1
Mar-22
1b. Carter & Stoker – comparative and contextual study
Taboo/forbidden desire:
The Bloody Chamber:
Female sexuality and power is the largest taboo; women take ownership of themselves and their
sexualities; independent.
Explicit male sexual exploitation of women; graphic to propel feminist agenda.
The Bloody Chamber:
o Emphasis of Marquis’ dominance and maiden’s innocence; he enjoys the sex, and she
doesn’t. Left crying.
o She begins as typical gothic woman, ends as independent and powerful.
o Marquis’ sadism = male forbidden desire; can indulge because he is removed from society.
Quotes:
“One-sided struggle”
“I had seen his deathly composure shatter like a porcelain vase.” – sadism/sexual pleasure is
what he lives for; centre of his life.
“I was only a little girl, I did not understand” -> “mimicking the new bride newly wakened” –
taken control of her sexuality and making decision for herself; taboo for Gothic genre and in
patriarchal society itself.
“There is a striking resemblance between the act of love and the ministrations of a torturer.”
The Snow Child:
o Explicit and graphic; necrophilia and paedophilia. Male forbidden desire exposed.
o Lack of sisterhood = female desire to take down other women as a result of the patriarchy.
Quotes:
“The Countess … watched him; he was soon finished.” – anticipating male attention. Carter
exaggerates to emphasise the damage that can be done to sisterhood as a result of the
patriarchy.
“White skin, red mouth, black hair … the child of his desire” – infantilisation emphasises
horror of rape and further criticises male forbidden desire.
“Thrust his virile member into the dead girl” - vile and horrifying. Used for emphasis.
Puss-in-Boots:
o Lady moves from ideal gothic woman to independent, powerful woman.
o Satisfies her own desires and takes sexual control – taboo particularly in gothic genre in the
face of typical domineering male (e.g., Marquis).
Quotes:
“Shrouded like a holy image” -> “she falls back on the bed, shows him the target” – taking
sexual control and breaking gothic/patriarchal stereotypes for women. Initially hidden away.
“Once she’s got the keys secure, she’s in charge of it all” – (link to TBC; keys = motif of
freedom) for women. Gothic stereotype of virginal woman locked away (e.g., COO: Isabella
trapped in Manfred’s castle).
,2
Mar-22
Context:
Second-wave feminism – more attention to societal prejudices e.g., sexuality. Also focus on
marital rape etc – link to snow child rape.
TBC set in 3rd Republic of France (associated with corruption, decadence, and hedonism).
Dracula:
Male repressed desire dealt with more subtly in both Jonathon and Van Helsing. Seen as natural?
Female sexuality as taboo; demonised in form of female vampires.
Female independence as taboo; Mina seen as revolutionary (‘new woman’) for minimal action.
Lucy/Mina and Dracula = comes off as a sexual act; taboo both because of supernatural and rape.
Jonathon:
o Victorian gentleman tempted by female vampires’ sexuality
o Victorian male desire as taboo, however presented as natural at end of novel when Van
Helsing is tempted also; he is God-like/powerful figure and still drawn in.
Quotes:
Jonathon: “There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive” –
intrigued by their sexuality (not present in women in Victorian society).
Van Helsing: “Yes I was moved – I, Van Helsing”
Van Helsing: “The voluptuous mouth present to a kiss – and a man is weak”
Mina:
o ‘New woman’, admired by Lucy and the rest of the group for being independent and
powerful for Victorian era (TBC: TRIVIAL IN COMPARISON TO CARTER’S CHARACTERS –
EMPHASISES RIGIDITY OF VICTORIAN ERA).
o Still both religious and vulnerable; typical gothic woman.
Quotes:
Lucy: “I must imitate Mina and keep writing things down” – sees Mina as revolutionary;
turns to her methods in her last moments.
Van Helsing: “Our dear Madam Mina is once again our teacher” – taboo in that she leads the
men, however Stoker ensures that she remain somewhat traditionally gothic to please
Victorian audience.
