kiss it better for her, as her Mother, had she lived, would have done'.
What is the significance of this quotation?

This is the reversal of Gender Roles within the Tale, as the stereotypical belief is that the Mother cares for Daughter; whereas here it is the Young Man caring for an ailed Vampire - through caring for her he too shows his acceptance of her 'irrational' thought, as he does not wish to harm her, but save her from the curse that her lineage had bestowed upon her. It may be symbolic of Man's eventual acceptance of the 'irrational' if boundaries are blurred that show it to be the 'rational'; from a Feminist perspective it may be an attempt to show the 'simplistic' nature of Man as the character that accepts without thought to consequence/ reason - whilst too showing the most naïve, whilst bravest, of Character's (the Soldier) can accept new ideologies, which bears the question why the rest of Man cannot too accept the figure of the 'liberated' Woman.

Page 125 - 'When he returned from the mess that evening, the heavy fragrance of Count Nosferatu's Roses drifted down the stone corridor of the barracks to greet him, and his Spartan quarters brimmed with the reeling of odour of a glowing, velvet, monstrous flowers whose petals had regained all their former bloom and ecstasy, their corrupt, brilliant, baleful splendour. Next day, his regiment embarked for France.'
How might we interpret this ending?

The ending may be interpreted as a juxtaposition to the 'traditional' Fairy-Tale ending, as it is shown to be a Narrative that connotes death/ sadness instead of the happiness that usually greets the Reader at the end of the Fairy-Tale. Carter exposes this idea through the fact that the Flower comes to life within the Night - as it regains all its Petals in their 'corrupt splendour' as Night falls. It is therefore suggested by Carter that the Role of the Countess will never change due to Social Constructs that make her as she is, just as the Flower blooms, the Countess must be a Vampire.
Carter further attempts to suggest that the ideas of Society are a 'never-ending curse' as the Soldier, despite his naïve/ timid nature, must go off to fight in France the following day - which in essence shows both the Young Man & the Countess as 'victims'; as the Countess is killed by the Soldier as he attempts the save her, the Soldier must then go to fight, and die, for his Nation as patriarchy has forced him into the notion that as he is the Man he must be the 'valiant hero', whereas it would be the Countess that exhibits the strength to be the Character that fights/ kills - which may therefore be Carter suggesting the flaw in Gender Roles that dominate societies views.

The Tiger's Bride- A3 Questions.

Who has the Power in this Text and who is Disempowered? What is the Source of Power within the Text?
It is the Beast who controls the Power within this Text, as he can do with as he wishes with his newly acquired 'possession'. This is due to the Beast's Stereotype being one of Fear/ Dread as he is portrayed as more Powerful than a Woman, as the Source of Power within this Text could be believed to be Self-Realisation, as the Beast knows that a Beast is exactly what he is- whereas it is not until the Final Paragraph where Beauty transforms into a Tigress therefore exposing her true self. As until this Stage Beauty is alienated, as the Automaton allows Beauty to view herself as inferior to what she should be- as the Automaton is there to symbolise the idea that as Society constantly develops it is hard to keep up with the continuous improvement, meaning as Beauty becomes a Tigress it is the Self-Realisation of Beauty that makes her content with being as she truly is, as she peels back the layers that Society has uncontrollably placed upon her.





How far does the Text present a struggle for Power between different Social Classes?
The Text portrays the fact that it is hard to become something that you may not be, this may be due to the Superstructure of Society that does not allow movement between the Classes- as the Lower Classes are Disempowered to the extent they have no option but to risk all in order to gain what they desire, which is most cases is Wealth. This is shown through Beauty's Opening Line of " MY FATHER LOST me to The Beast at cards"- as the only way in which the Proletariat can become the Bourgeoisie is through blind-luck, as the idea of Economic Determinism is simply an idealist view of the Lower Classes.





To what extent are the choices Character's make in the Text 'free' or 'determined'?
It could be suggested from a Marxist perspective that all actions that Character's take within 'The Tiger's Bride' are pre-determined by the Society in which they are part of. As the Father of Beauty is disempowered within Society to the extent he must risk all to become a Man which he is not, this means that despite the fact it is Beauty's Father's free will to Gamble his Money away- it is Society that makes him choose this this option as if he does not then he can never give the Life to his Daughter that she deserves- meaning that if he cannot give her this Life himself then she is better off without him.



In what ways do Character's in the Text seem to be locked into Social Roles - and does the Text Question the fairness of this?
In this Text all Character's do seem to be locked into a Social Role that has been created for them by Society, as the Beast is a Beast in Society's View. The fact that the Character's are locked into these Role's is portrayed through the fact that Beauty's Father must Win his Wealth instead of Earn it, as it is impossible for each Character to develop within Society- as there is the Superstructure within Society that means it is impossible for anybody to move past their Class. The Character's are too shown to be forced into their Social Role's through the fact that Beauty cannot change until she is taken away from the Materialistic Society in which she lives and moved into the Beast's Castle, as it is easier here for the Beast to show Beauty how she is controlled by the Society in which she Lives- until the Stage whereby she is able to transform into her Natural Self as a Tigress, meaning that until a Person is taken away from their Position in Society they are unable to see the way in which they are controlled into decisions by the Structure of Society.





How are different Social Classes presented in the Text - and why?
Different Social Classes are presented differently within the Text- as the Beast although a Higher Social Class is shown to be less obsessed with Materialistic Views of the Lower Classes in Society. This may be Carter attempting to represent the idea that the struggle that the Lower Classes go through in order to reach the heights of Society is in a sense a waste of time- as the Materialism that a Person seeks is not all to Life, as those who have the Power to own whatever they want soon find that what they have is tedious so therefore attempt to find more and more as Society must constantly improve. This is shown through the Automaton, as this symbolises the fact that Society must constantly develop in order to satisfy the needs of those who control it- but that those such as the Beast that are at the height of Society understand that once you are in the position of Power it is not necessarily over, as there is like Society always a continuous improvement to be made.





To what extent is one Social Class exploited by another, resulting in alienation?
It is shown within 'The Tiger's Bride' that the Proletariat are in many senses exploited by the Bourgeoisie as they are made to believe that the higher you are in the Social Structure the better your Life will become- which means that those Lower Classes will work harder in order to get where they want to be, despite the Base of Society making it impossible for the Structure to truly change. This results in alienation as it makes the Lower Classes feel left out of the Society they want to be in, as hard work seems to get People nowhere- therefore it in a sense creates two alternate Societies whereby there is a constant struggle to get into the higher class, as it is perceived as a better Life for those in it.





To what extent are Character's reified?
Within 'The Tiger's Bride' Characters are treated as if they are 'possessions' as Beauty can be Won/ Lost at Cards like Wealth- suggesting that every Person has a value to someone that can be exchanged for Money etc. It is suggested that Character's are reified in order to show the extent to which Materialism plays a Role in Society as in order to succeed it is viewed that risks need to be taken- but that the risks taken outweigh the rewards, but Beauty's Father cannot see this as he is blinded by Society and his overwhelming ambition to move up in an unwinnable Social Structure.

