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 describes the choker as being like an "extraordinary precious slit throat", this signifies that the narrator who is telling us this will be hurt in some way or at least threatened with something as graphic as a slit throat. This also foreshadows later events because the Marquis planned to kill the narrator by beheading her. The phrase that Carter decided to use shows that she believes this to be a 'precious' thing and believing that 'slit throat' is something to be admired shows that the narrator is incredibly naive to the situation she has found herself in. 

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

It shows that she believes that marriage signifies commitment and hiding away. She should no longer be finding herself a marriage because she has just got one. It shows that she believes that once you are married then you have to become the perfect wife and stay at home to bear children and look after the home environment.

On page 16, what seems to give the girl confidence and power once more? 

The girl gains more confidence when she realises that the Marquis is captivated by her innocence and naivety. She gains the courage that she didn't really feel before because of her unknowingness. She gains pleasure from the fact that the Marquis wants to show her how to live instead.

On page 33, how is the usual ‘hero’ structure altered? 

In a sense, the usual hero structure is put down as a male quality. Whereas in this case, we can see that the narrator gains even more power when she tells Jean-Yves to leave her and to "go back to your room," you could say that this shows the hero structure was altered because she is telling the man what to do. Highlighting the switch in gender qualities.

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Seven:

Essential Vocabulary:

aesthete - a person who is appreciative of and sensitive to art and beauty.
aigrette - a headdress consisting of a white egret's feather or other decoration such as a spray of gems.
avarice - extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
baroque - relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that followed Mannerism and is characterized by ornate detail. In architecture the period is exemplified by the palace of Versailles and by the work of Wren in England. Major composers include Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel; Caravaggio and Rubens are important baroque artists.
bier - a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial or cremation or on which they are carried to the grave.
billets-doux - a love letter.
carillon - a set of bells usually hung in a tower and played either by keys and pedals or mechanically.
carnal - relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities.
catafalque - a decorated wooden framework supporting the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral or while lying in state.
chthonic - relating to or inhabiting the underworld.
dolorous - feeling or expressing great sorrow or distress.
eldritch - weird and sinister or ghostly.
enfer (translate the French) - hell or inferno
gourmand - a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much.
immolated - kill or offer as a sacrifice, especially by burning.
importunate - persistent, especially to the point of annoyance.
interdiction - a military term for the act of delaying, disrupting, or destroying enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area. A distinction is often made between strategic and tactical interdiction.
jinn - a prostitute's client.
lisle - a fine, smooth cotton thread used especially for stockings.
loge - a private box or enclosure in a theatre.
loquacity - the quality of talking a great deal; talkativeness.
lustratory - 
missal - a book containing the texts used in the Catholic Mass throughout the year.
nacreous - having the lustre of mother-of-pearl
parure - a set of jewels intended to be worn together.
rictus - a fixed grimace or grin.
sacerdotal - the belief that propitiatory sacrifices for sin require the intervention of a priest. That is, it is the belief that a special, segregated order of men, called the priesthood, are the only ones who can commune directly with God or the gods. This system of the priesthood is exemplified by the priests in the Old Testament.
sadomasochistic - the derivation of pleasure from the infliction of physical or mental pain either on others or on oneself.
sardonic - grimly mocking or cynical.
trousseau - the clothes, linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage.
vellum - fine parchment made originally from the skin of a calf.
vicuna - the wool from the vicuña's fine lustrous undercoat
viscera - the internal organs in the main cavities of the body, especially those in the abdomen, e.g. the intestines.
voluptuary - a person devoted to luxury and sensual pleasure.

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Six:

The Bloody Chamber - Intertextual References

Bluebeard - The Myth:

"Bluebeard is the villain in a European folktale made famous by Charles Perrault in his tale Barbe bleue. According to the story, Bluebeard married several women, one after the other, and murdered each of them. He threw their bodies in a special room inside his castle. He married yet again and gave his new bride the keys to the castle, telling her that she might go anywhere in the castle except for that one room. While Bluebeard was away, however, his young wife's curiosity got the better of her and she opened the door to the forbidden room. There she discovered the remains of Bluebeard's previous wives. When Bluebeard returned, he realized that his wife had found out his secret and told her that she must prepare to die.

