Archetypes In The Company Of Wolves
Fairy tales, driven by contextual discourse, subvert archetypal patterns to undermine traditional values and beliefs, in turn evolving their traditional didactic nature. Driven by her contextual influence from second wave feminism, Angela Carter’s 1979 postmodern appropriation, The Company Of Wolves, supplants traditional archetypes in order to promote a challenge of gender roles and newfound perception of sexuality as natural and positive. Catherine Orenstein seconds this evolving appropriation in “Storytellers from the women’s perspective and beyond reclaimed the heroine… Recasting the women as brace and resourceful.” Carter begins to undermine the general perception of men as sexual predators during the opening anecdotes, evident in the
accumulation “headless, footless, dying, dead,” emotively prompting a sense of empathy towards the wolf, in turn challenging the shadow archetype. Moreover, Carter alludes an inevitable human exploration of sexuality as Red Riding Hood engages in a flirtatious conversation with the man, her disingenuous tone, “What would you like?” affirming her conscious attraction to the hunter and thus independence in willingly engaging with the hunter’s seduction. Furthermore, Carter directly opposes societies’ traditional perception of a female’s role in a heterosexual relationship, discernable following Red riding hoods conversation with the hunter in her internal decision, “wanted to dawdle” presenting her as both conscious of the hunters seduction, and confident in her own sexuality. Finally, Carter reinforces her challenge of gender roles as the wolf and red riding hood spend the night in the cabin, the juxtaposition of “tender wolf” emphasising the developed trust between the two characters. Ultimately, feminist discourse has driven Carter to subvert and challenge traditional values and beliefs, adapting the fairy tales didactic nature to achieve this. Hence, contextual discourse catalyses the subversion of archetypal patterns throughout fairy tales, seeking to undermine previously indoctrinated values.
Little Red Riding Hood remains the most provocative and applicable fairy tale due to its ongoing emphasis on fundamental human experiences and traits. Whilst composer may choose their own perspective, current values and beliefs invariably remain the defining factor governing a text’s didactic nature and thus core focus.
accumulation “headless, footless, dying, dead,” emotively prompting a sense of empathy towards the wolf, in turn challenging the shadow archetype. Moreover, Carter alludes an inevitable human exploration of sexuality as Red Riding Hood engages in a flirtatious conversation with the man, her disingenuous tone, “What would you like?” affirming her conscious attraction to the hunter and thus independence in willingly engaging with the hunter’s seduction. Furthermore, Carter directly opposes societies’ traditional perception of a female’s role in a heterosexual relationship, discernable following Red riding hoods conversation with the hunter in her internal decision, “wanted to dawdle” presenting her as both conscious of the hunters seduction, and confident in her own sexuality. Finally, Carter reinforces her challenge of gender roles as the wolf and red riding hood spend the night in the cabin, the juxtaposition of “tender wolf” emphasising the developed trust between the two characters. Ultimately, feminist discourse has driven Carter to subvert and challenge traditional values and beliefs, adapting the fairy tales didactic nature to achieve this. Hence, contextual discourse catalyses the subversion of archetypal patterns throughout fairy tales, seeking to undermine previously indoctrinated values.
Little Red Riding Hood remains the most provocative and applicable fairy tale due to its ongoing emphasis on fundamental human experiences and traits. Whilst composer may choose their own perspective, current values and beliefs invariably remain the defining factor governing a text’s didactic nature and thus core focus.