Gender Roles In The Bloody Chamber
The Dark Side of Sexuality
A topic often brought up in class discussion throughout the semester was sexuality and the many aspects involved; changing my personal perception of sexuality. In September I believed sexuality was just the act of sex and or being promiscuous, but it’s a much broader subject. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter is a re-mastered version of the fairy tale Blue Beard with a sexual spin. It perfectly depicts the ideal image of sexuality to one who is more innocent than someone more experienced then alters it and shows us its variations after they’ve gained experience. This essay will explore the deception, dominance and violence surrounding the sexual relationship between the heroine and Marquis. Angela explores the aspect …show more content…
She is a naïve virgin who excitedly marries a shallow rich and emotionless Marquis. She comes from a family who is not quite poor but with limited financial resources you need to get married to survive; she is aware that marquis is well endowed and insists that although she cannot resist him but does not love him; the marriage is simply how it ought to be. But, choosing to be swept away by glamour and wealth she continues to ignore the dangers. She always mentions how every time she looks at him he looks as though he is hiding behind a mask and it isn’t until the opera where she realizes one expression, lust; he sees her only as a sexual object. At the time this makes her excited due to her naivety, this is made clear when she says she recalls, "for the first time in my innocent and confined life, I sensed in myself a potentiality for corruption that took my breath away." (11 Carter) Not aware that targeted her for her innocence and how easy it would be to corrupt her young mind. Showering her with symbols of bad luck (the opal ring) and doom (Ruby Chocker) unaware that him and his staff are always maintaining a gaze upon her; waiting for her to make mistakes so he could punish her. As time goes on, the more time she spends more time with her husband the excitement fades into loneliness and feelings of oppression; always performing for her husband and being molded by all
A topic often brought up in class discussion throughout the semester was sexuality and the many aspects involved; changing my personal perception of sexuality. In September I believed sexuality was just the act of sex and or being promiscuous, but it’s a much broader subject. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter is a re-mastered version of the fairy tale Blue Beard with a sexual spin. It perfectly depicts the ideal image of sexuality to one who is more innocent than someone more experienced then alters it and shows us its variations after they’ve gained experience. This essay will explore the deception, dominance and violence surrounding the sexual relationship between the heroine and Marquis. Angela explores the aspect …show more content…
She is a naïve virgin who excitedly marries a shallow rich and emotionless Marquis. She comes from a family who is not quite poor but with limited financial resources you need to get married to survive; she is aware that marquis is well endowed and insists that although she cannot resist him but does not love him; the marriage is simply how it ought to be. But, choosing to be swept away by glamour and wealth she continues to ignore the dangers. She always mentions how every time she looks at him he looks as though he is hiding behind a mask and it isn’t until the opera where she realizes one expression, lust; he sees her only as a sexual object. At the time this makes her excited due to her naivety, this is made clear when she says she recalls, "for the first time in my innocent and confined life, I sensed in myself a potentiality for corruption that took my breath away." (11 Carter) Not aware that targeted her for her innocence and how easy it would be to corrupt her young mind. Showering her with symbols of bad luck (the opal ring) and doom (Ruby Chocker) unaware that him and his staff are always maintaining a gaze upon her; waiting for her to make mistakes so he could punish her. As time goes on, the more time she spends more time with her husband the excitement fades into loneliness and feelings of oppression; always performing for her husband and being molded by all