The story has several different endings. In one version, the young wife killed Bluebeard with his own sword. In another, her brothers came to her rescue and killed him. The theme of the story of Bluebeard—the penalty for being too curious—appears in the folktales of many countries."

[source: http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Be-Ca/Bluebeard.html]

The myth of Bluebeard is heavily seen in Angela Carter's first short story in The Bloody Chamber. However even though the story remains the same and the general essence of what Carter is telling us could be examined to be the same message as the folklore, you can also see it from the perspective that she is writing these short stories in a 'postmodern feminist gothic' context and even though the story is the same; at the end of the day she wants us to look deeper into it to see the story from her feminist way of thinking.

Mark of Cain:

"The nature of the mark on Cain has been the subject of much debate and speculation. The Hebrew word translated "mark" is 'owth and refers to a “mark, sign, or token.” Elsewhere in the Hebrew Scriptures, 'owth is used 79 times and is most frequently translated as "sign." So, the Hebrew word does not identify the exact nature of the mark God put on Cain. Whatever it was, it was a sign/indicator that Cain was not to be killed. Some propose that the mark was a scar, or some kind of tattoo. Whatever the case, the precise nature of the mark is not the focus of the passage. The focus is that God would not allow people to exact vengeance against Cain. Whatever the mark on Cain was, it served this purpose."

[source: http://www.gotquestions.org/mark-Cain.html]

The phrase Mark of Cain is used within the context of The Bloody Chamber, the narrator is said to have the Mark of Cain put upon her. From reading up about this it is clear to see that this mark that Carter refers to is a sign that the Marquis cannot kill her because he will "suffer vengeance seven times over", which is in fact the case because of the fact that he gets killed by the narrator's mother. 

Catherine de Medici:

"Some historians have excused Catherine from blame for the worst decisions of the crown, though evidence for her ruthlessness can be found in her letters. In practice, her authority was always limited by the effects of the civil wars. Her policies, therefore, may be seen as desperate measures to keep the Valois monarchy on the throne at all costs, and her patronage of the arts as an attempt to glorify a monarchy whose prestige was in steep decline. Without Catherine, it is unlikely that her sons would have remained in power."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de'_Medici]

Catherine de Medici is referenced in the story of the Bloody Chamber when the narrator is talking about the "old nurse" being jealous and trying to bad mouth the Marquis which the narrator does not appreciate. They are talking about the ring that the Marquis had given to the narrator and the fact that it had been passed down from the likes of Catherine de Medici. She is known to have been very ruthless and controlling, possibly showing that the Marquis would have the same character.

Croesus:

"In Greek and Persian cultures the name of Croesus became a synonym for a wealthy man. Croesus' wealth remained proverbial beyond classical antiquity: in English, expressions such as "rich as Croesus" or "richer than Croesus" are used to indicate great wealth to this day."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croesus]

In the text of The Bloody Chamber, there is mention on page 5 that the Marquis is as 'rich as Croesus', this indicates that the Marquis is incredibly wealthy. This has been a saying for many years to be a common phrase used to describe a wealthy man.

 Tristan and Isolde (opera):

"Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Isolde) is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. As always, Wagner wrote the words for the opera himself. He took the famous old legend which had been told by the German poet Gottfried von Strassburg.

Wagner composed the opera between 1857 and 1859. It was first performed, with Hans von Bülow conducting, in Munich on 10 June 1865. Many musicians think it is the greatest opera of the 19th century. Wagner’s dramatic handling of the story had enormous influence on many composers of the time. His harmonies were also an extremely important development in the language of Romantic music. Not everybody liked it. In particular, the music critic Eduard Hanslick said that he could not understand it.

The story of Tristan and Isolde was one of the great romances of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Several poets told the story, and each told it slightly differently. The themes of chivalry and courtly love are always there."

[source: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_und_Isolde]

In The Bloody Chamber, the narrator says that the Marquis took her and her mother to see this opera. It being a classic love story and her description that she 'must truly love him'. It shows that the Marquis is probably leading her on into believing that he is a true gentleman, or she is seeing him through rose tinted lenses. Also the woman in the opera, Isolde, dies young in it and it is seen as a tragedy. This could also foreshadow that this is what is going to happen to the young narrator.