Fairy-Tales And The Existential Predicament- Bruno Bettelheim 1977- Questions-

1. How might Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of Fairy-Tales?

Bettelheim's understanding/ idea's surrounding Fairy-Tales suggest that they are used in order to give further understanding to a Child's Life, as "a Child needs to understand what is going on within his conscious self so that he can also cope with that which goes on in his conscious".
This suggests that Bettelheim's Theory is that if a Child wants to understand the inherent fears/ desires with Life, they must see how to act upon these circumstances. It is Bettelheim's belief that a Fairy-Tale offers an original view point that can allow the growth of a Child, to the extent they are able to further understand the way in which Life can create situations beyond the control of any Human.
Therefore, this allows the suggestion to be created that to be kept from Society will in fact cause naivety for any Child- as it is better for any Child to be shown the danger's of Reality through the Fairy-Tale, than for said Child to live without any true knowledge to how the World works- to the extent that they are forever isolated from the truth of Reality/ Society.
Bettelheim to attempts to show how the triumph of Good over Evil is too a fundamental part of Society, as the Fairy-Tale is too there to show how the victory of the Protagonist over any Evil force outweighs any feelings that a Person may get as the 'Bad Guy' within Life.
It is Bettelheim's belief that as a Parent to in a sense attempt to protect a Child from the truth's of the World at a young age will in fact have an adverse effect on the growth of the Child- as if a Child is unable to see how Cinderella can 'rise above' her Step-Sisters in order to seek a better Life for herself then a Child may become, in a sense, without the boundaries of Right/ Wrong within their Life. This is because if a Child is unable to see at a young age how the triumph of Good over Evil is not without its hardships- but it is these hardships that mould the Person they will become- then said Child will attempt to glide through Life under the assumption that Good is natural- whereas in Reality it has to be worked at, as "Real Life is not all sunny".

2. How do Bettelheim's idea's help us to understand the purpose of the Gothic?

Bettelheim's idea's regarding Fairy-Tales allow the Gothic to be explored, as Bettelheim suggest that the darker side of Life needs to be explored in order to raise a Child in the correct way. This is shown as Rapunzel is locked in a Tower due to her Father's defiance of the law, meaning that for a Child to grow they will need to understand how Life is unfair in many situations- but it is how these situations are dealt with that defines the Character of a Person- as the more malevolent aspects of Life must be portrayed in order to provide an understanding to a Child, despite the opinion that suggests Violence in any form should not be shown to Children as Parents want them to believe that "all Men are good".
This links to the idea of the Gothic Genre as, like Bettelheim, the Gothic attempts to explore the duality of Life- as not all Men are Good, but that the battle of Good vs. Evil must be shown in order for the more Evil side of Human nature to be expressed within a text.

3. Why do you think Angela Carter mixes the Fairy-Tale and Gothic Genres in 'The Bloody Chamber'?

This allow Carter to employ the overt and the covert within her texts- as the Fairy-Tale brings out what is seen on the surface of the text, as something that is not harmful/ has no singular deeper meaning but through employing the Gothic Carter is able to show sinister meanings within a Fairy-Tale that may not been seen if not placed in more overt Gothic situation.
This is shown through the Simulacra in 'The Tiger's Bride'- as it allows the child-like idea of a mimic to be brought into the Fairy-Tale, whilst simultaneously creating a deeper meaning that every Man/ Woman is simply a copy of the stereotype they are perceived to be- as the Simulacra is a symbol for the materialistic Society that is never content, so therefore must continuously develop until they become something they are not.

Overall Analysis of The Courtship of Mr Lyon and The Tiger's Bride, Angela Carter and the Gothic for the AQA A2 Lit B Exam.

Task One-


Perpetuate- To make something indefinite.


Who is Freud- Australian Neurologist/ Later became Founder of Psychoanalysis.


What is a 'Reflexive Narrator'- A Narrator that retells a Story that happened to themselves in the Past.

Polarity- The State of continuously having Two Opposing/ Contradictory Opinions.


Oedipus Complex- Important Point in Sexual Development- the Point at which a Boy feels a Desire for his Mother as a replacement to his Father.
Defloration- The taking of a Woman's Virginity.


Voyeurism- The Pleasure/ Gratification a Person gets through Viewing another's Sexual Acts.






Task Two- Key Sentences-


1. The Patriarchal System makes Women conform, through differing means, to their Stereotype.




2. Carter is shown to renounce the Idea that Women are One-Dimensional- that they must be their Stereotype- she does this through the exploration of a Woman's Primitive Desire's e.g. Sexual Desire.




3. The Idea of Gender Identity are that a Male is a intellectual/ whereas a Female is irrational- Carter attempts to prove this Ideology to have simply been created through Stereotype- as through the Transformations within 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' and 'The Tiger's Bride'- it is suggested that their 'New Selves'/ 'Original Selves' are in fact Constructs of Society.




4. The Idea of Deconstruction within this Collection of Short-Stories- links to the suggestion that everyone is built, like the Automaton, to move with Society around them, therefore allowing Carter to link to Marxism as it is as if the Society creates the Person, instead of the Person creating the Society.




5. Carter's Intertextuality develops meaning to her Text- as through Heightened Intertextuality it becomes apparent that all Fairy-Tales are constructs of the Masculine Ideology- therefore furthering Carter's attempt to rid Ideologies out of Literature- through exposing their Irrational Nature.



1. Conformity.



2. Complexity.



3. Ridiculous Ideologies.



4. Deconstruction shows Truth.



5. Intertextuality furthers Feminist Practice.




Key Phrase/ Idea- People are Created, not Born.


100 Word Summary-


This Extract suggests that there are many differing Gender Stereotypes that are conformed to within Fairy-Tales, as Carter attempts to show within ‘The Bloody Chamber’ that not all of the Gender Stereotypes are true- but instead products of the Society in which they were created. As Carter attempts show the truth behind the Fairy-Tale’ s nature these views in order to portray new idea’s she explores multiple boundaries linking to Gender Identity that come up within Fairy-Tale’s- e.g. Physical Transformation, Femininity/ Masculinity, Destruction/ Construction, Mirroring (Simulacra), Sexual Dominance, Patriarchal Society, Language etc. In order to portray the extent to which "Parameters of Domination and Obedience" are actually used/ hidden within the average Fairy Tale.

The Tiger's Bride- Task 3.

1. What are 'the devil's picture books'?
The 'Devil's Picture Book's' are shown to be 'Playing Card's' within 'The Tiger's Bride'- as it is suggested that The Narrator's Father is consumed by the act of gambling, having his and his Daughter's lives taken away by addiction- therefore it is suggested that the 'Playing Card's' used by the Father of Beauty are made by the devil, as nothing could be crueller within her life.

