‘Transgression is often an important element In gothic writing’ compare its uses and effects
in The Bloody Chamber?
Transgression is a vital and key element in Carters writing, as a second wave feminist her
creation of transgressive protagonists and the idea of breaking down social barriers
highlights the fact that transgression is in fact a liberating experience for an individual. Carter
here stresses the importance of rebelling against social norms and the significance of
breaking away from restrictive institutions such as a marriage with a patriarchal figure like
the Marquis in the title story. By transgressing, one truly becomes liberated from a restricted
state and thus becomes an active individual; something which Carter stresses immensely
through her pieces of writing which includes ‘The Sadeian Woman’; written alongside ‘The
Bloody Chamber’ with Carter giving a critique on pornography, a type of sexual
transgression. This justifies that Carter uses transgression to urge her female readers to
become more active in a society rather than being ‘passive’.
The immense amount of transgression in the title story of ‘The Bloody Chamber’ cannot be
disputed. Arguably the most significant act of transgression is that of the protagonists ‘eagle
featured mother’ breaking down social and traditional stereotypes of the role of the woman
by shooting ‘a single, irreproachable bullet’ through the marquis’s head. Not only here does
the mother commit a sin for which she would be damned eternally by god but more
importantly she defies the traditional stereotype that powerful men should save the meek
females in distress. By transgressing in this way, Carter shows how women breaking down
social barriers are able to liberate one another and thus become active members of society.
Carters uses of the gothic trope of death to symbolise the liberation of a woman from a
patriarchal and oppressive marriage and therefore highlights to female readers the
importance of rebelling as it ultimately leads to emancipation. American literary critic Jeff
Vandermeer argued that ‘Fairy tales clothe themselves in stereotypes and archetypes’, this
then justifies the argument that Carters uses transgressive protagonists with a political
agenda in order to break down stereotypes laid by society for women and thus highlights
that transgression is a vital element in gothic writing as it is used by writers such as Carter to
challenge key institutions and ideas put forward by society constructed by men.
Furthermore, although it cannot be disputed that Carter champions the feminist ideology
through her transgressive heroines including ‘Beauty’ in ‘The Courtship of Mr Lyon’ and the
protagonist in the title story, there is a sense of Carter also using transgression as a symbol
of liberation for men from the expectations of society too. In ‘The Courtship of Mr Lyon’
Carter underlines the beast’s immense amount of emotion as he has a ‘cracked whisper’ and
‘helplessly’ falls to ‘kiss’ beauty’s hands. Most importantly, the beast here commits an act of
transgression as he rebels against the expectations laid by a society as they are expected to
hide their emotions and seem emotionally stronger than women. However, as he falls
‘helplessly’ onto beauty it implies strongly that he is unable to control his emotions but more
significantly; is unable to live without beauty. Carter arguably uses this element of
transgression to underline that rebelling and simply being transgressive liberates both males
and females from the oppression of society. Moreover, Carter further expressed in her essay
‘The Sadeian woman’ that ‘Myths deal in false universals, to dull the pain of particular
circumstances’, not only does this show that fairy tales and folk tales try to hide the fact that
men have emotion but it’s also highlights that Fairy tales constructed by certain men with a
certain political agenda represent both sexes in ways which they are not; for women as
meek lambs and men as powerful tigers which is further seen in ‘The Tigers Bride’.
in The Bloody Chamber?
Transgression is a vital and key element in Carters writing, as a second wave feminist her
creation of transgressive protagonists and the idea of breaking down social barriers
highlights the fact that transgression is in fact a liberating experience for an individual. Carter
here stresses the importance of rebelling against social norms and the significance of
breaking away from restrictive institutions such as a marriage with a patriarchal figure like
the Marquis in the title story. By transgressing, one truly becomes liberated from a restricted
state and thus becomes an active individual; something which Carter stresses immensely
through her pieces of writing which includes ‘The Sadeian Woman’; written alongside ‘The
Bloody Chamber’ with Carter giving a critique on pornography, a type of sexual
transgression. This justifies that Carter uses transgression to urge her female readers to
become more active in a society rather than being ‘passive’.
The immense amount of transgression in the title story of ‘The Bloody Chamber’ cannot be
disputed. Arguably the most significant act of transgression is that of the protagonists ‘eagle
featured mother’ breaking down social and traditional stereotypes of the role of the woman
by shooting ‘a single, irreproachable bullet’ through the marquis’s head. Not only here does
the mother commit a sin for which she would be damned eternally by god but more
importantly she defies the traditional stereotype that powerful men should save the meek
females in distress. By transgressing in this way, Carter shows how women breaking down
social barriers are able to liberate one another and thus become active members of society.
Carters uses of the gothic trope of death to symbolise the liberation of a woman from a
patriarchal and oppressive marriage and therefore highlights to female readers the
importance of rebelling as it ultimately leads to emancipation. American literary critic Jeff
Vandermeer argued that ‘Fairy tales clothe themselves in stereotypes and archetypes’, this
then justifies the argument that Carters uses transgressive protagonists with a political
agenda in order to break down stereotypes laid by society for women and thus highlights
that transgression is a vital element in gothic writing as it is used by writers such as Carter to
challenge key institutions and ideas put forward by society constructed by men.
Furthermore, although it cannot be disputed that Carter champions the feminist ideology
through her transgressive heroines including ‘Beauty’ in ‘The Courtship of Mr Lyon’ and the
protagonist in the title story, there is a sense of Carter also using transgression as a symbol
of liberation for men from the expectations of society too. In ‘The Courtship of Mr Lyon’
Carter underlines the beast’s immense amount of emotion as he has a ‘cracked whisper’ and
‘helplessly’ falls to ‘kiss’ beauty’s hands. Most importantly, the beast here commits an act of
transgression as he rebels against the expectations laid by a society as they are expected to
hide their emotions and seem emotionally stronger than women. However, as he falls
‘helplessly’ onto beauty it implies strongly that he is unable to control his emotions but more
significantly; is unable to live without beauty. Carter arguably uses this element of
transgression to underline that rebelling and simply being transgressive liberates both males
and females from the oppression of society. Moreover, Carter further expressed in her essay
‘The Sadeian woman’ that ‘Myths deal in false universals, to dull the pain of particular
circumstances’, not only does this show that fairy tales and folk tales try to hide the fact that
men have emotion but it’s also highlights that Fairy tales constructed by certain men with a
certain political agenda represent both sexes in ways which they are not; for women as
meek lambs and men as powerful tigers which is further seen in ‘The Tigers Bride’.