 Felicien Rops(artist):

"Félicien Rops (1833 – 1898) was a Belgian artist and printmaker, as well as a founding member of the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.  He began his career whilst still a student, drawing satirical caricatures of politicians and public figures which were published in a student newspaper.  He later formed a deeply significant friendship with Charles Baudelaire, and created a frontispiece for the poet’s ‘Les Épaves’.  Rops is considered to be a Symbolist."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

The reference shows the symbolic nature of the story and how they relate to Rops work. The reference, on page 11, shows that the work of Rops was something that intrigued Carter and also because Rops etched a lot of naked and vulnerable women in dreary landscapes. It means that the narrator is also on show and vulnerable to the Marquis and what he stands for.

Huysmans’ Là-Bas(novel):

"Joris-Karl Huysmans (1848-1907) was a French writer, famous for the novel ‘À rebours’ as well as ‘Là-Bas’.  His work was considered to be quite decadent and perverse, with great attention given to sensual description and themes such as homosexuality and Satanism being given attention.  Originally interested in the Naturalist style of writing, Huysmans later became more aligned to the Symbolists; he was also inspired by his return to the Catholic church in later life."

" ‘Là-Bas’ was published in 1891, and soon became banned in some places.  The disillusioned protagonist, Durtal, researches the practice of Satanism in contemporary France, finding that it is still very much in existence.  He comes to this discovery through first reading about the life of the 15th Century murderer, Gilles de Rais, who is himself a highly significant figure for our purposes; he has long been thought to be a model for the fairy tale ‘Bluebeard’, which in turn is a clear influence of ‘The Bloody Chamber’."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

The use of this reference in The Bloody Chamber, page 11, could indicate the inspiration behind this character of the Marquis and what he is really about. The Bloody Chamber is inspired by the story of Bluebeard so the mention of this author and his novel is almost an unsubtle technique of telling us this. 

Grand Guignol:

"Established in Pigalle in 1897 - in an abandoned church, no less - it specialised in amoral, highly naturalistic horror shows.  This evolved out of some Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, Titus Andronicus being a famous example.  Its founder was Oscar Méténier, a writer and director, who wanted to produce plays exploring the darkest themes and characters of society.  This developed into horror by the early 20th Century, largely thanks to director Max Maurey and playwright André de Lorde."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

This reference also indicates the horror that is filling the house that the Marquis lives in. The reference, page 24, shows a postcard that the Marquis sent the narrator and shows the horror of these shows that were produced in the 19th century.

Rape of the Sabines:

"The Rape of the Sabine Women is an episode in the legendary history of Rome, traditionally dated to 750 BC, in which the first generation of Roman men acquired wives for themselves from the neighboring Sabine families. The English word rape is a conventional translation of the Latin raptio, which in this context means "abduction" rather than its prevalent modern meaning in English language of sexual violation."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rape_of_the_Sabine_Women]

This reference is shown when the narrator is walking down the corridor on her way to the forbidden room. This use of this particular tapestry on the wall signifies that the Marquis may not be all that he seems and if he seems to enjoy and 'appreciate' the rape or abduction of a lot of women then that does truly show his true character and what he plans to do with the narrator. The use of this picture and reference in the corridor on the way to the forbidden room also indicates that this is something that he may have done, or at least something similar, to his previous wives. 

St Cecilia:

"Saint Cecilia is a martyred Saint who is reported to have lived in the 2nd Century AD.  The most popular account of her life holds that she was killed in Sicily during the reign of Marcus Aurelius; she is meant to have been executed for her Christian faith alongside her husband Valerian, and his brother Tiburtius.  Famous elements of her story include her instructions that her home be kept as a church, as she left to go and face her death.  Attempts by officials to execute Cecilia all subsequently failed; they attempted to decapitate her three times.  She was severely wounded, and survived for another three days before passing away.  She was said to have died singing praises to God, which is why she was later made the patron saint of musicians."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

This reference as well also foreshadows the impending doom that seems to be following the narrator around. The fact that Saint Cecilia was nearly assassinated three times, indicates that the Marquis will stop at nothing to try and kill his wives.