Mina/Lucy and Dracula:
o Described like a rape; physical corruption of humanity by supernatural – controversial/taboo
to Victorian audience.
Quotes:
“His right hand gripped her by the back of the neck, forcing her face down on his bosom.” –
rape-like connotations; forceful and powerful. Mina is ultimate vulnerable gothic woman
here.
“There was undoubtedly something, long and black, bending over the half-reclining white
figure.” – evil vs good; emphasis on Lucy’s vulnerability and Dracula’s dominance
, 3
Mar-22
Context:
New woman
Victorian fear of supernatural in the face of rationality and science.
Victorian gentleman as respectable
Patmore’s Angel in the House = ideal Victorian woman.
Critical quotes:
Perry: “The Gothic lies in … transgression that makes the reader complicit to the tale.”
Bickley: “Gothic writing uncovers a world of taboo … it engages with the unspeakable.”
Punter: “The Gothic deals in illicit desires; in what is prohibited from society.”
Punter: “[Forbidden knowledge and the taboo] put man in the place of God.”
Wider reading:
The Monk – rape of Antonia
Jekyll & Hyde - Jekyll’s violation of scientific law
Frankenstein – creation of the monster
Wuthering Heights – incest between Cathy and Heathcliff
Transformation:
The Bloody Chamber:
Women as transforming from passive, typical Gothic female to powerful and independent; take
ownership of themselves and their sexualities.
Women cannot even be human for fear of oppression; transformation = escape.
Transformation from abhuman to human in LOTHOL; escapes patriarchy in death.
The Bloody Chamber:
o See taboo: maiden - began as typical gothic female forced to become independent and take
control of her womanhood.
o Removed from society and Marquis (temporarily); therefore, able to transform.
Quotes:
“That castle, at home, neither on the land nor on the water” – liminal; offers a place apart
from society for growth.
The Tiger’s Bride:
o Uses transformation as a way to escape patriarchal society; cannot escape as a human.
o Carter emphasises the severity of the effects of patriarchal society for women in protagonist
transforming into a tiger.
Quotes:
Mar-22
1b. Carter & Stoker – comparative and contextual study
Taboo/forbidden desire:
The Bloody Chamber:
Female sexuality and power is the largest taboo; women take ownership of themselves and their
sexualities; independent.
Explicit male sexual exploitation of women; graphic to propel feminist agenda.
The Bloody Chamber:
o Emphasis of Marquis’ dominance and maiden’s innocence; he enjoys the sex, and she
doesn’t. Left crying.
o She begins as typical gothic woman, ends as independent and powerful.
o Marquis’ sadism = male forbidden desire; can indulge because he is removed from society.
Quotes:
“One-sided struggle”
“I had seen his deathly composure shatter like a porcelain vase.” – sadism/sexual pleasure is
what he lives for; centre of his life.
“I was only a little girl, I did not understand” -> “mimicking the new bride newly wakened” –
taken control of her sexuality and making decision for herself; taboo for Gothic genre and in
patriarchal society itself.
“There is a striking resemblance between the act of love and the ministrations of a torturer.”
The Snow Child:
o Explicit and graphic; necrophilia and paedophilia. Male forbidden desire exposed.
o Lack of sisterhood = female desire to take down other women as a result of the patriarchy.
Quotes:
“The Countess … watched him; he was soon finished.” – anticipating male attention. Carter
exaggerates to emphasise the damage that can be done to sisterhood as a result of the
patriarchy.
“White skin, red mouth, black hair … the child of his desire” – infantilisation emphasises
horror of rape and further criticises male forbidden desire.
“Thrust his virile member into the dead girl” - vile and horrifying. Used for emphasis.
Puss-in-Boots:
o Lady moves from ideal gothic woman to independent, powerful woman.
o Satisfies her own desires and takes sexual control – taboo particularly in gothic genre in the
face of typical domineering male (e.g., Marquis).
Quotes:
“Shrouded like a holy image” -> “she falls back on the bed, shows him the target” – taking
sexual control and breaking gothic/patriarchal stereotypes for women. Initially hidden away.
