The Lady of The House of Love

Presentation of the Male Character and Interpretations

1. How it the young man presented? pages 111-112
The young man is presented as a stereotypical hero and represents a new world which contrasts to the Countesses ancestral ties which he overthrows by setting her free.
Specifically he is...
- Heroic, sterotypical image 'Blond, blue-eyed, heavy-muscled' showing images of strength, fertility and (blonde being a colour associated with fertility also commonly linked with goodness and beauty. It also, in fairy tales and folklore was the hair colour most favoured by the supernatural who were drawn to blond humans.)
- Innocent, he is seemingly unaware of the impact of his adventure or any apparent danger he might be in.  'he saw all the humour of it: 'on two wheels in the land of the vampires''
- Rational, shows a strong mind and the values of the new world which puts rationality at its forefront. 'he had chosen the most rational mode of transport' 'pure reason'.
- A virgin, usually the position reserved for women of the Gothic is it stated here, 'the special quality of virginity' to highlight the fact that while these traits are questioned about women nobody questions a man. But also suggests that there may be some power through it that combines 'unknowingness' and 'glamour'.

- Doomed, he is picked out as part of 'that generation for whom history was already prepared' this suggests a touch of destiny and and being trapped by a fate which is also seen through the Countess. He is to experience his 'fate in the trenches of France'.

2. What is the significance of the Bicycle?
The bicycle for the young man is his protection against superstition as for him it is the 'most rational mode of transport'. Carter has used it to symbolise the rationality of mankind in this new era of 'pubescent years of the present century'. It also is a modern invention that contrast sharply the Countesses aging world and shows a clash between past and present. Lastly it is a phallic symbol, 'two spheres and a straight line' which Carter has used to foreshadow the Countesses downfall at the hands of men.

3. What might be the significance of 'he gratefully washed his feet and hands' in the village fountain?
- Cleansing
- Religious imagery of washing and 'gratefully'
- He is oblivious to any apparent danger and shows his ignorance

4. 'Curiouser and curiouser' What does this suggest about the young man? Which other characters are you reminded of?
- Inter-textual reference to Alice in Wonderland showing his youth and inexperience
- He is inquisitive to the point that he is blind to danger
- The Father in Courtship of Mr Lyons is also lured in to the house.

5. The crone is described as bringing the young man to 'Juliet's tomb'. What is the significance of this inter-textual reference.
The word Juliet shows connotations of doomed lovers which have been forboded throughout with the tarot cards reading; 'Les Amouraux' and 'Le mort' (the lovers and death).
Romeo and Juliet's death however came about just to mistakes and misunderstanding which foreshadows the dropping of the glasses, a mistake on behalf of the Countess who is unable to kill him. This breaks the spell on her and she becomes human and ultimately dies leaving the room as 'juliet's tomb'. This also links in with fate and creates the question of 'star-crossed lovers' and love instead of sex.

6. 'What a grisly picture of a capering skeleton! He covered it up with a happier one, two young lovers, smiling at one another...' How is the young man presented here? What might Carter's purposes be?
Here his innocence tries to hide death and could suggest many things. Firstly that he will prevent death with his love or that he will mask death with love and ultimately bring the Countess to her demise which we find out is what actually happens. At this point however there is still hope that, just like in most fairy tales love conquers all. Carter here appears to make a statement that love is not without faults which hide underneath and sometimes love dies. Also his rational mind just sees them as 'cards' or 'pictures' and nothing special however there is elements of fate in the idea that he picked out the same two as the Countess.

7. 'can a bird sing only the song it knows, or can it learn a new song? One kiss, however, only one, woke up the Sleeping Beauty'
Carter makes significant use of repetition in this story. Why might this be? What is he significance of the examples about, both of which are repeated.
The repetition has connotations of the fairy tale which would tend to repeat key information and descriptions to give across a message. The repetition also comes from the Countess' stream of consciousness showing how she is trapped and doomed to repeat herself forever.
The first example suggests a metamorphosis could occur and links in to the later books in the collection. While the second one shows that the love shown in fairy tales has become some kind of conditioning which we all follow such as 'true loves kiss' however the real world isn't like that and now instead of one kiss waking her from her living nightmare it kills her.

8. 'And so he puts his mouth 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?
There is a sense of role reversal as 'he puts his mouth to the wound' as if he is the vampire about to drink from her.
His rational mind had decided earlier that she had lost her mother and is in his stream of consciousness is sticking to his hypothesis, 'as her mother, had she lived'.
There is a sense of caring and of love in how 'he will kiss it better' and it is more innocent that the relationships with 'dead lovers' she was used to. However it is still a society where he has to care for her as the man and he feels it is his duty to do so.

9. '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 odour of a glowing, velvet, monstrous flower whose petals had regained all their former bloom and elasticity, their corrupt, brilliant, baleful splendour. Next day, his regiment embarked for France.'
One interpretation of the ending could be her metamorphosis and a suggestion that she wasn't completely dead and may live on just as the flower did. It could also represent the revival of the curse as the flowers grew in the garden as a by-product of the curse. This use of the flower feeding on the dead could be a symbol that he is about to die. It has also been revealed that he had a 'fate in the fields of France' and that nothing would make him shiver in fear until the trenches. Here the flower died with her only to bloom and be revived by his death just as she and the garden would feed and survive on his death. By using a supernatural and negative semantic field of words such as 'reeking', 'monstrous' and 'corrupt' to juxtapose the other words Carter creates a sense of unease for the reader. The finality of the last line, 'his regiment embarked for France' further suggest the inevitability of death.