Pandora’s box:

"Today the phrase "to open Pandora's box" means to perform an action that may seem small or innocent, but that turns out to have severely detrimental and far-reaching consequences."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora's_box]

This could signify when the Narrator opened the locked room. This was the moment when she discovered the Marquis' secret and saw him for who is truly is. This was the turning point in the story and the moment she loses her innocence.


Poiret:

"Though perhaps best known for freeing women from corsets (although he did not single-handedly accomplish this revolution) and for such startling inventions as the hobble skirt, "harem" pant, and "lampshade" tunic, Poiret's major contribution to fashion was his development of the dressmaking technique known as draping, a departure from the tailoring and pattern-making of the past. Poiret was influenced by antique and regional dress, and favored clothing cut along straight lines and constructed of rectangular motifs. The structural simplicity of his clothing represented a "pivotal moment in the emergence of modernism" generally, and "effectively established the paradigm of modern fashion, irrevocably changing the direction of costume history."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Poiret]

The Narrator in The Bloody Chamber is said to have worn a dress made by this fashion designer when she went to the opera. He was a very expensive designer back in the day as "The cheapest garment...was 30 guineas, double the annual salary of a scullery maid." This shows that the Marquis or the narrator herself must have bought this to show the wealth that was exuding from either the Marquis or the narrator. Either way, this dress and the mention of it shows extreme wealth.

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Five:

Researching Marquis de Sade

What books did he write?

The most famous novels that de Sade wrote were The Crimes of Love (a collection of short gothic tales) and Justine. Both of these books contain a lot of overtly sexual and almost disturbing situations that de Sade was actually interested in himself. He was imprisoned for sexual offences so therefore it shows that he wrote these stories to satisfy himself with the disturbing thoughts he was having. 

What were his views on sexual preference? 

Sade had very open minded views on sexual preference. He had been involved with sexual relationships with members of both sexes and even at some points committed blasphemy; which in those days was a very extreme offence. He was a very abusive partner to be with and his first major scandal was extremely bad. 

"Sade procured the sexual services of a woman, Rose Keller; whether she was a prostitute or not is widely disputed. He was accused of taking her to his chateau at Arcueil, imprisoning her there and sexually and physically abusing her. She escaped by climbing out of a second-floor window and running away. At this time, la Présidente, de Sade's mother-in-law, obtained a lettre de cachet (a royal order of arrest and imprisonment, without stated cause or access to the courts) from the king, excluding Sade from the jurisdiction of the courts. The lettre de cachet would later prove disastrous for the marquis."

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Four:

Researching Baudelaire:

During which years was he alive?

Born: April 9, 1821 - Paris, France

Died: August 31, 1867 (aged 46) - Paris, France

Where did he live and work?

Baudelaire lived and worked in Paris, France.

How is he unlike his poetic Romantic predecessors?

He was unlike his romantic predecessors because "In his works we see the rejection of the belief in the supremacy of nature and the fundamental goodness of man as typically espoused by the romantics and expressed by them in rhetorical, effusive and public voice in favor of a new urban sensibility, an awareness of individual moral complexity, an interest in vice (linked with decadence) and refined sensual and aesthetical pleasures, and the use of urban subject matter, such as the city, the crowd, individual passers-by, all expressed in highly ordered verse, sometimes through a cynical and ironic voice."

How is he like the Romantic poets?

Even though he was heavily influenced by the Romantic poets, he was still very honest and real which did make him quite different to all of the other poets who were involved in the Romanticism movement.

What is his most famous poetry collection called and when was it published?

His most famous collection was called 'Fleurs de Mal' or 'The Flowers of Evil'. It was first published in 1857.

What are the themes of this collection which has been called both ‘putrid’ (by Habas) and ‘unyielding as marble’ (by Flaubert)?

Baudelaire included many controversial themes in his work, Fleurs de Mal, such as 'the principal themes of sex and death (considered scandalous). He also touched on lesbianism, sacred and profane love, metamorphosis, melancholy, the corruption of the city, lost innocence, the oppressiveness of living, and wine.'

Find out two more interesting facts about Baudelaire

• He was a big user of the drug laudanum - This is also what what of the poets and writers of the romantic genre were doing as well such as Wordsworth and Coleridge.
• In 1841, Baudelaire's stepfather sent him on a voyage to India, hoping that it would open his mind and redirect his energy. The use of the sea, sailing and exotic ports inspired much of Baudelaire's work. 

