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Close References and Analysis of 'The Bloody Chamber' by Angela Carter
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Close References/quotes and Analysis of 'The Bloody Chamber' by Angela Carter, organised by theme
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Theme The Bloody ChamberReligion Religion is portrayed as a useless superstition
- Wolf Alice: The nuns are presented in a very bad light as they try to condition the
feral girl into behaving like a human are seen as strict and inefficient, as they
ultimately fail in conditioning the girl to behave like a human
Carter highlights the dangers of religion
- The Bloody Chamber: The Marquis tempts the girl narrator with the keys and the
warning not to go to his room which is reminiscent of the biblical tale of Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eve. The narrator seems to succumb to her temptation easily
in order to pursue knowledge
Carter links religion and pornography
- The Bloody Chamber: "Has my little nun found the prayer books" - Implies his
religion is pornography and that he is devoted to her corruption and his desire for
her is entirely based around corruption
Bloody Chamber does not necessarily explore the conflict of science vs religion but more
when there is an absence of one the other is thriving.
- Erl King: In the older more folk law stories there is no sign of science, and the
narrative is controlled by the rules of religion and fantasy, where when Carter
includes science (telephone or transport in the Bloody Chamber) religion is more
negatively portrayed.
Family/Mother and Carter highlights the strength of women and the ability to be the typical fairytale heroic
Fatherhood male character in Fairytales
- The Bloody Chamber: The mother is seen as a heroic figure and plays the role of
rescuing the protagonist which is usually played by a man/prince
Carter, as a feminist is very critical of the principle of marriage because of the patriarchy
- Wolf-Alice: there is reference to the “savage marriage ceremony”.
- The Bloody Chamber: marriage brings nothing but horror and close shaves with
death for the narrator, whereas her non-marital relationship with the blind piano-
tuner is portrayed as being happier.
-
Supernatural Carter uses the monstrous to convey the supernatural as a curse.
- Lady of the House of Love: While Carter portrays the Vampire's predecessors as
both menacing and irrational past figures, it is clear that they are not only
dangerous, but deliberately harmful as well. The narrator voice's use of free-
indirect discourse in exclaiming 'Vous sere ma proie' mirrors the idea that the
Vampire 'does not possess herself,' and also that the ominous and 'baleful,
posthumous presence' of the past continues on through her.
The Other Carter highlights how, rather than alienating 'the others,' society may embrace their
differences, as evidenced by Carter's female characters' willingness to look past
appearances and discover compassion and pleasure in unusual beasts such as the Tiger
and the Lion.
- Carter uses it to explore sexual boundaries and embracing each other's monstrous
qualities in relationships.
Transgression/ Carter presents many taboo issues to transgress typical societal norms despite their
Forbidden shocking nature to explore relationships other than conventional heterosexual
Knowledge relationships
- The Company of Wolves: Bestiality
- The Snow Child: Paedophilia
- The Tiger’s Bride: The girl seems to want to be an animal (as evidenced by the fact
that she thinks “horses are better than we are”) and so gets her wish at the
story’s end. "I was aghast to feel myself stirring" goes against conventional
sexual relationships
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