“Once she’s got the keys secure, she’s in charge of it all” – (link to TBC; keys = motif of
freedom) for women. Gothic stereotype of virginal woman locked away (e.g., COO: Isabella
trapped in Manfred’s castle).
,2
Mar-22
Context:
Second-wave feminism – more attention to societal prejudices e.g., sexuality. Also focus on
marital rape etc – link to snow child rape.
TBC set in 3rd Republic of France (associated with corruption, decadence, and hedonism).
Dracula:
Male repressed desire dealt with more subtly in both Jonathon and Van Helsing. Seen as natural?
Female sexuality as taboo; demonised in form of female vampires.
Female independence as taboo; Mina seen as revolutionary (‘new woman’) for minimal action.
Lucy/Mina and Dracula = comes off as a sexual act; taboo both because of supernatural and rape.
Jonathon:
o Victorian gentleman tempted by female vampires’ sexuality
o Victorian male desire as taboo, however presented as natural at end of novel when Van
Helsing is tempted also; he is God-like/powerful figure and still drawn in.
Quotes:
Jonathon: “There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive” –
intrigued by their sexuality (not present in women in Victorian society).
Van Helsing: “Yes I was moved – I, Van Helsing”
Van Helsing: “The voluptuous mouth present to a kiss – and a man is weak”
Mina:
o ‘New woman’, admired by Lucy and the rest of the group for being independent and
powerful for Victorian era (TBC: TRIVIAL IN COMPARISON TO CARTER’S CHARACTERS –
EMPHASISES RIGIDITY OF VICTORIAN ERA).
o Still both religious and vulnerable; typical gothic woman.
Quotes:
Lucy: “I must imitate Mina and keep writing things down” – sees Mina as revolutionary;
turns to her methods in her last moments.
Van Helsing: “Our dear Madam Mina is once again our teacher” – taboo in that she leads the
men, however Stoker ensures that she remain somewhat traditionally gothic to please
Victorian audience.
Mina/Lucy and Dracula:
o Described like a rape; physical corruption of humanity by supernatural – controversial/taboo
to Victorian audience.
Quotes:
“His right hand gripped her by the back of the neck, forcing her face down on his bosom.” –
rape-like connotations; forceful and powerful. Mina is ultimate vulnerable gothic woman
here.
“There was undoubtedly something, long and black, bending over the half-reclining white
figure.” – evil vs good; emphasis on Lucy’s vulnerability and Dracula’s dominance
, 3
Mar-22
Context:
New woman
Victorian fear of supernatural in the face of rationality and science.
Victorian gentleman as respectable
Patmore’s Angel in the House = ideal Victorian woman.
Critical quotes:
Perry: “The Gothic lies in … transgression that makes the reader complicit to the tale.”
Bickley: “Gothic writing uncovers a world of taboo … it engages with the unspeakable.”
Punter: “The Gothic deals in illicit desires; in what is prohibited from society.”
Punter: “[Forbidden knowledge and the taboo] put man in the place of God.”
Wider reading:
The Monk – rape of Antonia
Jekyll & Hyde - Jekyll’s violation of scientific law
Frankenstein – creation of the monster
Wuthering Heights – incest between Cathy and Heathcliff
Transformation:
The Bloody Chamber:
Women as transforming from passive, typical Gothic female to powerful and independent; take
ownership of themselves and their sexualities.
Women cannot even be human for fear of oppression; transformation = escape.
Transformation from abhuman to human in LOTHOL; escapes patriarchy in death.
The Bloody Chamber:
o See taboo: maiden - began as typical gothic female forced to become independent and take
control of her womanhood.
o Removed from society and Marquis (temporarily); therefore, able to transform.
Quotes:
“That castle, at home, neither on the land nor on the water” – liminal; offers a place apart
from society for growth.
The Tiger’s Bride:
o Uses transformation as a way to escape patriarchal society; cannot escape as a human.
o Carter emphasises the severity of the effects of patriarchal society for women in protagonist
transforming into a tiger.
Quotes:
