Tuesday, March 24, 2009
heroine Lady Mary
2) I am choosing to use Joseph Jacob’s version “Mr. Fox” because it was the shortest one- hahaha. Lady Mary is the heroine of this version of Bluebeard. She was highly pursued by a lot of suitors- …she had “more lovers than she could count. But of them all, the bravest and most gallant was a Mr. Fox”, who definitely won her heart. And they agreed to by married. She is portrayed as a brave and independent woman who is not afraid to defend and speak up for herself. She went to Mr. Fox’s castle by herself and even explored the property, even with the sketchy writing in the gateway that said “Be bold, be bold” and then the door in the gallery had “Be bold, be bold, but not too bold, Lest that your heart’s blood should run cold” written on it. Lady Mary is definitely a brave woman- “Lady Mary was a brave one, she was, and she opened the door”. Also, she knew that no one would believe her if she didn’t have evidence from when Mr. Fox murdered the young lady at the castle, so she took the hand that he chopped off in frustration (he couldn’t remove the ring from the young lady he was dragging into his castle) to show the audience before the wedding. She spoke up about what she saw the other day and then showed the hand and then Mr. Fox met his unfortunate end- “At once her brothers and her friends drew their swords and cut Mr. Fox into a thousand pieces.”
CREEPER
1) Each version of the Bluebeard story had its own elements of horror. But I must agree with Ellie, that just marrying a man with a blue beard is pretty horrifying in itself, so that is the element of horror in most of the versions. In Thackeray’s “Bluebeard’s Ghost”, the element of horror of Frederick Sly, John Thomas, and Mr. Claptrap the theatre manager collaborating to scare Fatima Bluebeard as they pretended to be Mr. Bluebeard’s ghosts that rose from the grave. Definitely pretty scary stuff with all the screaming “Fatima! Fatima! Fatima!” three times and the slamming of the doors. Also, the times that Mr. Sly tried to hang and tried to commit suicide is pretty scary stuff. In France’s version “The Seven Wives of Bluebeard”, the whole story is pretty horrifying as it described the different way that’s Bluebeard’s previous wives have died- from drowning to being eaten by animals. And how creepy and sketchy is it that the “little cabinet” at the end of the hall is also named “The Cabinet of the Unfortunate Princesses”- I would say that their deaths were definitely very unfortunate events. When Bluebeard told his current wife not to look into the little room, it built suspense for the audience as she was definitely curious and tempted to look. And the audience wonders what is in the room as well, driving the progression of the story. In Perrult’s versions “Bluebeard”, it was horrifying when she found out what was behind the closed door of the little room- the windows were closed and that the floor was completely covered with the blood of the many dead bodies hanging from the wall (all these were Bluebeard’s previous wives in which he murdered one after another). Lastly, in Grimm’s version “Fitcher’s Bird”, the element of horror is the old man going door to door capturing girls from families and also how the 1st two sisters died. This drives the progression of the story as the audience wonders what will happen to the 3rd sister, but also knowing that she will probably be the intelligent one and not fall into the same horrifying fate as her two older sisters.
Grimms and Bluebeard
Question 1: Compare the elements of horror in the various versions of Bluebeard that you read for today. Please name the elements you are comparing and discuss how they function in the story. Do they help move the plot along? Elaborate the story? Startle the audience? etc.
I want to focus on two elements of horror, gore and suspense, and compare them in the two Grimms' stories that we read for today. The Robber's Bridegroom is an excellent example of the use of suspense to make the reader feel the tension and fear that the female protagonist feels upon finding out what kind of person her soon to be husband really is. The scene in which she is hiding behind the barrel is incredibly terrifying, not only to her but to us as well. We feel the fear of being discovered, as we know (through the smart use of the foreboding talking bird, and the scary old woman) what her fate will be if she so much as breaths too loud. The gore in this story is definitely used as an elaboration, as the details give us insight into the true gruesomness of these cannibals. The paragraph in which the narrator describes how they kill and chop up another girl is very vivid, and because of this we are given a greater sense of the bridegroom's malicicious intent.
Similarly, in Fitcher's bird, the level of gore is very high during the two killing scenes. The fact that instead of just saying that the man killed her, the Grimms choose to write that he "dragged her along by her hair, cut her head off on the block, and chopped her into peices, so that he blood flowed on the floor" (156), shows that this use of intensly vivid description is no accident and is meant to really represent the evil of the "Bluebeard" character. In contrast with the first story, suspense is not really employed here, as the third sister is not so much a victim, but a clever and resourceful girl who gains control of the situation. The second half of this story is not so suspenseful because we feel that she is not in danger as long as she has the upper hand.
Question 2: Tatar offers two readings of the heroine’s character: either as a celebration of self-preservation and cleverness or as a disobedient female. Using a version other than the Perrault, consider how the heroine gets presented. Use quotes to support your reading.
In the Grimms' tale Fitcher's Bird, the heroine (the third sister) is portrayed as a woman who is not easily fooled and who is able to outwit her opponent, even in the face of death. She, unlike her two sisters, does not crumble under the fear of death once she enters the forbidden chamber, but instead figures out a way to essentially "save the day". First of all, we know that this heroine is considered clever because the Grimms come right out and say it. They begin by introducing her as "smart and cunning" (157), which immediatly differentiates her from her two sisters, who are given no descriptions. After the sorcerer leaves and the third sister explores the house, she does not panic when she finds her sisters chopped up. Instead, she thinks calmly and cooly, and miraculously brings the sisters back to life. Then, in order to allow all of them to be free, she plays a trick on the socerer. She has him carry her two sisters back to her parents, and she disguises herself to look "like a strange bird, and it was impossible to recognize her" (157) while placing a skull in the window to trick the socerer into thinking she is still there while she escapes. This elaborate plan allows her not only to escape, but to get help so that the evil sorcer can be killed, and justice can be brought to him. The story sends the message that clever girls can overcome anything, no matter what an evil person may perceive her to be.
I want to focus on two elements of horror, gore and suspense, and compare them in the two Grimms' stories that we read for today. The Robber's Bridegroom is an excellent example of the use of suspense to make the reader feel the tension and fear that the female protagonist feels upon finding out what kind of person her soon to be husband really is. The scene in which she is hiding behind the barrel is incredibly terrifying, not only to her but to us as well. We feel the fear of being discovered, as we know (through the smart use of the foreboding talking bird, and the scary old woman) what her fate will be if she so much as breaths too loud. The gore in this story is definitely used as an elaboration, as the details give us insight into the true gruesomness of these cannibals. The paragraph in which the narrator describes how they kill and chop up another girl is very vivid, and because of this we are given a greater sense of the bridegroom's malicicious intent.
Similarly, in Fitcher's bird, the level of gore is very high during the two killing scenes. The fact that instead of just saying that the man killed her, the Grimms choose to write that he "dragged her along by her hair, cut her head off on the block, and chopped her into peices, so that he blood flowed on the floor" (156), shows that this use of intensly vivid description is no accident and is meant to really represent the evil of the "Bluebeard" character. In contrast with the first story, suspense is not really employed here, as the third sister is not so much a victim, but a clever and resourceful girl who gains control of the situation. The second half of this story is not so suspenseful because we feel that she is not in danger as long as she has the upper hand.
Question 2: Tatar offers two readings of the heroine’s character: either as a celebration of self-preservation and cleverness or as a disobedient female. Using a version other than the Perrault, consider how the heroine gets presented. Use quotes to support your reading.
In the Grimms' tale Fitcher's Bird, the heroine (the third sister) is portrayed as a woman who is not easily fooled and who is able to outwit her opponent, even in the face of death. She, unlike her two sisters, does not crumble under the fear of death once she enters the forbidden chamber, but instead figures out a way to essentially "save the day". First of all, we know that this heroine is considered clever because the Grimms come right out and say it. They begin by introducing her as "smart and cunning" (157), which immediatly differentiates her from her two sisters, who are given no descriptions. After the sorcerer leaves and the third sister explores the house, she does not panic when she finds her sisters chopped up. Instead, she thinks calmly and cooly, and miraculously brings the sisters back to life. Then, in order to allow all of them to be free, she plays a trick on the socerer. She has him carry her two sisters back to her parents, and she disguises herself to look "like a strange bird, and it was impossible to recognize her" (157) while placing a skull in the window to trick the socerer into thinking she is still there while she escapes. This elaborate plan allows her not only to escape, but to get help so that the evil sorcer can be killed, and justice can be brought to him. The story sends the message that clever girls can overcome anything, no matter what an evil person may perceive her to be.