2. What type of language is Carter using when The Narrator calls The Beast 'Milord'?
The language used by Carter when The Narrator calls The Beast 'Milord' suggests a sense of condescension/ sarcasm- as The Narrator is seemingly mocking the suggestion that her ownership can simply be moved for her Father to an unknown Beast. It too suggests that The Narrator is being portrayed by Carter as contempt within the Short-Story due to her Father's actions becoming so well-known to The Narrator that the only way she can get through is by portraying everything as 'below her'- as she becomes increasingly disillusioned with her Father's action's she treats everything as it is not worthy of her presence.

3. When The Beast gives the Girl a White Rose. What do White Roses symbolise in this collection and why are they used more than once (also in 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon')?
Carter's continuous use of the symbol the Rose is used to represent the ideological Woman- the use of the White Rose within 'The Tiger's Bride' and 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' represents the idea that the ideological Woman can blossom in the harshest of weather- and that irrespective of the situation The Narrator/ Beauty must remain this perfect vision of Womanhood- as she is objectified as a White Rose.

4. What might be significant of the verb choice 'fleeced'?
The use of the verb 'fleeced' is suggestive that The Narrator is in a Man's view a helpless animal- as she is shown to be symbolised as a lamb- and that to stay with the Beast she is conforming to the idea that she will be slaughtered due to his overwhelming force/ power. Therefore, Carter's use of the line 'Lion lies down with the Lamb'- backs up this concept- as it is viewed that for The Narrator to stay with the Beast would mean that she- like the proverbial 'Lamb'- would too be dominated for a certain purpose- as the 'Lamb' is 'fleeced'- The Narrator is sexually exploited and killed by the Beast.

5. Which Fairy-Tale does 'gobble you up' come from and why is it referred to?
Carter's use of intertextuality here is from the Fairy-Tale 'Little Red Riding Hood'- it is used to suggest that Beauty is mislead within the Short-Story- as she relies on her Father's actions but is continuously 'let down'. Within 'Little Red Riding Hood' it is the Girl's Mother who allows her to visit her Grandma despite clear danger within the Forest- Carter attempts to show that The Narrator's Father here mirrors The Mother within this Fairy-Tale. Furthermore, the use of 'gobble you up' connotes the idea that the Beast will harm The Narrator- linking to the fear that The Narrator must feel within 'The Tiger's Bride'- as she is truly scared that the Beast will murder her due to her Father's lack of morals.

6. What tells the Reader that the inhabitants are not driven by appearances or luxuries?
As the Reader we are told that the Beast is not driven by materialistic desires/ luxuries as it is stated that the Beast- "bought solitude, not luxury". Therefore, it is shown that the Beast is searching for a deeper understanding/ meaning to life than what he can possess- as he attempts to look for a more substantial meaning to isolated life. This is shown through his 'acquisition' of The Narrator/ Woman- as the Beast needs love/ company in order to have a meaningful life.

7. What is significant of the fresco- 'where fruit and blossom grew on the bough together'?
This Fresco links to the idealised Society that the Beast wishes to be a part of, as it is suggestive that the Beast wishes to live in harmony with other species- as they can see the true nature of his form- and that Human's are more like him than they believe (shown through the transformation at the end of the Short-Story).

8. What is the description of the soubrette supposed to suggest to the Reader?
Carter's description of the soubrette suggests to the Reader that The Narrator is not without her own faults- as it is suggested the stereotypical soubrette is viewed as 'coy'- therefore it could be suggested that The Narrator in a sense could lead to her own downfall. This is shown through the suggestion that The Narrator knew that the Beast could see her Father's Card's- but did nothing to stop her Father's idiotic decision.

9. How does the Girl compare herself to Animals?
The comparison of Characters to Animals is used through this Collection of Short-Stories- in this case it is used to portray The Narrator as innocent. This is shown through the suggestion she is a 'Lamb'- as this links to the Gender Identity- that The Narrator could be perceived as weak due to the belief she is a Female as this is in coordination with her appearance- when in reality The Narrator is possibly the most dominant Character within 'The Tiger's Bride'.

10. In light of the end of this story, analyse the phrase- 'The Tiger will never lie down with the Lamb; he acknowledges no pact that is not reciprocal'.
In light of the Ending to 'The Tiger's Bride' it could be suggested that this phrase does not mean as it was first thought- as it could be believed that the Beast is not truly a Tiger- but a Cat- due to the use of "purr". Therefore, this suggests that The Narrator is the true Tiger- as the Beast is hesitant when approaching The Narrator- reinforcing the phrase 'The Tiger will never lie down with the Lamb; it acknowledges no pact that is not reciprocal'. This links to the idea of Gender Identity within 'The Tiger's Bride'- as it is believed that the Beast/ Tiger is always the Man- and that through this form of stereotype the Woman/ The Narrator is shown to be weak. Therefore, through the ending of 'The Tiger's Bride' it could be suggested that The Narrator has in a sense become herself/ been reborn- as she too becomes a Tiger in form, linking to the idea that The Narrator is not in fact that Lamb- and that she is a like the Beast- in the sense they were both waiting until a certain point to shown their true emotions. Overall, this may be Carter suggesting that the Woman can too hide her true self from Society- as the Marquis does in 'The Bloody Chamber'- and that Women are perceived to be the Lamb (Innocent/ Weak) within Society, and that due to the Gender Identity they must keep up this appearance- whilst leaving the Man unable to show his true feelings due to the same factor.

The Tigers Bride- Lesson Work- Tasks 1 and 2.

Andrea Mantegna-

Italian Renaissance Painter- Born 1431- in Padua, Venice.

Regarded for his Visual Experiments- In Perspective and Spatial Illusion.

His Guardian was painter Francesco Squarcione- but left his protection at the ages of 17- as he had seen corruption within his Teacher/ Guardian- as Squarcione profited of Mantegna's Work.

Mantegna's Early Work was lost/ destroyed during the WWII Bombings.

In 1453- Mantegna's Teacher- Italian Painter Jacopo Bellini- gave permission for Mantegna to marry his Daughter- as Mantegna was seemingly doing well for himself.

Mantegna became the Court Artist for Ludovico Gonzaga- he lived well during his time in this position.

Until death fell upon Ludovico Gonzaga- his Wife and his Son- this was a distressing point in Mantegna's life- as he grieved for some years.

Rome 1488- Mantegna was commissioned to paint certain Frescoes- commission by Pope Innocent VIII.

The Madonna and the Cherubim.



The Agony in the Garden- San Zeno Altarpiece- 1455.

Giulio Romano-

Late Italian Renaissance Painter and Architect- Born 1492/ 99.

Mannerist Style- Heir of Raphael- through Raphael he developed a highly personal/ anticlassical style of Art.

In 1524- after Raphael's Death in 1520- he left Rome for Mantua- remained there until his Death.

Palazzo del Te- Most important of Romano's Work- designed a Palace on the outskirts of Mantua- began 1525/ 26.

Helped to develop the Mannerist Style- phrase coined by the followers of the Renaissance Master's- e.g. Raphael- Mannerist style was based upon the ideas of the Renaissance Artists- but later became more involved in the Style/ Technique of the Work- as the Subject Matter became less important.



Madonna and Child- 1523.



Romano's Famous Fresco- on the Ceiling of the Palazzo del Te- Mannerist Style- illusion of a Dome overhead.

Benvenuto Cellini-

Led a troublesome Early Life- he was Banished to Siena in 1516- returned to Florence in 1516/ 17- to be condemned to Death in 1523- after once again fighting.

He was a Sculptor/ Writer/ Goldsmith- and Artist.

Participated in the Defence of Rome in 1527- rumoured to have shot the Constable of Bourbon and the Prince of Orange.

Executed a Number of Coins for Alessandro de Medici- commissioned by Cosimo de Medici- for Sculpture's etc.

 

Crucifix at El Escorial Monastery.

Assuage- To satisfy a desire/ to make an unpleasant feeling less unpleasant.

Awry- Away from the position/ course that is expected.

Axiom- A statement that is regarded as true- it is easily accepted.

'Capisco'- To understand/ see something from a certain point of view.

Ciliate- A single-celled Animal- links to the Beast in 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' and 'The Tiger's Bride'.

Civet- Small and usually nocturnal mammal that can be found in Asia and Africa- Civet Cate- links to Mr Lyon during his 'episodes' with Beauty at Night.

'Desnuda'- To be naked/ ill-clothed- suggestive that something is plain/ evident.

Excoriate- To damage/ remove part of the Skin.

Expostulating- To show strong disapproval/ disagreement in a situation.

Eyrie- Bird of Prey- could be used to mirror the Beast- within 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' and 'The Tiger's Bride'. 

Gavotte- Medium Paced French Dance- popular in the 18th Century.

Gracile- To be attractively slender/ thin.

Megalomaniac- Obsessive desire for power- can be used to mirror many characters within the Short Stories within 'The Bloody Chamber'.

Metaphysical- To portray abstract reasoning in view of a certain idea.

Minuet- A slow, stately Ballroom Dance- popular in the 18th Century.

'Molto Agitato'- To be very agitated.

Nascent- Just coming into life- displaying signs of future potential- to show development.

Obsequious- To show compliance/ to be obedient- Carter portrays many of her Female Character's to be this.

Ostler- A Man employed to look after Horses staying in an Inn.

Patina- An appearance produced by almost stereotype- that you will look/ act a certain way.

Preternatural- Differing from the stereotype of 'normal'- surpassing the natural.

Profligate- Used to describe a Person as wasteful of resources etc.- used to show the Father within 'The Tiger's Bride'.

Settecento- Used to describe the period within the 18th Century involving Art/ Literature etc.

Shagreen- An untanned leather with a rough surface.

Simian Simulacra- The Image/ Representation of an Ape/ Monkey.

Soubrette- The stereotypical stock Character in Opera/ Theatre- can mean conceited and coy.

Spar- A stout pole- that can be used as support in differing circumstances.

Spurious- Of a deceitful/ untruthful nature- does not possess genuine qualities

.

Tantivy- A gallop or ride.

Tintinnabulation- The act of ringing/ sounding a bell.

Viscera- The Organs in the cavities of the Body.

The Courtship of Mr Lyon-

1. Carter's choice of the word "courtship" is indicative of a more ideological/ idealised period, whereby Men had rules they must follow in order to court a Woman- therefore the use of the word "courtship" in this scenario shows Beast/ Mr Lyon to be a traditional character who is there to, in a sense, mock the way whereby Beauty is corrupted by wealth/ decadence as the text continues. Therefore, this shows the use of the word "courtship" to symbolise Beauty and Beast/ Mr Lyon's relationship to be appropriate within the text, if it is used in a mocking fashion- as "courtship" suggests an overwhelming suggestion of love between two characters. However, it is shown within the text that this is not necessarily the case when it involves Beauty and Beast/ Mr Lyon- as it is almost as if Beauty is simply 'handed' to Beast instead of in a sense 'earned' or 'courted'- attempting to mock the ways by which Men were able to almost chose Women dependant on who they likes- with little/ no say from the Woman herself.



8. Within 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' the building is shown to be a haven for Beauty's Father, as it is described in a way that allows the Reader to believe that the house is looked after, and does not connote the sinister/ dark. This is shown through the lions head that is "not, as he had thought at first, made of brass, but, instead, of solid gold"- this in comparison to the description of the Castle in 'Beauty and the Beast' further suggests that the Beast/ Mr Lyon in this text cannot truly be an animal- as the building in 'Beauty and the Beast' is shown to be a "castle, bathed in light"- suggesting that it may be perceived as a haven in darkness- but allows the reader to ask why the Castle is in a Forest in comparison to a "snow filled lane" in 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon". In addition, at the first sighting of the house in 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' it is shown to be decadent- as a "place of privilege"- whereas the Castle in "Beauty and the Beast" is not spoken of to an extent- as it is in "The Courtship of Mr Lyon"- the fact that there is little information on the Castle suggests that fact that the Beast in 'Beauty and the Beast' is animalistic- as it is shown to have little control within it's home- unlike Beast/ Mr Lyon within 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon'.



9. The first meeting with the Beast/ Mr Lyon attempts to show the Beast to be exactly as his name suggests- as the Beast suggests "I am no good fellow"- this shows to the Reader that the Beast is exactly as stereotype perceives him to be. The Beast is too shown to be unnaturally scary to Beauty- as it is suggested that the Beast "choked her"- creating the idea that the Beast is not purposefully harmful towards Beauty, this allows the Reader to feel sympathy for the Beast in a sense as he cannot escape what he truly is- as a "Lion is a Lion and a Man is a Man". Carter too shows the Beast to have a Voice that "seemed a cave full of echoes"- suggestive that the Reader is in a sense allowed to feel further sympathy for the Beast- as it is almost as if the Beast simply projects what he hears from Man Kind into his life- and that he is not actually the 'Beast' that he is believed to be. This idea is reinforced by the idea that the Beast's Voice is an "organ"- as it is as if the Beast must speak as Man feels in order to survive- and that he must speak based upon others beliefs in order to keep in a sense society in line/ tact. In addition, the beast is described further in an animalistic fashion through the use of- "flung himself at her feet and buried his head in her lap"- however this animalistic language shows the Beast to be the opposite to how he is described at the beginning of 'The courtship of Mr Lyon'- as he is now a passionate Man- and that the Beast cannot/ should not be feared as his true nature is timid/ gentle- as he is not a Lion but a Cat.