10. Overall, how would you explain Carter's presentation of the lady and soldier in this narrative?
The two characters are opposites, she is dark, predatory, ('she sinks her teeth into their neck') cursed, soulless and superstitious ('tarot cards.' )On the other hand he is rational, light (blond, blue eyed), gifted (special quality of virginity) and innocent. Within the Gothic there are aspects of the characters which have been subverted such as the hero is now the virgin. She is trapped in the past, 'her voice reverberated as if in a cave' as her views 'echo' the past as she finds herself trapped by her ancestors and the curse. She is not able to move on like the town below has and if forced to stay as she is. He represents the new world however which destroys some of her old ways and frees her in some sense only to be replaced by her, (as the flower blooms for him at the end). Altogether they are both not as expected for a Gothic novel and makes us question the past heroes and heroines we have encountered as well as their relationships.

11. Consider the following quotation. How does it help you to develop your own ideas about this narrative?
The heroines of these stories are struggling out of the straitjackets of history and ideology and biological essentialism. 'There's a story in The Bloody Chamber called 'The lady of the house of Love', said Carter, 'part of which derives from a movie version that I saw of a story by Dostoevsky. And in the movie... the woman, who is a very passive person and is very much in distress, asks herself the question, 'Can a bird sing only the song it knows, or can it learn a new song?' Have we got the capacity at all of singing new songs? It's very important that if we haven't, we might as well stop now. Helen Simpson.
The heroine, the Countess, is struggling out of the straitjackets of history as she is trying to escape her ancestors which constantly look down on her. However she does constantly ask herself the question but never seems to act upon it. When she does appear to act, when the spell is broken by the breaking of the glasses it was because she made a mistake and couldn't bring herself to kill him. Up to that point she is doing only what she knew and as she changes into a human it all becomes new for her and she tries to learn a new song only to end up dying. Overall she is very 'passive' in her fate but this could be that her ancestry 'ideology' is so ingrained that she can't escape that by even thinking about it is trying to break away. 

Erl-King Summaries

The 'Erl-King' is the most innovative and experimental of the narratives.

Original-
The Erl-King is innovative within both the Gothic genre and the narratives. While following the religious conventions it draws upon the pagan religion such as the benevolent image of the green man however defies the Catholic convention of relationships. The heroine is more active, taking control of her situation at the end of the narrative. Her character is also not the innocent virgin or evil seductress found in most Gothic forms, similarly the Erl-King is also not a conventional character.
The shifting perspective is also innovative by not following the personal Gothic structure yet creates a similar feeling of uncertainty.

Revised-

The Erl-King is innovative within both the Gothic genre and the narratives. The religious conventions, while normal for a Gothic plot are experimented with in the Erl- King as they draw upon, and questions, both pagan images and Catholic beliefs. The heroine is more active than in the other narratives, taking an unconventional role and control of her situation at the end. Her character is also not the innocent virgin or evil seductress found in most Gothic forms,
The shifting perspective is also innovative by not following the personal Gothic structure yet creates a similar feeling of uncertainty.

Bettelheim

Fairy Tales and the Existential Predicament

1. How might Bettelheim's Ideas help us to understand fairy tales?

Betteleheim's interpretations of fairy tales such as Beauty and the Beast suggests that the duality of characters, good and evil, beautiful and beastly creates a simplistic view of moral dilemmas for a child to understand. Fairy Tales are designed to deal with unconscious feelings, expressing them in a safe way that allows the child to comprehend and understand their own feelings. Bettelheim expresses the belief that fairy tales expose a child to the darker sides of life without damaging them and work to prepare them for later conflicts they may have in their psyche by training their imaginations through these tales.

2. How do Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of the gothic?

The gothic and its link to romanticism revolves around the forbidden feelings that are ingrained in fairy tales. Bettelheim highlights the issue of duality in fairy tales, the omnipresence of evil and the simulacra of the typical characters all of which are concepts touched by the gothic genre and specifically Angela Carter. The outlines of morality are also important to both forms however in gothic the boundaries are more blurred.

3. Why do you think Angela Carter mixes the fairy tale and gothic genres?

The mix of Gothic and fairy tales allows Carter to subtlety expose the darker conventions of fairy tales by portraying them through the Gothic's warped morality. The mix, creating a sense of magical realism, creates new messages that reveal underlying truths in today's society. Specifically through the magically simularcra which plays on the playfulness of fairy tales but also the disturbing elements of the Gothic genre.   

Analysis of Angela Carter

1. Questions and Answers on the Text
 - Who is Paulina Palmer?
A feminist critic on contemporary women's writing.




2. 5 Sentences


1. Gender roles are challenged through psychic transformations to challenge ideological limitations proposed in society.
2. The simulacra of what we are stems from what society has created of us
3. Woman are warned about the consumption of marriage as something to fear as society believes a sexual liberation is damaging to femininity.
4. The masks hide both what we don't want others to see (the tiger) but what society doesn't want us to see.
5. By exposing men and women as beasts Carter prosposes androgyny


5 Words
- Transformations
- Simulacra
- Femininity
- Masks
- Beasts


Masks imposed by society hide the true nature of humans as beasts.