Sally Sad Sack
For the second question, I would like to talk about the heroine functioning in a role of self preservation, but not the type that should be celebrated. In Atwood's version of Bluebeard, Bluebeard's Egg, Sally remains woefully ignorant of all her husband's cavorting. She calls him "Edward Bear of little brain," speaking like Ed does not know what is going on around him. However, anyone who has read Winnie the Pooh knows, Winnie does know what's going on around him, and instead of doing anything for or against it, he goes with it most of the time. Ed does notice the women flirting with him, he just goes along with it, instead of being assertive one way or another. Sally is the one with little brain, remaining ignorant of what is going on around her. By ignoring what happened to his other wives: the "fates had always been vague to Sally," Sally does not have to worry about the same fate happening to her. Sally celebrates self preservation, but by doing that, she loses herself.
Lady Mary
In “Mr. Fox” by Joseph Jacobs the heroine, Lady Mary, is presented as a clever character. She is disobedient in that she goes to Mr. Fox’s house without permission, but that point is overlooked. Also, she is never actually forbidden from going to his castle, he simply “did not ask her or her brothers to come and see it.” So, she cannot be deemed a disobedient female. Lady Mary saves herself by pretending she dreamt about Mr. Fox chopping off a woman’s hand and seeing the bodies of dead women inside his castle. She then shows the woman’s hand to everyone and her brothers and friends “drew their swords and cut Mr. Fox into a thousand pieces.” This version focuses on Lady Mary's ability to come up with a plan to save herself from a deadly marriage.
Gore and Suspense
When I think of a horror story, I think of blood and gore and suspense. First of all, in the various versions of Bluebeard, the wife or soon to be bride finds other women chopped up and bloody in a small, forbidden room. Also, in “The Robber Bridegroom” a woman’s finger is cut off and in “Mr. Fox” a woman’s entire hand is cut off because the cannibalistic future husband wants her ring. The horrific killing of the women gives the bride a reason to fear her husband and makes the audience fear for her safety. The suspense in the story enhances the audiences fear. However, since the reader is aware that the tales of Bluebeard are fairy tales and will end happily, the suspense is lessened. As Moriah mentions, the repetition in the story adds to the suspense. For example, in Thackeray’s “Bluebeard’s Ghost,” Fatima hears the voice of “Bluebeard” multiple times before seeing him outside her window. Once she sees him the reader becomes anxious and wants to find out if the ghost is real or not. Without the suspenseful aspects in the tale it would not be a horror story. The audience must fear for the safety of the protagonist and have proof, such as the dead women, that the protagonist is in danger.
Horror and Heroines
Element of horror: Well, I guess you could say there is the before and the after. Before, there is certain horror of marrying a man with a blue beard, whose wives have all mysteriously disappeared. This element of fear creates a vision of this malicious character. Even for the bearded old man that dressed up, knocked on peoples' doors and stole their daughters, he is a frightening feature, also. But does it move the plot on? No. But it is imperative that he is vulgarized in some way. Next, and most obviously is the horror in the dismemberment of his wives. Blood and gore and guts all over the place. Does it move the plot on? Yeah, kind of. It reveals why Bluebeard is as malicious a character as he is, and sets the stage for the escape/outwitting.
As a fan of Margaret Atwood, I must choose her heroine, Sally, as the topic of discussion. (Anyone else that's read Atwood notice her obsession with fantastical plots and affairs?) This girl is the meaning of cleverness and has a mean superiority complex, proven by the name she gives to her husband ("Edward Bear of Little Brain," a man with a particularly annoying "brand of stupidity" that only one wittier can prescribe to another). After all, "Sally isn't a nothing;" she is mentally quick and hard-headed, and very philosophical.