11. Within the Opening Page Carter changes Narrative Perspective continuously- from First to Third Person, then back again. This mirrors the way in which Carter attempts to confuse/ daze the Reader within her Short-Stories, as she attempt to symbolise the confusion that the Reader continuously feels- by not clearly showing the relationship between the Narrator and the Characters- as by calling Beauty- She/ Girl etc. Carter attempts to suggest that nothing is stable within her texts- and that continuous change is needed. This is often used by Carter to mirror the confusion that the Woman/ Protagonist feels within her Short-Story, as it allows the Reader to develop a further understanding of the depth of the text.



15. It is suggested that the Beast/ Mr Lyon saves Beauty and her Father from poverty at the beginning of the Short-Story- this would be due to the idea that as Beast is so wealthy it is only fair that he should help out a Family that has hit 'hard time'- as a Marxist Critic would believe that through the Beast/ Mr Lyon's actions he is shown to deny the notion of Capitalism within Society- as it is shown that the Beast/ Mr Lyon has no disagreement about giving Beauty and her Father Money in order to help them out in their predicament. As the Short-Story draws to a close Beauty is shown to reciprocate the Beast/ Mr Lyon's act of kindness- as she visits him as promised in order to save the Beast/ Mr Lyons from impending death- and therefore turn the Beast into Mr Lyon- as it is said that it was "no longer a Lion in her arms but a Man". Through Beauty returning to help the Beast/ Mr Lyon- Carter may be in a sense criticising the way in which every action within society must have an equal and opposite reaction- as it is almost as if Wealth is the only form that can truly make an act of kindness happen- shown through the fact that the Beast/ Mr Lyon has enabled Beauty/ her Father to regain their Wealth, ergo Beauty is in a sense obligated to the Beast/ Mr Lyon. Furthermore, through allowing Beauty to come to the Beast/ Mr Lyon so late within the Short-Story reinforced the idea that excessive Wealth is in a sense corruption/ greed- as Beauty seemingly forgets of her obligation to the Beast/ Mr Lyon- showing that Carter's message about their actions within the Short-Story is that within a Capitalist Society such as the one shown within 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon'- it is only Money/ Wealth that is worth any sort of obligation- this is Carter's Message/ Criticism of the Beast/ Mr Lyon and Beauty's actions within 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon'.



16. On top of the transformation of Beast into Mr Lyon within 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' there is the transformation of Beauty from the innocent/ pure Child into a greedy/ superficial Young Woman- as the financial side of life seemingly overpowers Beauty- as she becomes obsessed with her exterior- whilst forgetting the importance of the interior within Life. It is almost as if Money taints Beauty's appearance- as Wealth is shown through the Marxist Critic to change peoples personalities inside and out.

Marxist Critics- Links to Angela Carter/ The Bloody Chamber.

They make a division between the overt (manifest or surface) and covert (latent or hidden) content of a literary work (mush as psychoanalytic critics do) an then relate the covert subject matter of the literary work to basic Marxist Themes, such as Class Struggle, or the Progression of Society through Historical Stages, such as the transition from feudalism to industrial capitalism. Thus, the conflicts in King Lear might be read as being really about the conflicts of class interest between the rising class (the bourgeoisie) and the falling class (the feudal overlords).
This is shown through 'The Bloody Chamber' seemingly being a Gothic-Fairy Tale, but once looked at in more depth it is shown to be a story portraying a Capitalist/ Patriarchal Society. This is shown through The Marquis controlling The Narrator- as The Narrator is forced into the Capitalist notion of marriage through The Marquis Patriarch- this is symbolised through the Dowry that is received by The Marquis that means he will marry The Narrator- and the Train being a Phallic Symbol within the text.
'The Bloody Chamber' is too shown to represent a struggle within Social Class- as there is a clear separation in societies between The Marquis and The Narrator. As The Marquis is shown to represent wealth it allows the Reader to interpret the idea that The Marquis always wants The Narrator to view herself as powerful- despite never truly having control/ power due to her low social standing- this is symbolised through The Marquis allowing The Narrator to take the keys to his Castle. This further links to the idea/ conflict that Human's are given a false sense of power/ control within life- but they are never truly in a dominating position due to the Capitalist society always dictator action of Men/ Women.
The idea of 'The Bloody Chamber' representing the Marxist idea of Capitalism is too shown through Carter's use of the train within the text- as this symbolises a 'Man-Made' society that is overall inescapable- as the train is in reality used to get to somewhere quicker- therefore it is used to speed up life/ work- linking to the idea that a Capitalist society is all controlling- as it is only possible to leave a train once it stops- the average Human has no say in how the train/ life is dictated.

Another method used by Marxist critics is to relate the context of a work to the Social-Class status of the author/ the Social Period in which it was produced. In such cases an assumption is made (which again is similar to those made by psychoanalytic critics) that the Author is unaware of precisely what he/ she is saying/ revealing within the text.
This asks the Question of whether or not Carter meant to put conflicts of Social-Class/ Marxism within her texts- as it is suggested that the social period in which a writer lives can affect the way in which the tell/ write their text.
Angela Carter's work- 'The Bloody Chamber' was published in 1979- meaning that these short stories were wrote during the 1970's. This social-period within society was shown to depict the Growth of Feminism within the UK, as proved by Margaret Thatcher- the first British Prime Minister from 1979. This Growth of Feminism in my view is shown within Carter's work- as she shows work that allows the Growth of Women- as The Narrator is shown to be strong willed within 'The Bloody Chamber'- and The Narrator's Mother is described as "indomitable" and "eagle featured"- therefore showing her to be the in a sense "New Woman" that the 1960's/ 70's were attempting to promote through Feminism.
However, Carter too uses her work to show Women as greedy characters that do not conform with Feminism's ideal Woman- as in 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon' Beauty is shown to become a different Woman after money etc. becomes involved- which does not make Beauty strong willed- but instead naïve/ idiotic- as she is shown to renounce love/ passion in the pursuit of wealth/ opulence.
Furthermore,  it was within the 1970's/ 80's that Marxist Critics began to structure their theories on this concept- suggesting that Carter may have been able to view these theories and adapt them within her text's- as she shows the World to be full of Class Structures due to wealth etc. as The Marquis is able to take The Narrator from her Mother due to his payment in the form of Dowry- and the fact that Beast/ Mr Lyon House is shown to portray wealth- through the use of "solid gold"/ "great chandelier". Therefore, suggesting that Carter had seen the increase in Marxist concepts throughout the 1970's and chose to expand upon their ideologies within her work- as she had seen the corruption with society during this period and chose to 'shine a light' on unlawful happenings.