3. 100 words


Original fairy tale characters and themes allow Carter to explore the interval, dark desires and fears of humans. Female narrators transcend the accepted social view by transforming and highlighting the dominance of patriarchy and social conformity. The polarities created her (man/woman) and those used in fairy tales (good/bad) are questioned by the ambiguity of the characters who wear masks. The unsubtly of the masks exemplify what is hidden, exposing the simulacra of mankind. Carter plays on social fears, the female annihilation by men and narcissistic obsessions which the narrators overcome. It is the deconstruction of these ideas that exposes faults in society.

Tiger's Bride Questions

1. What are ‘the devil’s picture books’?
The devil's picture books is another name for a deck of cards. Named so because gambling was seen as a sin and linked with the devil as well as the extravagant pictures and designs on many decks.

2. What type of language is Carter using when the narrator calls The Beast ‘Milord’?
The narrator is being sarcastic when talking about the master. Carter has created her to be cynical and it highlights the irony the the one place she wants to go to save her father from his gambling addiction is the one placed he must indulge in it.

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’)?
White Rose symbolise the pure and innocent image associated with the perfect woman. In the Tiger's Bride Carter exposes that it is 'unnatural' which was not questioned in The Courtship of Mr Lyon as they focused on its perfect form. However similar to the snow child, the narrator gets pricked by the thorns and let the rose be 'smeared with blood' possibly suggesting her impurity. This could also be a symbol to the father that his objectification of Beauty as a possession he can gamble away makes her suffer.

4. What might be significant about the verb choice ‘fleeced’?
The word 'fleeced' is significant as Carter often refers to her heroines to lambs. In the story the narrator is the lamb who 'must learn to run with tigers'. It also refers back to their social situation where the father 'beggars himself' with gambling. There is also connotations to be covered similar to how the Beast covers his otherness and how Beauty's father is blinded by his own addiction to see how the Beast is playing him.

5. Which fairy tale does ‘gobble you up’ come from and why is it referred to?
The reference is to the Big Bad Wolf in Red Riding Hood and links the story back to its fairy tale roots. The Wolf here is replaced by a Tiger however the predatory nature is constantly referred to through references like this. It could also be a reference to Billy Goats Gruff and the troll under the bridge. At the beginning of the tale he is stopping them from regaining their wealth by insisting on playing cards where he is so obviously cheating. Within the Tiger's Bride it is there to scare the young narrator has while seemingly innocent when taken into the account of the Beast could be used to suggest rape or assault. It is foreboding that something sinister may happen to her when she meets the 'Tiger man' and links to the end where she confronts him and he begins to 'lick' her which, 'ripped off skin' to reveal the tigress.

6. What tells the reader that the inhabitants are not driven by appearances or luxuries?
The narrator points out that 'the beast has brought solitude not luxury with his money' in order to hide his otherness. Later the servant points out that they have 'dispensed with the servants' so no longer have the 'utility and pleasure' but are not at odds without it. These simply things help to isolate the Beast, As for luxuries he offers Beauty a lot of money to see her 'de nuda' as well as gambling, despite cheating, for a 'king's ransom'. These suggest that for the Beast money is not a problem and not really a luxury for him. The only place that appearances matter to the Beast is when he is trying to hide his otherness, his mask is 'too perfect' and he is completely covered from the wig, to the 'chaste silk stock' choker around his neck and his gloves. While this is supposed to cover his true appearance and act as a disguise it is what makes him stand out to Beauty as to her it appears 'two-dimensional'.

7. What is the significance of the fresco ‘where fruit and blossom grew on the bough together’?
The image of a 'wood where fruit and blossom grew on the bough together' inspires thoughts of Eden. This idyllic scene of nature and man in a symbiotic relationship is one that ties into the story as the Tiger cannot find this world in his home and must hide himself behind a 'mask' when with company. The narrator suggests that this scene is too perfect as the 'tiger will never lie down with the lamb' however it is not mythological either and can, with compromise, work as the 'lamb must learn to run with the tigers'. 'Fruit and blossom also seem to connect to women as a sign of beauty and fertility and it suggests it is rare that the two traits most valued in a woman go 'on the bough together'.  On the other side of things the 'fruit' could be symbolic of the fruit of knowledge in the garden of Eden and could be used to forebode the curiosity of the Beast. As it is a fresco and painted into the wall it acts as a constant reminder to the Beast of nature however it could also show an element of control. The Beast is going against nature by living as a man instead of embrace his true self and by trapping nature inside he is exerting his control.

8. What is the description of the soubrette supposed to suggest to the reader?
Carter has used the doll like, soubrette to create an image of the objectification of women and society's ideal view of a woman. The first thing described of the 'maid' is the face, 'rosy cheeks'. 'nut-brown curls' and 'blue, rolling eyes'. These features first give the soubrette a human quality however the narrator is quick to 'recognise her' as a 'clockwork twin' giving the doll a more sinister feeling to it. As the description goes on it reflects society's needs for a woman. She is wearing 'white stockings' and a 'frilled petticoat' and her job is to serve. In one hand she is holding a 'looking glass' and makeup suggesting that appearances are important for a woman. The heroine herself, when indulging in makeup references that she is making herself look more like a doll. Within her heart the 'soubrette' carries 'a musical box' suggesting that woman should sweet and light like music, for example a common simile for a woman's voice is like bells or music. Lastly out of her bodice 'protrudes the handle of a key', the soubrette is under the control of men who wind it up whenever she is needed to perform her duties, A feminist reading of this would say that this demonstrates that women are unable to think and act for themselves. Another view of the soubrette's inhuman qualities and the valet's remark 'nothing human lives here' is a sign of the Beast's otherness and can be traced back in the Courtship of Mr Lyon where the Beast cannot bear to surround himself with those who he differs from.

