Hypermasculinity and Fetishized Martyrdom in Angela Carter's "The Bloody Chamber"

Rosalyn Stilling

Angela Carter’s “The Bloody Chamber” is a touchstone of postmodern fairy tale revisions, deftly marrying the latent content of Charles Perrault’s “Bluebeard” with her entrancing and opulent prose. She boldly addresses the sexuality, gender relations, and biblical comparisons inherent in Perrault’s tale in her prose, particularly by blending allusions to Judeo-Christian figures with sadomasochistic practices. Carter expands upon these elements present in “Bluebeard,” while keeping her focus on the representation of villainous Bluebeard and his abuses towards the innocent bride.

Archives, Issue VIIIContent EditorsJune 1, 2018Catholicism, sexuality, gender, feminism, symbolism, folk literature, literature, violence, ChristianityComment

Subverting Patriarchal Control through the Construction of Meaning in "The Yellow Wallpaper"

By Nikolas Oliver

“The Yellow Wallpaper” is the story of a woman who, while under patriarchal control, constructs and instills a meaning upon the environment around her, which allows her to subvert partially that control.

Issue VII, ArchivesContent EditorsApril 6, 2017power, relationships, expression, feminism, short story, symbolism, dynamicComment

Ekphrastic Potential: Giving Voice to the Dance

By Joseph Witkin

Paul Valéry’s “Philosophy of the Dance” may have ekphrastic potential, but before suggesting that the author’s words give voice to the dance, a strong association between word and the dancer’s image must be formed.

Archives, Volume 3Content EditorsAugust 25, 2014art, dance, philosophy, poetry, expression, ekphrasis, symbolism, scienceComment

Moby-Dick and the Color of the Elusive

By Mariah Sue Redden

After completing work on what would become his masterpiece, Moby-Dick or, the Whale, Herman Melville drafted a letter to friend and fellow author Nathaniel Hawthorne, noting: “I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb” (Coffler 108).

Archives, Volume 1Content EditorsAugust 13, 2014color, literature, classic, author, symbolism, theoryComment