All the Women, Independent
First, let's talk about the function of the sisters (or in the case of The Robber Bridegroom, the older woman).
For most of the stories, the sister is a way to prolong and repeat the story thus creating suspense. In Perrault's Bluebeard, Sister Anne though mentioned, does not come into play until Bluebeard's wife is in danger. Sister Anne is the one whose sole job is to call and say that help is on the way. Bluebeard's wife calls several times, each time in more and more dire straits until finally Anne brings the relief in form of their brothers. Without this repeat, the tension of the story would be unable to build. In the Grimm's Fitcher's Bird, the two previous sisters do the wrong thing and get brutalized by the wizard. The suspense comes in when the third sister goes to the wizard's home. Will she end up like her sisters? What will happen when she discover her sisters? The repetitive nature of the story once again driven by sisters causes suspense which is the greatest tool of horror. In the Grimms' The Robber Bridgegroom, once again the other woman causes the suspense felt by the reader. The other woman is in control of whether or not the miller's daughter will be found by the marauders. The old woman warns her of the danger, and would or would not give away where the girl is hidden. The old woman takes care of things, but everything hinges on her actions. In Jacob's Mr. Fox, there is no other woman, which is interesting in and of itself, the story is short, so there is not much suspense to be had, and all of it is provided by writing on the walls. Finally, in Atwood's Bluebeard's Egg, the other woman, Marylynn functions as a mode of suspense, and perhaps more of a suspension of belief, as everything Sally believes about Ed, Marylynn erases at the end of the story, which then gives its own version of suspense, because we will never know whether there was an affair or not.
For most of the stories, the sister is a way to prolong and repeat the story thus creating suspense. In Perrault's Bluebeard, Sister Anne though mentioned, does not come into play until Bluebeard's wife is in danger. Sister Anne is the one whose sole job is to call and say that help is on the way. Bluebeard's wife calls several times, each time in more and more dire straits until finally Anne brings the relief in form of their brothers. Without this repeat, the tension of the story would be unable to build. In the Grimm's Fitcher's Bird, the two previous sisters do the wrong thing and get brutalized by the wizard. The suspense comes in when the third sister goes to the wizard's home. Will she end up like her sisters? What will happen when she discover her sisters? The repetitive nature of the story once again driven by sisters causes suspense which is the greatest tool of horror. In the Grimms' The Robber Bridgegroom, once again the other woman causes the suspense felt by the reader. The other woman is in control of whether or not the miller's daughter will be found by the marauders. The old woman warns her of the danger, and would or would not give away where the girl is hidden. The old woman takes care of things, but everything hinges on her actions. In Jacob's Mr. Fox, there is no other woman, which is interesting in and of itself, the story is short, so there is not much suspense to be had, and all of it is provided by writing on the walls. Finally, in Atwood's Bluebeard's Egg, the other woman, Marylynn functions as a mode of suspense, and perhaps more of a suspension of belief, as everything Sally believes about Ed, Marylynn erases at the end of the story, which then gives its own version of suspense, because we will never know whether there was an affair or not.
Assignment: 24 March 2009
Since class had to be cut short today, there will be two posts for this evening.
Question 1: Compare the elements of horror in the various versions of Bluebeard that you read for today. Please name the elements you are comparing and discuss how they function in the story. Do they help move the plot along? Elaborate the story? Startle the audience? etc.
Question 2: Tatar offers two readings of the heroine’s character: either as a celebration of self-preservation and cleverness or as a disobedient female. Using a version other than the Perrault, consider how the heroine gets presented. Use quotes to support your reading.
Again, please post two separate entries by midnight tonight.
Question 1: Compare the elements of horror in the various versions of Bluebeard that you read for today. Please name the elements you are comparing and discuss how they function in the story. Do they help move the plot along? Elaborate the story? Startle the audience? etc.
Question 2: Tatar offers two readings of the heroine’s character: either as a celebration of self-preservation and cleverness or as a disobedient female. Using a version other than the Perrault, consider how the heroine gets presented. Use quotes to support your reading.
Again, please post two separate entries by midnight tonight.
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