9. How does the girl compare herself to animals?
The narrator expresses her feelings towards horses, that 'they are better than we are, and in the stables she 'lirruped and hurrumphed' to her horse. This affinity suggests her need to be free but also after seeing how the Beast treats his horses, giving them the 'use of the dining room' and she too wishes for this respect. She also likens herself to a 'lamb' which is a sacrifical symbol and in the end she sacrifices her human nature to be equal with the beast. 

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’.
This suggests that the no matter how much the Tiger wishes he cannot change his nature to 'lie down with the lamb'. In a similar way the Beast couldn't change his nature and be a man, such as in the Courtship of Mr Lyons. Despite his disguises he is not quite human in company and on his own he reverted to his animal nature as he sits 'imprisoned between gnawed and bloody bones'. It can be suggested that in this story it is not just the narrator but the beast also that comes to terms with their animal nature. It is because of his unchanging nature that she must change for him, becoming a tigeress and making their pact reciprocal.

The Tiger's Bride- Vocab

Assuage- "To assuage your loneliness, madame ..."
to dull the effect of an unpleasant feeling making it less intense. Or to satisfy a desire or appetite. 

Awry- 'He throws .our human aspirations to the godlike sadly awry'

askew or off the intended or expected course.

Axiom- 'Or, should I be prepared to accept it as proof of the axiom my father had drummed into me'

A proposition or statement that is either accepted, established or self evidently true.

Capisco-  Capisco? So shocked was I that I scarcely did 'capisco'

Italian for Understand

Ciliate- the willows flourished their ciliate heads

Covered in small hairs resembling the cilia on cells.

Civet- far too potent a reek of purplish civet

A nocturnal, carnivorous weasel like animal found in Africa and Asia.

Desnuda- Desnuda--

Italian for naked

Excoriating- his excoriating claws

The damage or removal of part of the skin.

Expostulating- the valet danced backwards...expostulating, wordlessly pleading

Strong disapproval or disagreement

Eyrie- Milord has his eyrie high above the house

The nest of a bird of prey, usually built up high.

Gavotte- letting out a rippling fart of gavotte

A popular French dance of the 18th Century

Gracile- a dozen gracile muzzles

Slender or thin build

Megalomaniac- the megalomaniac citadel of his palazzo.
Obsessions with power

Metaphysical- I privately engaged in metaphysical speculation

Relating to the philosophy of first principles and abstract thoughts.

Minuet- her bowels churning out a settecento minuet

A slow ballroom dance

Molto Agitato- Agitato, molto agitato

Translation from italian : Very Rough

Nascent- left behind a nascent patina of shining hairs

Newly existing with signs of future development and potential.

Obsequiousness- The valet crouched...with a strange kind of unflattering obsequiousness

Exhibiting an endearing or fawning attentiveness

Ostlers- her belly swelled amid the cruel mockery of the ostlers

People employed at inns to take care of the horses of the tenants

Patina- left behind a nascent patina of shining hairs

The brown sheen of oxidisation that covers metals such as bronze

Preternatural- He sprang down with preternatural agility to place them

Beyond what is normal or natural

Profligate- Not my profligate father

A recklessly extravagant or wasteful person. Usually someone who overindulges. 

Settecento- her bowels churning out a settecento minuet

18th century, specifically the in Italy.

Shagreen- took from it a little shagreen box

Sharkskin or untanned leather used as a decorative material and known for the rough texture

Simian- the simian retainer and the master for whom he spoke

Relating to an ape or monkey,

Simulacra- We surround ourselves, instead, for utility and pleasure, with simulacra and find it no less convenient

An image or representation of something. An imitation or replacement.

Soubrette- the door swings open and out glides a soubrette from an operetta

A minority female role in a comedy e.g a maid servant, often portayed vain and girlish with a strong flirtatious or sexual nature. 

Spar- No natural horseman he; he clung to her mane like a shipwrecked sailor to a spar

The thick, strong pole used as a mast on a ship

Spurious- how bereft the dead season of this spurious Eden

False or Fake

Tantivy- 'Tantivy! tantivy! a-hunting we will go!'

A hunting cry which can also mean to gallop

Tintinnabulation- tintinnabulation of cut-glass chandeliers

a delicate ringing sound, tinkling

Viscera- a veritable cell, windowless, airless, lightless, in the viscera of the palace

Internal organs, specifically in the main cavity of the torso.

The Tiger's Bride- Context

The Tiger's BrideA Gothic rewriting of Beauty and the Beast


 "his Mantegnas, his Giulio Romanos, his Cellini salt cellars"

Andrea Mantegna

A renaissance painter in Italy during the 15th century. He is most famous for his work of saints and biblical images such as Saint Sebastian and the Lamination over the dead Christ.

Guilio Romana
Famed Italian painter and architect who helped define mannerism. He was a pupil of Raphael and deviated from the traditional Renaissance art in masterpieces such as The Stoning of St. Stephen, Madonna and Child and Romano Triumph of Titus and Vespasian.


