The first story we read of Angela Carter's "The Bloody Chamber", was a re-imagining of "Beauty and the Beast".
We started the lesson building on the general introduction to the Gothic with Mr Sadgrove began the previous class.
Looking at various images, we began to discuss not only conventional gothic themes but the functionality of them. The main themes that we touched on were: oppositions, corruption of innocence, supernatural and gender relations.
Reading through "The Courtship of Mr Lyon" we stopped periodically to discuss the relevance of certain motifs. This built on the earlier discussion we'd had about gothic themes.
After completing the story, we looked at oppositions within it:
Beauty Beast
Male Female
City Country
Caring Spoilt
Healthy Ill
Reality Magical
Punter called this blurring of oppositions the "borderland that fear resides". We went onto discuss what oppositions meant specifically for the male Beast and female Beauty (or the other way round offered Aleks).
Homework was to comment on the subtext of gender roles in this tale.
The gender roles in the tale perhaps challenged gender stereotypes relative to the time the tale was published. One example is the kindness of the male beast himself towards beauty throughout the novel.
ReplyDeleteAngela Carter takes tales that already exist and modifies them with a Gothic twist. Perhaps this is to highlight that using stereotypes is wrong or misleading, this is clearly shown in The Courtship Of Mr Lyon
'SONNY.
Well to me it seems to be representing the change that was occurring during which Carter wrote the novel (the great 80s GENDERQUAKE). It conveys the change of men, known as the ''New Man'' thus the beast physically changes from a beast to a MAN (human lol). Also Beauty represents the stereotypical view of women as caring and beautiful...But her role also in some ways show the growing change of nature in women's role at the time. (I will explain this in class)
ReplyDeleteLastly looks like the class have not done their homework tut tut...
AISHA. Moallim
The Gender roles in the tale "Courtship of Mr Loyn"
ReplyDeleteCarter seems to have swapped the gender roles around.From traditional views:
As the Beast seems to be trapped within a house in the winter and cannot survive without a female by his side.
The woman on the other hand seems to be the one who is exposed to the public and seems to provide for the beast.
The Gothic effect seems to have a different effect on the audience. As instead of the helpless woman it is in fact the helpless man.
I think the gender sterotypes in this short story seem to be more of a modern view on sterotypes of men and women, being the use of beauty being able to become spoilt which wasn`t how they would see beautiful people in general back then. And the beast seems to "worship" her alot when he should have been more prideful like how men were supposed to be. Carter in effect seems to leave the norm of general sterotypes of not just gender but beautiful people to and then takes the fairy tale and creates this (well that`s just what i think anyway)
ReplyDeleteTamsin
Although the genders in the story are rather steretyped, the woman seems to have the power throughout. She is the one that allows her dad to become wealthy and she also dictates Mr. Lyon's feelings.
ReplyDeleteDaniel.
I agree with Chris. The gender roles do seem to have swapped in "The Courtship of Mr Lyon". The beast seems to be the more emotionally expressive character, whilst the beauty holds the authority and is the underlinement of power
ReplyDeletei dont know guys, i still feel like the male character appears to be more dominant in this narrative, if you think about it, she still submitts to his willand his wish, yes i agree she is more vocal in the narrative but nevertheless the plot favours the male character, perhaps im reading it wrong, would someone care to correct me lool
ReplyDeleteI think that the women are still presented as victims as she is always controlled by a man ether her father or the Beast. Though she isnt seen running of scared once seeing the Beast she still shivers each time she sees hi, showing her weakness.
ReplyDeleteEsmeralda ;)
I believe the male characters are ignorant. It is so messed up that Beauty's father would give her away to get a white rose for her. It's like she is practically getting it for herself. And I'm pretty sure she does not even know why she must stay with the Beast but she feels obliged to listen to her father. Hence her dad is controlling her and holds the most power.
ReplyDeleteShe is scared of the Beast but cannot run away as she would be disobeying her father. The Beast also kisses her which we do not know how she feels but Carter could be empathise consent which Beauty did not receive. This shows that she is almost like a 'pet' to the Beast. To add, her father never tries to negotiate with the Beast or say 'no,' it is as if it is normal to give away your daughter for little things.(slavery?)
Not once does she have a voice as she never retaliates.- typical Gothic convention.However, Beauty is the hero.
Alternatively, the Beast seemed weak and awkward as he demanded for her to stay but was not even with her-she was reading books and doing embroidery- it is like she was another item/trophy he needed in his home to fill it with even more luxuries. Even so, in the end the Beast is the most weak as he has no will to live as Beauty has left. This show how dramatic he is and perhaps more sensitive than the female protagonist which is unusual for a Traditional reader since women are seen as more 'sensitive.' Of course, here, Carter reverses the gender role as the female saves the male.
Samiha :)