A further Marxist practice is to relate the literary work to the social assumptions of the time in which is was 'consumed', a strategy which is used particularly in the later variant of Marxist criticism known as cultural materialism.
This suggests that throughout time Social Assumptions/ Stereotypes that define the era in which it was Produced/ Consumed affect the way in which a text is perceived by the Reader- as it is suggested that through "Cultural Materialism" Society has changed its beliefs dependant on the Social Period. As the 1980's were times of Equality- as Social Acceptance of Women etc. became the order of the day- suggesting that the Readership of the late 1970's/ early 1980's would have been able to create distinctions between what Carter was able to put on the page- and what she truly meant within her work. 

Another Marxist practice is the "politicisation of literary form", that is, the claim that literary forms are themselves determined by political circumstance. For instance, in the view of some critics, literary realism carries with it an implicit validation of conservative social structure: for others, the formal and metrical intricacies of the sonnet and the iambic pentameter are a counterpart of social stability, decorum, and order.
This suggests that certain forms of literature have certain endings/ meanings to their work, dependant on what political period that the text is formed in. With Marxism it is suggested that within the text their are subtle attempts to indoctrinate the Reader into their ideology of the Political/ Social situation; therefore the text must be read in order to challenge the Work/ Ideologies of the period- as Carter (along with other Marxist Writers) attempts to show the Reader the flaw's of Politics within the Period.
In 1979- when 'The Bloody Chamber' was written it was the Conservative Party who were in office within the UK- it was the Conservative's Party's in 1979 to show voters that the "balance of society has been increasingly tilted in the favour of the State at the expense of individual freedom". Therefore, Carter's work within 'The Bloody Chamber' could be suggested to conform to this Political stance- as Carter attempts to show within her Short-Stories the development of Capitalism within Society- and how Wealth/ Power has been exploited by those who can have it- but that in many cases there are those who have little Power at all. Therefore through the Conservative Party's Ideology of "restoring the balance of Power in favour of the People"- Carter may have seen the opportunity to exploit her views on Marxism at this point- as the Conservative Standing may have been in favour of Carter's beliefs at this time.
Furthermore, the Conservative Party's Victory of 1979 saw Margaret Thatcher elected- ergo she became the UK's first Woman Head of Government- this may have been why Carter decided to place emphasis on the Feminism within 'The Bloody Chamber'- as due to Political Circumstances this would be viewed as a dominant time for Feminism to thrive- as Margaret Thatcher was almost the living embodiment of Women's Power- the ideology that Feminism attempted to put across.

The Bloody Chamber- Homework Questions.

Page 7- The use of “exile”-
By Carter describing The Narrator as in “exile” once married it allows the reader to further sense the isolation that The Narrator must be feeling due to her entrapment within The Marquis world. As to be in exile is to be without the world you knew, entering a new life, therefore this too links to the idea that The Narrator’s isolation is due to The Marquis’ persistence of making The Narrator feel as if she does not belong to his world/ regime.  This in turn links to the idea that The Narrator “ceased to be her child in becoming his wife”- as it is almost as if The Narrator has had to choose between her two opposing lives, and that as The Narrator now in a sense belongs to The Marquis, she must continue in her isolation from the life she once knew. This further links to The Narrator’s sense that she does not belong in The Marquis’ world and cannot go back to her Mother now she is trapped with The Marquis; therefore Carter’s use of the word “exile” shows the true extent of The Narrator’s imprisonment with The Marquis.
Page 6- The way Carter presents the Ruby Choker-

On Page 6 the Ruby Choker given to The Narrator as a wedding present from The Marquis is shown to be strangling The Narrator- this is shown through “clasped round my throat”. Therefore, this suggests that Carter’s representation of the Ruby Choker is that although it may seem pretty/ elegant it can be harmful if viewed as innocent, this may foreshadow events at the end of the short-story as if read in a Feminist way then this may suggest that the Ruby Choker is like Women- portrayed as innocent but can bring harm just as Men can- as The Narrator’s Mother ultimately ends The Marquis reign of terror. Furthermore, the way in which Carter presents the Ruby Choker on Page 6 shows it to be “a gesture of luxurious defiance”- this links to the use of Carter’s intertextuality as it is that during the French Revolution the aristocracy who were able to “escape the guillotine”. To show their defiance they wore a ribbon around their necks, as this is where the guillotine would have hit them- therefore to give The Narrator the Ruby Choker suggests the fact that as the reader learns The Narrator is in danger they still know that she will not be killed/ murdered by The Marquis- as she is wearing a symbol of defiance- meaning that she will too escape the guillotine.

Page 16- What seems to give The Narrator confidence and power once more-

The Narrator on Page 16 seems to gain a sense of confidence due to the idea that it is The Marquis who needs her more than she needs him- as Carter writes “must have been my innocence that captivated him”. This suggests that The Narrator knows she does not have to give in completely to The Marquis- as she almost turns a Patriarchal Society on its head- as it is not The Marquis that has control over The Narrator but in a strange sense it is the other way round- as The Marquis has a sexual lust for The Narrator that she can hold away if she wants to. However, this confidence/ power is almost taken away from The Narrator once she enters The Bloody Chamber as she sees the capabilities of The Marquis, and therefore realises that she cannot hold him off for too long as he will at some point fulfil his sexual desires by force is needs be.

Page 33- How is the usual Hero structure altered-

On Page 33 the stereotypical Hero structure is altered as it is shown that the perceived future Hero in Jean-Yves cannot save/ help the Narrator- as he leaves her on her orders so as not to be caught himself. This opposes the usual Hero figure as they are strong in the face of adversity- however here it is only The Narrator that will in a sense stand face to true danger, as Jean-Yves has left- this may be Carter creating the sense that The Narrator, a Woman as she is, can still be as strong as any Man in the presence of her fear. Therefore, this would link to a Feminist view of the text- as Carter expresses the idea that not all Men are as strong as Women, and that this must be further expresses within society.

Page 38- How is the usual Hero structure altered-

The stereotypical Hero structure is altered on Page 38 of The Bloody Chamber as it is almost as if the Hero (Jean Yves) is shown to be unable to save his lover (The Narrator) due to his blindness- this is shown through Jean Yves saying “you do not deserve this”- almost as if he knows that there is no hope for The Narrator as it is a patriarchal society that they live in. However, Jean Yves and The Narrator are still shown to be heroic on page 38 due to their courage in the face of peril- as it is as if they have accepted that The Narrator will be murdered by The Marquis- but attempt to accept this fact almost as an act of defiance- as the chase may be what The Marquis desires- therefore The Marquis plans will almost be ruined if they give in to him with no complaints.