Benvenuto Cellini
Italian sculptor most notable for his salt cellar piece. The piece is a small gold table sculpture depicting the naked figures of a man and woman who represent sea and earth. It also holds salt and pepper. It has a old and noble history starting off in the hands of Francis I then moving on to the Habsburg family

The Courtship of Mr Lyons Questions-

1.Use your own words to describe Mr. Lyons' property. Look carefully at the way it is described, and particularly the adjectives used. Why is it described in this way? What is the overall impression of this? (no.7)

The property is very isolated at the end of a 'short, snowy, drive' highlighted by Carter's sibilance which extenuates the soft sounds that are associated with quietness and calm but also loneliness. Further portrayed through personification, as it 'seemed to hide', the house and grounds reflect a trait shared with Mr Lyon who tries to hide his otherness through avoidance of humans. Despite the surrounding the house itself is grand, described as 'perfect, Palladian' and old fashioned, it is linked with 'melancholic grace' suggesting old wealth and loneliness. The description of the house takes a deathly tone, suggesting a 'deserted', 'antique' and 'faded' feel to the house surrounded by the 'ghost of a tangle of thorn' all of which have connotations of abandonment and death. Although it appears well kept, the grand and rich 'mahogany door' is furnished with a 'solid gold' lion's head knocker while contrasting the growing dark which the man is stranded in the house is bright and full of life as the light from the 'great chandelier' falls on 'many flowers' which enrich the air with perfume.

2. Now, research a building in a traditional fairy story. This may be the castle of a prince, a gingerbread house, the home of the three bears. A) Compare the language used to describe the house and gardens of Mr Lyon with those used in the traditional fairy story. What do you observe about the language, used in each story? (Remember to give detail of the text you are using, including page references and quotations which will support the points you make) (no. 8)

In many fairy tales the language and tone of the description is very matter of fact. In Hansel and Gretel the house is 'made of pieces of bread and cake. The windows were clear sugar' as it is for children and only the interesting parts are highlighted. In the original telling of Beauty and the Beast the castle is said to be 'bathed in light' in 'the middle of the woods' however does not go into detail. Carter has used the 3rd person narrator to describe the house similar to that of the fairy tale and has highlighted key areas of it such as its grandeur, 'perfect, Palladian house' and isolation, 'withered ghost of tangled thorns'. The use of shadows and light, in contrast to the original story, helps to create an aura of danger and fear aided by the pathetic fallacy of the snow storm. Carter has dimmed the 'bright light' to one that 'flickered' and was 'so vague it could have been the reflection of a star' to show that the father is desperate and that the house hides secrets.


3. Look closely at the description of the Beast and analyse the linguistic techniques used. These should include the use of repetition, adjectives, nouns, verbs and imagery. What effect does the description have on the reader? How do you feel about the Beast and what has made you feel like this? (no. 9)

A semantic field surrounding animals, specifically lions, is used to describe the Beast. Similar to the Marquis from the first story he is also 'leonine' with a 'mane' however Beauty dispels this connection by explicitly saying 'a lion is a lion and a man is a man' showing that while the Marquis was always the man the Beast is an 'angry lion' pretending to be a man. There is a lot of repetition of the word 'lion' which contrasts with his clothes and status. His size is emphasised through Carter's description is him as a 'great bulk' and is perceived as 'vaster than the house itself' however this could show his power over the father due to his social position and wealth in comparison. The Beast's image is also one of wealth and status, he is wearing a 'smoking jacket of dull red brocade' as he tries to appear more human but is unable to cover his otherness. His voice is a 'dark, rumbling growl' which gives the character a more fearsome persona, growls are very animalistic and usually warning sounds of an attack however he later purrs showing that he too, like humans, can be gentle and warming. It is also described as a 'cave of echos', a technique Carter uses throughout the different stories in the book where she makes the men unspecific to any man and every man.


4. Look at the way the story is narrated? Is it 1st Person? 3rd Person? How does the narrative perspective affect the impact of the story on the reader?

Carter has used a shifting perspectives in the book as well as different voices to disorientate the reader and build up a world, in the Beast's home, of confusion, where normal rules do not apply. This is most apparent when the father sees the Beast's dog. The narrative changes from a third person to a new stream of consciousness, '(how amusing)' which seems incongruous to story and which is instantly discarded. It reinforces the image that in a rich man's house 'all the laws of the world... need not necessarily apply'. It also allows Carter to not just look at everything the heroine sees but to see her as part of the story.

Magical Realism

Form:

Magical Realism in a genre of fiction that focuses on magical elements and events mixed in with reality and realistic settings. It blends the two while trying to pass the more mystical elements are explained in a straightforward tone so that they can coincide with the normal events in one stream of consciousness. 
There is some confusion on the borders of the term magical realism. Some critics such as Matthew Strecher believe it is "what happens when a highly detailed, realistic setting is invaded by something 'too strange to believe'". However this could be due to the Western alienation of mythology and how we perceive the 'strange'.
It is not to be confused with escapist which is solely based on the magical realm and the weird but it is a way to confront society by contrasting it with something else. It is a reality just not one with the same objectiveness as our own. 

More Complex Question

How is appearance important in this story? Consider both looks and clothing. 

Appearance is significant in this story as it is told largely through the male gaze. The narrator herself does not talk about her face or specific features of her appearance other than those that are appealing to a man; such as 'pointed breasts' and 'thighs', showing that she is sexualising and fetishising herself for the benefit of her husband. Another interpretation of this is that because of the lack of detail she represents women as a whole.
Similarly the Marquis is described as animalistic with a 'large leonine head', 'soles of velvet' and a 'dark mane' but is also very representative in all of his features. Despite being old with 'streaks of pure silver' in his hair is face is 'perfectly smooth' so he can be any man. However throughout the narrator points out his mask, which he hides behind and does not reveal his true feeling to her and it is because of this mask and the feeling that she doesn't know him that persuades the narrator to go to find 'his heart' and leads her to the bloody chamber.