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Three:

Researching Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales 

During what years was Perrault alive? 

He was born in January 12, 1628, Paris, France— and he died May 15/16, 1703 in Paris.

What is Perrault famous for inventing? 

He is most famous for creating the classic fairy tale, he rewrote pre-existing folk tales.  These included Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, and Little Red Riding Hood.

What was his most famous book called? 

His most famous book is called The Tales of Mother Goose, a collection of classic fairy tales.

When and where was this published? 

The tales were first published in 1697 and they were published in France.

What did he use as the basis for his tales? 

The basis for his tales were old pre existing folk tales. They were stories that were already widely known across society but he was the one that gave them literary legitimacy.

How many tales did Perrault publish within this book? 

Perrault published 8 stories within the Tales of Mother Goose, they were:

• The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood
• Little Red Riding Hood
• Blue Beard
• The Master Cat; or, Puss in Boots
• The Fairies
• Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper
• Ricky of the Tuft
• Little Thumb

When and where were the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales published? 

The first edition was published in 1812 and the Brothers Grimm were from Germany.

How many tales did they publish? 

In the seventh edition of Grimms' Fairy Tales, there were at least 211 tales altogether.

Where did the Brothers Grimm draw their influence from? 

They mainly drew their influence from the likes of Charles Perrault because his stories were just the classic fairy tales that they could adapt and develop.

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Two:

Researching Angela Carter:

During which years was she alive? 

Angela Carter was alive between the years 1940 and 1992, she was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1991 which resulted in her premature death when she was only 52.

Where has she lived?

She was born in Eastbourne and lived there up until the age of 18 when she left home to go and study English Literature at the University of Bristol. However, later on in her life and career, when her marriage to her first husband was declining she traveled to Japan to distance herself from him. She stayed there for two years and it inspired three of her later novels, The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman (published in 1972), her short story collection Fireworks: Nine Profane Pieces (published in 1974), and the 1982 text Nothing Sacred ("Carter would claim the experience of gender relations in Japan forced her to become radicalized"). She also traveled through Asia, Europe and North America.

How is Carter linked to Jane Eyre? 

Carter was supposedly going to write a sequel to Jane Eyre, but passed away during the process of writing it. It was going to be about Adele, Jane's pupil.

What genres has she written in? 

Angela Carter has written in many genres, and for The Bloody Chamber it can be considered to be Postmodern Feminist Gothic. However she has also written in the fantasy genre and even wrote a critical piece on the Marquis de Sade.

In a list of 50 great writers since 1945, where did The Times rank Carter? 

She was ranked as the tenth greatest writer since 1945.

Name some of Carter’s influences. 

Carter had many influences that inspired her work.

"Her influences included Defoe, Blake, Swift, Poe, Carroll, Melville, Mary Shelley, the French symbolists, the surrealists, Barthes, Borges and Calvino. She did not have much time for Dickens (a strip-cartoonist) or Austen (whose mannered charm she found deadly)."
[source: http://johnhopper.hubpages.com/hub/Angela-Carter]

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task One:

"Research the meaning of these words, all of which have been used to describe various elements of The Bloody Chamber:"

•Leonine - a word which is suggestive of or resembling a Lion - This would relate directly to The Bloody Chamber because of the fact that the Marquis is shown to us to essentially represent a lion "streaks of pure silver in his dark mane"

• Fugue - A contrasting melody, short melody introduced by one part but slowly taken up by others and taken up with other parts that interweave the original. However it can also mean a loss of awareness of one's identity. This can be related back to The Bloody Chamber when the narrator starts to play the piano and she is almost surrounding herself with her own little bubble, this is because she has just discovered the truth about the Marquis.

• Rococo - A type of furniture and architecture design that was introduced around the late 'baroque' era of 18th Century continental Europe ("asymmetrical patterns involving motifs and scroll work")

• Minimalist - A person who advocates and practices minimalism 

• Chamber music - This is simply just instrumental music played by a small ensemble of people, a form of this would be a string quartet, and every person would have their own part.

• Florid - having a red or flushed complexion, or it can actually mean if someone is excessively elaborate and intricate in decoration, an example of this would actually be the Baroque style.