The Duke’s view of Women-

The Duke is shown to be very commanding towards The Narrator within The Bloody Chamber- as it is often said that The Marquis “made” The Narrator do something- creating the idea that The Marquis believes that Women are below his status- creating the idea of a patriarchal society within The Bloody Chamber as it is as if The Marquis believes he holds power over Women within the text. This is further shown through The Marquis belief that the Women within The Bloody Chamber are almost his possessions- as they are kept on a “catafalque” and “under a sheet of very rare and precious linen”- showing the idea that to The Marquis the Women within The Bloody Chamber are simply possessions that must be showed off like precious jewels- linking to the Ruby Choker that is presented to The Narrator- as it is almost as if The Marquis looks after Women better after their death- as if an inanimate object is worth more to The Marquis than a living being.

Page 10/ 11- Their first Sexual Encounter-

The Narrator and The Marquis first sexual encounter is supposed to show the greed of Man towards Women- and the power that Men believe they can exude over Women. This is shown through the line “Not yet. Later. Anticipation is the greater part of pleasure”- this shows the way that The Marquis can control The Narrator’s actions, and from a Feminist point of view this section within the text attempts to show this power/ greed/ lust over Women to be morally wrong- as it is as if The Marquis can in a sense own The Narrator through his actions and a Patriarchal Society- this is shown through The Narrators line “my purchaser unwrapped his bargain”. Furthermore, their first sexual encounter is shown to be uncomfortable for The Narrator and the reader- as it is almost as if The Narrator lets The Marquis use her for his own pleasure to do with as he wishes- this is shown through the line “blood rushed to my face again, and stayed there”. This shows that The Marquis does not wishes to comfort The Narrator but embarrass her- suggesting there is no love from The Marquis, but simply greed so that he can get as he wishes- this becomes uncomfortable as it is as if the reader is there and truly feels sorry for The Narrator- as she is forced into sexual acts by The Marquis simply due to the idea that a Man holds power due to a Patriarchal Society.

Pages 12/ 13- The Painting- Language used and what it symbolises-

The language used to describe the painting that The Narrator has found within The Marquis library is language that becomes increasingly dark, as The Marquis true nature is slowly revealed to The Narrator and the reader simultaneously. The intensified darkness is shown through the line “connoisseur of such things”- this allows the reader to question what it is that The Narrator has seen within this painting. The language too becomes increasingly dark through the vivid images used to describe the actual painting, as the Woman and the masked Man are both viewed in their naked form within the painting, but the Man is shown to be dominant within the painting, as he seems to take pleasure from the image of the sobbing Girl- shown through the line “man in a black mask fingered with his free hand his prick”. The painting is used within the text to symbolise the dominance that The Marquis has over The Narrator, but also the fact that The Narrator is seemingly blamed by society for being too inquisitive when it comes to The Marquis, this is shown through the title of the painting- “Reproof of Curiosity”. This could link to a Marxist reading of the text, as it suggests the fact that The Narrator should remain loyal/ unquestioning towards The Marquis due to his power/ status/ wealth within society. The Painting could too foreshadow the fact that The Narrator will be blamed for her inquisitiveness, as she is told not to enter The Bloody Chamber but does so against The Marquis orders, suggesting that she, like the Girl in the Painting, will be punished for her defiance of The Marquis. Furthermore, the Painting may symbolise the idea that all Men wear a metaphorical “mask” within their lives, and rarely choose to show their true emotions unless they feel threatened or it necessary in order to keep their pretending to be somebody they are not.

Page 15- The colours used by Carter and their effect-

On Page 15 there are many colours used by Carter to describe differing things within The Marquis Castle, examples of some of the colours used on Page 15 are; “acrid black coffee”, “purple velvet”, “soft white doves” and “pink eye open”. In my opinion this may link to the idea that the colour within The Narrator’s life is about to vanish- as she is given the keys to The Marquis Castle, moreover she is given the key to The Bloody Chamber. In a Feminist’s view this could link to The Marquis taking away The Narrator’s true vision of life, as his own view of life is obscured through murder and an inherent desire for power, that although it may take a Man like The Marquis to give a Woman a more affluent life, it also takes a Man to take away a Woman’s life through greed and lust. Furthermore, the use of the differing colours by Carter may foreshadow the idea that The Narrator will be cared for/ loved by a Man who has no sense of colour/ his surroundings in Jean-Yves- linking to the idea that if you cannot see you cannot control (The Male Gaze) - therefore making it safer for The Narrator to love Jean-Yves as he cannot control her whilst he is blind.

Page 13- Significance of- “All the better to see you”-

This phrase used by Carter of “All the better to see you” was established in the European Fairy-Tale Little Red Riding Hood, which was first published by Charles Perrault and is used by Carter in this instance for multiple reasons. Carter’s use of this phrase could be to present the dominant nature of The Marquis within ‘The Bloody Chamber’- as it is the Wolf who says this during Little Red Riding Hood- this could suggest that The Marquis is almost a predator within the ‘The Bloody Chamber’ and that The Narrator is The Marquis next victim. Furthermore, this phrase may be used by Carter in this instance as it shows The Marquis to be animalistic, as Carter has previously described The Marquis as “leonine”- therefore by Carter using a phrase used by a Wolf in a well-known Fairy-Tale further shows how The Marquis is a powerful figure that should not be threatened- as The Marquis is not a figure that connotes anything other than death/ violence. In addition, the use of The Marquis saying he wishes to see The Narrator in the “bright light of day” mirrors the way that The Narrator has had an obsession throughout ‘The Bloody Chamber’ of seeing the true nature of The Marquis- as it is as if now The Narrator has seen The Marquis with his metaphorical ‘mask’ off the act has to be reciprocated, as it is now that The Marquis wishes to see the true nature of The Narrator, as The Marquis know that The Narrator has seen inside his forbidden room- but he almost wishes her to come clean about her, in his eyes, treacherous deed.

Appearance within ‘The Bloody Chamber’-

Appearance is shown to be important within ‘The Bloody Chamber’ as it seems to be that the characters are ambiguous throughout, as it is almost as if The Narrator and The Marquis at some point are both unclear on their intentions- therefore are vague in their appearance to the other. This is symbolised through the metaphorical “mask” that The Marquis is said to wear at the beginning of the short story, as it is almost that through his appearance being altered to his true reality The Marquis is able to deceive The Narrator- this is also what The Narrator does when she learns the truth about The Marquis/ his Wives.

Moreover, the mark on The Narrator’s forehead is important within ‘The Bloody Chamber’- as it symbolises/ mirrors the Mark of Cain- this suggests that The Narrator has the symbol of death marked upon her body- it is however a mark of the fact that The Narrator cannot be harmed/ killed- as this is how the tale goes in Genesis 4 of the Bible. Therefore, appearance can be shown to be important in this situation as it shows the failure of dominance from The Marquis over The Narrator- as through the symbol he bestows upon her it means he cannot harm her- as it is not a mark of death as The Marquis believes.

Furthermore, the way that The Narrator appears as weaker than The Marquis from the outset is too important in the overall tale, as it is shown that The Marquis is dominant over The Narrator through the sexual ways in which he seemingly ‘abuses’ her, this is shown through the line “the course of that one-sided struggle”- as this is suggestive that The Narrator is made to perform sexual acts due to her appearance (as a Woman) as this is a prime example of a Patriarchal Society- as because The Narrator is a Woman she must succumb to The Marquis requests- as he is Male and she is Female.

In addition, The Marquis appearance is shown to be of vital importance within ‘The Bloody Chamber’ as he is described as animalistic in his features- this symbolises the ferocious nature of The Marquis as he is said to be “leonine”. This shows that The Marquis is almost predator-like in his actions, as he is shown to prey on the ‘weak’ from the outset due to the way that Carter presents him, this is too shown in the quote “all the better to see you”- as this mirrors the Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood- suggesting that like the Wolf, The Marquis is almost an animal in his actions/ abilities- as it is shown through his suggested appearance that he has no conscience, as if a predator that preys on those who are perceived as weaker than him.

Magical Realism-

This is a style/ genre of fiction- whereby Magical elements are blended with the Realistic elements of life- in order to develop a deeper/ more questioned state of Reality.

The Magical elements are blended so subtly with the Realistic elements- so that it is to the extent that the Magical elements are almost accepted as the Reality of the World.

Matthew Strecher- Magical Realism is- “what happens when a highly detailed, realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe”.

Phrase coined in 1925 by German Art Critic- Franz Roh- but was first used in modern form in 1955.

Elements of Magical Realism-

• Fantastical Elements- traits of the Fantastical given to real-life characters/ situations.
• Real-World Setting- no new worlds are set up- it is the same world with strange elements.
• Authorial Reticence- this is the with-holding of information concerning this world that combines Real/ Fantasy elements- due to the lack of questioning the reader accepts the events as normal- as if the world was questioned in the work of fiction then it would be questioned by the reader.
• Hybridity- this is multiple plot lines working simultaneously within the work of fiction- they are harmonious- can make the reader question realities- as it may be that the realities work in a dream-like state.
• Plenitude- shown to be extraordinary/ magnificent through the lack of emptiness within it- at times it can use explicit detail.
• Metafiction- exploration of how literature can impact the real world/ how the real world can impact literature/ how the reader can too impact a text and the world.
• Heightened Awareness of Mystery- links to hidden meanings that the reader must be able to sense as they read- ability to read it at an intensified level.
• Political Critique- contradicts society/ politics and the way they work- linked to Marxism- they are revolutionary- as they are against dominant forces in the economy etc.

The Bloody Chamber- Intertextual References/ Unknown Words.

Bluebeard- The Myth-

European Folk Tale- it goes that Bluebeard married many Women- killing each of them one by one.

In the tale each Wife is given the keys to the Castle as Bluebeard goes away- each Wife is told not to enter the chamber where his Wives are buried- but they all enter his forbidden room.

Upon returning Bluebeard knows what each Wife has done- and therefore must kill each Wife- there are many differing endings to this Folk Tale- e.g. Bluebeards youngest Wife kills him/ The Wife’s Brother’s come to rescue her.

The moral of the story is that there is always a penalty for being too curious.

 

Mark of Cain-

From Genesis 4- where God declared that Cain- first born of Adam and Eve is cursed for murdering his Brother Abel.

It was a mark that suggested nobody can hurt Cain- as if they do they would be punished.

Some suggest it was a physical mark on Cain- others say it was simply a sign that Cain cannot be hurt.

 

Catherine de Medici-

Italian Noble Woman- she was Queen of France from 1547-1559.

 

Croesus-

King of Lydia from 560 BC to 547 BC- “as rich as Croesus”.

He was defeated by the Persians- suggested to have created the first Gold Coins.

 

Tristan and Isolde (Opera)-

Romantic Opera- composed by Wagner between 1857 & 1859.

 

Felicien Rops-

Belgian Artist- he was friends with Baudelaire- created the frontispiece for Les Epaves- this was a selection of poems from Les Fleurs du mal.

He liked Baudelaire as he was closely associated with the literary movement of Symbolism and Decadence.

 

La-Bas-

Written by French Writer Joris-Karl Huysmans- translated to The Damned/ Down There.

First published in 1891- very dark subject matter- involved Satanism- and how it was still involved in their society.

 

The Rape of the Sabine Women-

Set in 750 BC- Romans planned to abduct/ rape Sabine Women as they could not marry them- used as a subject matter for works of art- e.g. Pablo Picasso.

 

St Cecilia-

Patroness of the Musicians- her feast day is celebrated on the 22^nd of November.

She is supposedly one of the most famous Roman martyrs- although her tale is based upon lies.

 

Pandora’s Box-

This was a box given to Pandora which contained all the evils of the World- it is used to suggest that although an action may be small and innocent it can have huge consequences.

 

Poiret-

French Fashion Designer- he seemed to free women from corsets- he was seemingly a visionary of his field.

 

Aesthete- A person with a great love of the arts.

Aigrette- A head ornament- either of feathers or a jewel.

Avarice- To be greedy with money etc.

Baroque- Style/ Period within the 17^th Century in Italy/ Europe- it was a style of Art/ Architecture.

Bier- A stand which a Corpse/ The Coffin it is in is placed before it is buried.

Billet-Doux- A Love Letter.

Carillon- A set of stationary bells in a tower- they are rung by a pedal action/ machinery.

Carillon- A set of horizontal metal plates- hit by hammers- used by orchestras.

Carnal- A pleasure of the body- creates passion for the senses.

Catafalque- A raised platform that the body of the deceased lies on.

Chthonic- To belong to the spirits of the underworld.

Dolorous- Expressing/ Causing Pain or Sorrow.

Eldritch- Weird/ Spooky.

Enfer- Translates from French to Hell.

Gourmand- A person fond of eating- usually in excess.

Immolated- To be set on fire- as a sacrifice etc.

Importunate- Urgent/ Persistent in solicitation.

Interdiction- An act of forbidding.

Jinn- Any class of spirits.

Lisle- Knit goods e.g. Gloves.

Loge- In theatre it is the lowest balcony- separated from the rest of the theatre by a row of aisles.

Loquacity- State of being talkative.

Missal- Roman Catholic Church’s Book of Prayers/ Devotions.

Nacreous- To be lustful.

Parure- A matching set of jewels/ ornaments.

Rictus- The opening of the mouth.

Sacerdotal- To be priestly.

Sadomasochistic- The pleasure of giving/ receiving sexual pain.

Sardonic- Cynical laugh- mocking.

Trousseau- Household linen- meant for a Bride.

Vellum- A type of skin e.g. calfskin used for writing on.

Vicuna- Type of Wool- comes from the endangered South American Vicugna Vicugna.

Viscera- Organs in the cavities of the body- especially those in the abdominal cavity.

Voluptuary- A person who spends their life in the pursuit of pleasure/ luxury.