Clothing is very important as it is one of the main ways the Marquis strips her of any power. When they first reach the castle he undresses her before the mirrors while keeping himself clothed in an ponographic and sadistic way of control he leaves her. Later on he strips her once again she is 'impaled' by him. Lastly he derobes her with his sword, a phallic symbol in itself, as he rips 'the dress in two' to display his masculine power as well as to highlight her complete corruption at his hands.

Developed Questions

On page 14, is the description of their first sexual encounter pleasurable, erotic, disgusting, uncomfortable, pornographic or something else? Explain your answer with well-chosen quotations.

The narrator takes a very blunt tone about the first sexual encounter. There is no romantic language involved and seems more violent, the act was likened to 'fighting' and a 'one sided struggle'. This suggests that it is not as romantic or as fluid as perceived but awkward and raw. The 'one sided struggle' emphasizes the power and control he has over her. The negative mood of the description shows that now the narrator has lost some of her power to him by submitting to his will and admits to feeling 'disheveled' by the loss of virginity as well as comparing it to being 'impaled' showing that for her it was not a pleasurable experience. 

On pages 16 and 17, what can you say about the language used to describe the discovered painting  – and what does that painting symbolise?
The painting is named the Sacrificial victim as is described as quite erotic with 'lace-like chains' and 'robed herself involuntarily in a blush' this related back to the narrator who blushed when derobed. The mention of 'chains' has a gothic connection to entrapment and the Marquis need to control her but also has connotations of De Sade and sadism. The painting symbolizes that the Marquis will turn the narrator into a sacrificial victim when he later tries to behead her. 

On page 17, jot down all the colours used by Carter and summarise their effect.

- Red- The colour of the blush which is a sign of innocence but also of the fire which is passion.
- White- Pale colour which was very fashionable for women at the time but suggests purity and innocence.
- Opal- an opulent and bright colour to show wealth.
- Green- Connotations of jealousy and illness, for example she feels 'giddy' with love for him.

On page 13, the husband wants to make love in the bright light of day and says, ‘All the better to see you’. Where does this phrase come from and why is it used here?

Carter has deliberately referenced red riding hood to relate back to the fairy tale world she is recreating but to also make out the Marquis as the antagonist by making him repeat he part of the wolf. This suggests the animalistic and predatory nature of the Marquis which is already suggested through his 'leonine head' and 'mane'. It could also foreshadows how he tricks the narrator later on. 

What is your opinion on the effect of Carter’s intertextuality and florid prose? 
Carter's use of intertexuality is a very subtle way of connecting to the different contexts within the story. She relates the stories directly back to original fairy tales; 'all the better to see you with' and 'Bluebeard', in order to keep to the gothic fairy tale genre and to expose the more sinister aspects. While fairy tales are meant for children some inter-textual references connect to the more adult reader as well as specific classes such as the opera 'Tristan and Isodole' or the paintings and the music. From a Marxist perspective this could suggest a certain cultural capital expressed by Carter. The florid prose used also suggests the narrator herself is of more middle stature as she has the ability and education to express herself.

Basic Questions

Describe the way Carter presents the ruby choker on page 6. Write a paragraph to practice word level analysis, ensuring you can examine a word or phrase in graphic detail.

Carter has presented the ruby choker as a symbol of wealth referring to it as 'precious' and detailing the 'two inch wide' 'rubies' that it is made of. The fact that it was given to her as a 'wedding gift' shows the status of the Marquis who's family can afford such a piece of jewelry. On the other hand Carter reaches into the gothic through the grotesque imagery of a 'slit throat' which is 'as red as arterial blood' and foreshadows the Marquis' wish to behead her. The reference to the 'Terror' shows that this choker was originally made as a mockery to the lower classes after they revolted against the wealthy. But a feminist may pick up on the way it is 'clasped' around her throat as a sign of control, for example as a collar instead of piece of jewelry suggesting she is more of a pet to the Marquis than a fellow human being.

On page 7, the narrator describes herself as an ‘exile’ once married. What does this suggest?

In once sense the narrator is in 'exile' as she is being taken away from her old life and her 'girlhood' towards the Marquis castle. She feels isolated and feels she will 'always be lonely' now this she is married. This is emphasized by her husband who does not interact with her on the train other than to say 'soon' to her. From a Marxist perspective she is also 'exiled' between social class as while being from a middle to lower background she has elevated herself to something higher by marrying a Marquis yet due to strict social hierarchy she will never be completely of that upper class.

On page 18, what seems to give the girl confidence and power once more? 

Her the narrator is presented with the keys which Carter has used to symbolize power. The Marquis gives her the keys in confidence and this in turn makes her confident with the trust. The power comes when he asks her not to go into his 'personal enfer' but still gives her the key. This forbidden knowledge and the means to access it gives the narrator her power.

On page 38, how is the usual ‘hero’ structure altered?

On page 38 the 'hero' structure is altered by the narrator taking a more active role. Instead of being passive, such as Jean-Yves who is unable to help her, she attempts to hide her new knowledge. Jean-Yves demands to stay with her but she sends him away knowing she must speak 'alone' to the Marquis. When the Marquis comes in she takes her salvation into her own hands and starts 'mimicking the new bride' by embracing him and playing innocent. 

