How do the stories in "The Bloody Chamber" challenge patriarchal values?

In The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter’s collection of gothic, feminist retellings of classic fairy tales subverts patriarchal values by recasting women as the main protagonists of the stories rather than marginal characters on the periphery of the tales. By foregrounding the experiences of her female protagonists, Carter shows that the fairy tales that inspire her work uphold patriarchal values. Fairy tales often cast women as victims or monsters; she challenges these expectations by placing women in prominent roles in her gothic interpretations.

For instance, in “The Tiger’s Bride,” the young female protagonist is initially presented as a “damsel in distress,” as a victim. However, she shows a strength that is not typical of women in fairy tales. Indeed, when The Beast admits that he values her because she is a virgin, she sardonically thinks

“I wish I’d rolled in the hay with every lad on my father’s farm, to disqualify myself from this humiliating bargain” (61).

She disregards the norms surrounding normative femininity by being in touch with her dormant sexuality, until the sexual, powerful being within her emerges at the end of the text.

Likewise, in “The Werewolf,” Carter’s retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” Little Red is no longer cast as a victim. She instead emerges as a woman who is unafraid of violence, who can handle herself in a violent place. She wounds the titular werewolf in an altercation:

“It went for her throat, as wolves do, but she made a great swipe at it with her father's knife and slashed off its right forepaw” (169).

Thus, Carter’s recasting of fairy tales subverts the patriarchal values lodged in these stories.

How does Angela Carter explore patriarchal dominance in "The Bloody Chamber"?

In the story "The Bloody Chamber," a retelling of the "Bluebeard" tale, Carter explores patriarchal dominance both by revealing how it works and then showing how women can challenge and overcome it by sticking together. As with other stories in this volume, Carter has rewritten a familiar fairytale to add a feminist twist. 

Though set in more modern times, Carter's story tracks closely to the original tale. We watch as a wealthy and domineering patriarchal male marries a young, innocent bride. She is seventeen and poor; he is far older, has been married three times since she was born, and is "the richest man in France." He shows his dominance by taking her to his home, "a castle" with "turrets of misty blue," of which he has total control. The housekeeper owes her loyalty to this master, not to the new young wife. The husband strips this young wife as if she were his possession: she refers to herself as a "artichoke," something he will consume for his own pleasure. When he has to leave the house on business almost immediately, she has no say in the decision. While he leaves her in charge of the keys to the various rooms of his castle, he has the power to dictate to her that there is one key she must not use, one room she must not enter. When she does enter it, he feels it is within his rights to kill her for her disobedience.

All of this indicates the unequal relationship between a husband and wife in a classical patriarchal relationship: he has the money and the power. He sets the rules and enforces penalties.

The story differs from the original, however, in that the girl's mother--a woman--saves her from her death. This shows female solidarity and female empowerment. The young wife, a damsel in distress, doesn't need a man to save her: she can rely on her powerful mother. In Carter's retelling, women are capable of batting patriarchy and winning. 

How does "The Bloody Chamber" break down stereotypical roles?

Angela Carter's "The Bloody Chamber," is a more modern version of the old "Bluebeard" tales with a similar plot. The story loses none of the suspense of earlier versions, but indeed breaks with the stereotypical roles of the rescuers of the young wife.

In the story, the narrator is arriving at her new home with her new husband, who has mysteriously lost three previous wives. He is not the man she expects; she does not know him well, as she discovers, for instance, when she finds he has pornography in the library. Soon a phone call requires that her husband leave France to travel to New York. The young wife is left alone in the house with only one rule from her husband: Do Not Open THAT Door!"

Bored and lonely, the wife is eventually drawn to that door. Curiosity gets the best of her and she enters, only to find her husband's previous three wives, all murdered. She drops the key, a traditional part of the tale, which becomes stained with blood that will not be removed. Horrified, she tries to call her mother, but the lines are down. She speaks to the blind piano tuner who wishes to help, but she does not want him harmed.

Her husband returns early—the trip has been cancelled—and he realizes what she has done; he prepares to kill her as he has the others. He presses the key to her forehead with leaves a mark—of her "betrayal." He demands that she meet him in the courtyard.

Whereas brothers or other men have traditionally arrived on horseback at the last minute to save the woman, the greatest stereotype to be broken is that the woman's savior is NOT a man, but her mother, a woman with great spirit. She had been described earlier in the story:

...what other student at the Conservatoire could boast that her mother had outfaced a junkful of Chinese pirates, nursed a village through a visitation of the plague, shot a man-eating tiger with her own hand...

These details were too rich not to come into play later in the story, and her mother does not disappoint, arriving in the nick of time to save her daughter from the hands of her murderous husband. After her husband's death, inheriting his wealth, the young widow, her mother, and the blind piano tuner turn the estate into a school for the blind.

The connection between the piano tuner and the "widow" also breaks a stereotype. First, he agrees to leave her so he will not be harmed. She insists that he leave her for his safety—a juxtaposition of traditional roles. Then he still comes out to comfort her, though with his blindness, he cannot save her. Being blind is not a traditional characteristic of a romantic figure in story of this kind. His blindness is even a blessing to our widow: as he cannot see the sign of the key on her forehead, which she perceives with a sense of shame.

How does the scene on pages 13-14 of "The Bloody Chamber" demonstrate patriarchy and gender inequality?

When examining this scene for evidence of patriarchal attitudes and gender inequality, pay particular attention to words which diminish a woman's position or show disrespect on the basis of her gender.

One example can be found in the opening words: "My little nun..." The use of the adjective "little" reduces the narrator's significance and positions her husband in a place of authority over her. He is greater; she is less. In this example, you might also note that he "demands" answers from her with a tone of "mockery." Again, he is exerting control over her position by verbally placing himself in a position of power.

He also refers to his new wife as a "baby," reducing her position in their relationship. In fact, he reflects that she isn't yet a "grownup" and cannot be subjected to the graphic images found in the books on his shelves. By his reasoning, she is, however, old enough to engage in those acts with him personally. The husband insists that his wife must learn to "handle" sexuality, which means that he is the "instructor" and she is his "student." The female body is seen as both an object of desire and a thing to be "handled" by a more-competent male.

There are numerous other examples in this passage which reflect similar attitudes of control and male authority.

How does "The Bloody Chamber" replicate patriarchal attitudes and gender inequality?

Angela Carter's “The Bloody Chamber” is a story that exposes the abuses of patriarchy, challenges gender inequality, and promotes the strength and independence of women. Let's take a look at some of the ways in which the story accomplishes its goals.

First, you should pay close attention to how the story exposes the abuses of patriarchy. The Marquis appears to be a loving husband, but beneath the surface, he is controlling and even abusive. As long as the narrator obeys him and is submissive, things seem fine, but when she finds the horrible room that contains the remains of the Marquis' previous wives, his true character appears. He is dangerous, and he is determined to kill the narrator.

However, the narrator's mother arrives just in time and kills the Marquis with one shot. She is a strong woman, determined to save her daughter no matter the cost, and she does. The two women, and the narrator's new love, the gentle Jean-Yves, then make a life for themselves on their own terms. Here we can see the challenge to gender inequality. While the narrator is naive, and perhaps the stereotypical damsel in distress, her mother certainly is not. She is a match for the Marquis and shows her power over him. The women then choose their own path. Jean-Yves goes along with them. They are now strong and independent.