The Bloody Chamber

• "The Bloody Chamber" is a short story by Angela Carter that explores themes such as sexuality, power dynamics between men and women, the supernatural, and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy.
• Angela Carter's "The Bloody Chamber" can be interpreted as an allegory about female sexual awakening and the dangers associated with it.
• In "The Bloody Chamber," the protagonist's journey from innocence to experience mirrors the traditional coming-of-age narrative found in many fairy tales.
• Carter's writing style includes vivid imagery, sensory details, and symbolism to create an eerie atmosphere.
• The story also touches on issues of class and social inequality, particularly through its portrayal of the relationship between the protagonist and her husband.
• Carter uses elements of Gothic literature, including dark imagery, horror, and the supernatural, to explore themes related to femininity and sexuality.
• Carter uses elements of Gothic literature, including dark imagery, supernatural occurrences, and psychological tension, to create a sense of unease and foreboding throughout the story.
• The setting of "The Bloody Chamber" plays a significant role in creating a mood of mystery and danger.
• The use of symbolism in "The Bloody Chamber" adds depth and complexity to the story, allowing readers to interpret its meaning on multiple levels.
• The use of the word "bloody chamber" suggests violence and danger, foreshadowing the darker elements of the story.
• The use of the word "bloody chamber" suggests violence or danger within the bedroom, highlighting the theme of sexual power dynamics.
• "The Bloody Chamber" is a short story by Angela Carter that explores themes such as gender roles, power dynamics, and the intersection of sex and violence.
• "The Bloody Chamber" is set in a grand chateau that exudes opulence and luxury but also has a sinister quality.
• She studied English at Bristol University and later worked as a teacher and journalist
• "The Bloody Chamber" is a short story by Angela Carter that explores themes of gender roles, sexuality, and power dynamics through the lens of fairy tales and folklore.
• Angela Carter's writing style in "The Bloody Chamber" combines elements of fantasy, surrealism, and realism to create an unsettling atmosphere and challenge traditional notions of reality.
• In "The Bloody Chamber," the protagonist's journey from innocence to experience can be seen as a metaphorical representation of her coming-of-age and discovery of her own desires and agency.
• In "The Bloody Chamber," the protagonist's journey from innocence to experience reflects the theme of coming-of-age and the challenges faced by young women during this time.
• Angela Carter's writing style in "The Bloody Chamber" combines elements of fairy tales with eroticism and horror, challenging traditional notions of femininity and masculinity.
• The story challenges traditional gender roles by portraying women as active agents rather than passive victims.
• He had invited me to join his beautiful gallery of women


  TBC: The girl realises she is fated to become part of a collection of Virgins
• A dozen husbands impaled a dozen brides...I had been infinitely dishevelled by the loss of my virginity


  TBC: Sex is inextricably linked to violence, thus the shedding of blood at the loss of virginity. Furthermore, the theme of metamorphosis is significant here because the girl is shamed by her loss of innocence.
• the white dress, the frail child within it, and flashing crimson jewels around her throat


  TBC: The girl remembers her innocence at the opera
• I forced myself to be seductive


  TBC: This quote serves as a reminder of how Carter said in her book The Sadeist Woman, that pornography was a service to women.
• My father lost me to the beast at cards


  TT'sB: This quote serves as a reminder of the patriarchal dominance which the girl is trapped in.
• Away from girlhood


  TBC: On the train on the way to the Marquis' house, the girl considers what she's leaving behind (innocence and mother)
• prayerbooks


  TBC: The marquis describes the pornographic books in his library in this way, showing his devotion to the pursuit of sensuous pleasure: it is his religion.
• a garment of that innocence of mine for which he had lusted fell away from me


  TBC: The narrator considers how her purity and innocence leaves her and her husband's feelings for her will change.
• she had inherited nerves and will from the mother


  TBC: This quotation suggests that the narrator will no longer, and never will be, her husband's victim. Furthermore, it suggests that nerves and will are every woman's inheritance if her husband does not crush them.
• I saw the heart-shaped stain had transferred itself to my forehead


  TBC: This stain might be interpreted as the mark of the narrator's disobedience. However, it could also represent the fact that she did once lust for the Marquis.
• The lamb must learn to run with the tigers


  TT'sB: This quote characterises men and women with animalistic stereotyped, and implied that women must change to challenge male dominance. However, it also suggests that it is better to take on the beast inside than to remain passive. As Carter said, passivity is death.
• she was the child of his desire


  TSC: The snow child is merely a wish come true for the Count. His sexual fantasy is realised, but loses its value once she is no longer pure.
• Can a bird sing only the song it knows?


  TLotHoL: This quotation links to wider themes of metamorphosis and the possibilities of change.
• My purchaser unwrapped his bargain


  TBC: The girl is described as an object that has been bought
• I saw him watching me in the gilded mirrors with the assessing eye of the connoisseur inspecting horseflesh...


  TBC: Link to the male gaze. The narrator is aware of the power she holds when being watched by the Marquis. However, she is also described as food.
• Each stroke of his tongue ripped off skin after successive skin, all the skins of a life in the world


  TT'sB: This quote suggests that by embracing her animalistic self, the girl has been stripped of all the layers of expectations which society has forced upon her from birth
• I longed for him... and he disgusted me


  TBC: The girl realises that at least some part of her was attracted to the marquis, and enticed by his corruption
• when he shakes those two clear notes from his bird-call, I come, like any other trusting thing that perches on the crook of his wrist


  TEK: This quotation illustrates the power which nature has over humans
• oh, sinister!


  TW: This quote from the Werewolf is short: it illustrates irony as Carter undermines the threat of the wolf
• she knew the forest too well to fear it


  TW: The small child in the Werewolf knows the forest