What is the Marquis' view of women

The Marquis takes a more traditional view on women expecting them to be compliant and loyal to him. He wins the narrator over with gifts of 'crystallized fruit' and the 'choker of rubies' this is a very stereotypical view that women are obsessed with jewels and aesthetics. He also view them as possessions for his pleasure, he is completely control of the relationship with the narrator and in the bloody chamber he reifies his dead wives.

Bloody Chamber: Intertexual References

Bluebeard- The Myth

Bluebeard is a wealthy aristocrat who is shunned for his beard which is a strange colour of blue. This means his wealth is he only attraction and he wants a wife that he knows will obey him. He appeals to his neighbor to let him marry one of his daughters but neither want to until he asks the younger to his chateaux and hosts a banquet for her. They are married and she goes to live with him.
He announces he must leave but gives her a set of keys and while saying she has free range of the castle he stresses she must not go into a small room. She vows to agree but curiosity takes over and she enters the forbidden room to find her husband's former wives in various states of mutilation. She drops the key in the blood, a stain that she can't wash off and later reveals her betrayal. He threatens to behead her but she pleas for time to say her prayers and she is locked in a tower with her visiting sister. They are taken to the courtyard where she is to be beheaded only to be interrupted by her brothers who kill Bluebeard. She inherits and pays for her brothers to get good jobs, her sister to marry who she loved and for herself to remarry to a rich man.

Within Bloody Chamber- This provides the main story which Angela Carter has rewritten from a gothic perspective

Mark of Cain

The mark of Cain is symbolic of the bible where God cursed Cain for killing his brother and is supposed to enact vengeance seven-fold on anyone who hurts Cain.

Within Bloody Chamber- The mark that is placed on the narrators head by the key and exposes her betrayal

Catherine de Medici
(1519-1589)

Daughter of Lorenzo de Medici II and Queen of France after marrying Henry II. Her heirs and regency of France kept them in power during a time of civil war. She comes from a background of wealth and ruthlessness.

Within the Bloody Chamber- Named as a friend of the Marquis ancestors and shows opulence and wealth as well as a strong family background

Croesus

King of Lydia in 560-545 BC until defeated by the Persians. He is known for being extremely rich and in Greek culture his name became synonymous of wealth. He even distributed pure gold coins as currency. His demise came at his own misinterpretation of an oracle when he asked what would happen if he attacked the Persians and the answer was 'you will destroy a great empire'.
Within Bloody Chamber- Used to describe the Marquis

Tristan and Isolde
(opera) 

A tragedy based on the doomed love of Tristan (a knight), and Isolde (a princess).

Felicien Rops
(artist) 

A Belgian artist famous for his printmaking style and his nude models depicted in erotic scenes. He was greatly influenced by Baudelaire.

Huysmans’ Là-Bas(novel) 

Written by Joris-Karl Huysmans, and published in 1891 it deals with Satanism in fin-de-siecle France. It;s name translates to Down there or The Damned. It focuses on a man who studies the Middle Ages after becoming disillusioned with the modern world only to find Satanism is still practiced in France.

Grand Guignol 

A famous theatre in Paris that was open from 1897-1962 and was famous for specialising in naturalistic horror films.

Rape of the Sabines
An ancient Roman event dated to around 750BC where the first generation of Romans sought out wives by kidnapping and raping the neighbouring Sabine women.

St Cecilia

Patron Saint of musicians. Her name is supposedly derived from the latin word for 'blind'. She became a martyr after being struck in the neck three times with a sword and surviving for three days afterwards. It is also said despite being married she had an angel watching over her virginity.

Pandora’s box 

A greek legend that Pandora was given a box of all the world's evils. Despite being told not to unleash what was inside she opened the box and released all of the evil of the world leaving only hope inside.

Paul Poiret

French fashion designer at the beginning of the 20th Century who designed women's clothes. He is known for giving women freedom for the tight corset.

Other Influences

Charles Baudelaire
1829-1867

Baudelaire was a french poet best known for his dandy lifestyle and controversial poetry. While living the lifestyle of a Romantic he was a critic of the movement and coined the term 'modernity' meaning the appreciation of beauty and art in the modern world.

His most famous poetry collection was the Flowers of Evil published in 1857. It's themes of sex and death were critised as being both ‘putrid’ (by Habas) and ‘unyielding as marble’ (by Flaubert).

Baudelaire was prosecuted for his poetry being an offence against public morals and fined. Although the fine was dropped it was 100 years later that the ban was lifted and he was reinstated.

"Unable to suppress love, the Church wanted to a least disinfected it, and it created marriage"

Marquis De Sale

1740-1814

The Marquis is a famous author of the books Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue; Juliette; The 120 Days of Sodom; and Philosophy in the Bedroom. It was through these books he presented his more liberal sexual preferences and highlighted sexual violence. It is from him that the term 'sadism' was coined and his life was strife with scandal.

Carter was influenced by him both in her critical papers by also in the Bloody Chamber where she reference some of his views through her own 'Marquis'

Fairy Tale Context

Charles Perrault
1628-1703

Charles Perrault was a French writer famous for the modern day fairy tale. Taking folk tales and traditional stories he adapted them for children in the Tales of Mother Goose anthology published in 1697 from Paris. Within this book were 11 famous short fairy tales from which Carter has taken influence from in her own Gothic tales.

Tales of Mother Goose
"The Sleeping Beauty",
"Little Red Riding Hood",
"Bluebeard",
"The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots",
"Cinderella",
"Riquet with the Tuft",
"Hop o' My Thumb",
"Griselidis" (La Patience de Grisélidis),
"The Ridiculous Wishes" (Les Souhaits ridicules),
"Donkeyskin" (Peau d'Ane)
   "Diamonds and Toads" (Les Fées).

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
(1785-1863) (1786-1859)

The Brothers Grimm were German academics famous for their records of German Fairy Tales and language. Overall they published over 200 folklore including 'Snow white and the Seven Dwarfs', 'Rapunzel', 'The Frog Prince', and 'Hanzel and Gretel'. And retell some of Charles Perrault's stories such as Cinderella.

Angela Carter

Angela Carter
1940-1992

Mini Biography
Angela Carter was born in Eastbourne in 1940 and was later evacuated with her grandmother to Yorkshire. This is where she spent her teenager years suffering with anorexia.
She became a journalist for the Croydon Advertiser before going on to study English Literature at the University of Bristol. In 1960 she married Paul Carter and continued to write, winning the Somerset Maugham award. She used to money she had raised to divorce her husband after 9 years of marriage and moved to Tokyo where she spent the next 2 years.
On her return she spent many years writing at many universities across Europe and America. In 1977 Carter remarried to Mark Pearce and had a son.
Despite all this she continued to write non-fiction, short stories, radio scripts, anthologies and even started her own sequel to Jane Eyre based on Adele Verons. According to the Times she ranked number 10 in their list of greatest authors since 1945.
In 1991 she was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away soon after aged 52. 

Her novels include:

Shadow Dance, 

The Magic Toyshop, 

Heroes and Villains, 

Several Perceptions, 

The Donkey Prince, 

Miss Z 

Love, The Music People,

Moonshadow, 

Nights at the Circus

Artificial Fire, 

Wise Children,

Sea-Cat & Dragon King
 

Her anthologies include
Expletives Deleted
The Bloody Chamber,
Comic and Curious Cats,
American Ghosts
Old World Wonders,
Black Venus,
Burning Your Boats  

The nonfiction works are
The Sadeian Woman & the Ideology of Pornography
Nothing Sacred
Images of Frida Kahlo

Key Points

GenresGothic, Magical Realism, Short story, novel, Romance, Erotica, Fairy Tale, Non-fiction, Children stories, journalistic, post-modern, post-Freud, Bilgundsroman

InfluencesSurrealism, Feminism, Marxism, The Maquis de Sade, Goethe, Schubert, her Mother, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Lawrence, Wordsworth, Blake, Coleridge, Mansfield, Woolf, Dickens, Keats, Stoker, Carroll. Tokyo.

Key Vocabulary

Essential Vocabulary

Aesthete- A person who appreciates arts and beauty.

Aigrette- A headdress made of white Egret feathers and elaborately decorated

Avarice- Extreme greed for material possessions and wealth

Baroque- A detailed movement in art, music and decoration during the 17^th and 18^th century following Mannerism.

Bier- A movable frame on which a coffin sits in before burial to be carried to the grave.

Billets-doux- Love Letters

Carillon- Bells playing on an automatic mechanism attached to a keyboard

Carnal- physical, usually sexual, needs and desires

Catafalque- Wooden framework decorating or supporting the coffin of a distinguished person
Chamber music-Simplistic form of orchestral music played by a small ensemble such as a string quartet.

Chthonic- An inhabitant of or related to the underworld

Dolorous- feeling or expressing great sorry or distress

Eldritch- Weird, sinister or ghostly

Enfer- French for ‘Hell’

Florid- A red or flushed complexion but also used to describe something excessively complex and intricate

Fugue- Musical connotations where a small melody is started by one and taken up successively by others. (A round) Also describes the loss of awareness of identity

Gourmand- Someone who is gluttonous, French for greedy

Immolated- Sacrificed or killed, specifically by burning

Importunate- persistent to the point of annoyance.

Interdiction- the military act of delaying, disrupting or destroying enemy forces/supplies en route to the battlefield

Jinn- An Arab or Muslim spirit believed to possess humans and appear in human or animal form. They are intelligent but lower than angels

Leonine- Resembling a Lion

Lisle- Specially black cotton thread specific to stockings

Loge- A private enclosure or box in the theatre

Loquacity- Quality of talking a lot.

Lustratory- relating to the ceremony of purification

Missal- A book containing the Catholic mass texts.

Minimalist -A movement in art and music but also someone who takes minor and passive actions.

Nacreous- iridescent, luminous and changing colour

Parure- A collection of jewels intended to be worn as a set

Rococo -18^th Century Continental Europe designs of décor popular for asymmetrical patterns involving motifs and scrollwork

Rictus- A fixed grimace or grin

Sacerdotal- relating or priests or the doctrine the empowers priests

Sadomasochistic- The derivation of pleasure from the physical or mental suffering of oneself or others

Sardonic- Grinning in a mocking or cynical way

Trousseau- The clothes and linen collected by a bride for her marriage

Vellum- Parchment made from the skin of a lamb or calf

Vicuna- a species of llama in South America known for its silky wool

Viscera- Internal organs, especially in the main body cavities

Voluptuary- A person dedicated to luxury or sensual pleasure