2 years later...

At the brink of what is sure to be one of the most intellectually and physically demanding years of my life - my third year at Royal Holloway, University of London - I stumbled upon the forgotten blogs of yesteryear..the literary thoughts and explorations of a 16 year old me. How strange.  What is even more curiouser (and curiouser) is that the blogs long forgotten by me, my inspiring A2 English Literature teacher and my old classmates, have clocked up numerous views over the past two years. Who on earth has been reading them?!  Whoever you are, I am grateful and I hope you have enjoyed.  However I intend to leave the 16 year old me behind and start a new blog, fit for a third year undergraduate of Comparative Literature & Culture, with no idea what the next step is post-graduation but with a sheer love for literature.

So to anyone who does view this blog, let me direct you to the thoughts of a more present me: www.rhulramblings.blogspot.com
Where I will be blogging about the literature I enjoy, as well as the literature that I study at university. Oh, and also about the stress of three 5,000 word dissertations and their sure to be soul destroying effect.  Enjoy! See you soon.

How Frankenstein connects to the other texts...

- themes of isolation/rejection
*represented in the monster's rejection from society (Frankenstein)
*Macbeth's self-isolation from the norms of society- immersed in his own deception
*Isolated setting of 'Mr Lyon'- desolate castle surrounded by 'swirling snow' far away from the city and civilisation (Bloody Chamber)
- nature as a destructive force
*nature of Victor's personality - obsessed with knowledge/science etc - it his nature which leads him to the destructive task of creating the monster
*the natural forces of destiny/fate (represented in the witches) as an uncontrollable force lead Macbeth down a destructive path of deceit and murder
*Natural setting of the sea, as an enforcer of the young bride's capitivity - the sound of the sea is described as a violent ever present force, reminding the young bride of her entrapment in the castle (The Bloody Chamber)
-Relationships and the dark consequences of them
*The closeness of Victor's family, close relationships results in the monster exploiting this by murdering those that Victor holds dear to cause the most pain
*Macbeth and Lady Macbeth - both thirsty for power, almost competing whose stronger? LM comes off the worst in her insanity. Also the trusting friendship with Banquo, Macbeth betrays this by ordering the murder of Banquo
*The murdered wives of the Marquis, they all trusted and loved him, once again this is abused and he betrays them (The Bloody Chamber)

Frankenstein can be seen as a novel of identity..

-the monster lacks his own identity.
- within the society represented in the novel the monster's physical identity is rejected (causing him to doubt his inner identity/personality?)
- the monster likens himself to the characters of Paradise Lost - trying to assign himself an identity - copies the actions of the DeLaceys
- Victor's identity - sees himself only as a scientist? cannot escape his identity - cast in his role (marxism?)
- lack of identity of the monster also evident in the submissive role of women in society

The Werewolf

The introduction of this story creates an ominous atmosphere 'they have cold weather, they have cold hearts', creating immediate tension for the reader before the story has developed. Carter emphasises the stereotypical original Gothic type stories everyone has been exposed to, of witches, the devil etc. typical scary content. 'the Devil holds picnics...and invites the witches; then they dig up fresh corpses, and eat them'. Creates the idea of evil as an openly existing, ever-present thing.

Heroine in the story a brave young girl, the innocence of her virginity creates her bravery in that she is not exposed to the dark side of human nature, which Carter emphasises to be sex throughout her collection of short stories. 'she dropped her gifts, seized her knife and turned on the beast'.

Ironic death of her grandmother, cut of her paw as a wolf and then discovers her in human form with her bloody stump 'festering' (Gothic image of death/rotting).

Women represented as as the enemy (grandmother the villain), similar to Snow Child, shows that woman are not always the innocent victims.

As the reader we do not necessarily hate the villain (the grandmother), feel sorry for her as she cannot refrain from preying on her granddaughter. idea of being cursed/damned by something completely out of your control (link to The Lady of the House of Love) and also raises the idea of higher powers at work, destiny/fate.

Carter's emphasis on the treatment of witches etc (being stoned) could be seen as Carter's criticism of over-judgement in society. Could also be seen as a demonstration of how easily the traditional Gothic villains could be removed, eg. by stoning them, or placing a 'wreath of garlic' on the door. The point Carter is trying to make here is that the neo-Gothic that she is demonstrating in her writing is not as easy to rid yourself of, as it is an innate feature of human nature. Suggesting that this is where the true Gothic comes from, and this is what we should really fear in life, the dark side of human nature.

Key themes in The Bloody Chamber.

- Use of shock tactics : use of explicit language eg. 'cunt', controversial issues eg. paedophilia + necrophilia, exploitation of innocence, sadistic exposure of sex.
- Fairytale element of story telling: Carter has taken the original fairytales for children and giving them her own dark twist- removing common previous fairytale conventions, whilst ironically still maintaining ones such as the 'happily ever after' ending.
- Feminism - challenging female conventions in society by giving the female characters the more dominant role
- Entrapment - idea of being surrounded or trapped, eg. The Bloody Chamber, the female is surrounded by the sea and trapped in the castle
- Violence linked with love and sex
- Virginity/Innocence/Purity - common association : virginity and innocence.
- Nature
- Transformation

Gothic nature of The Bloody Chamber relies on human nature, and general features of it which appear to be normal in everyday society, Carter takes these features and explores them in a way that exposes the many dark and sadistic faults in human nature. Focusing on sexual desires as a dark subject and emphasising the innocence of the human race in a virginal state. As well as this Carter also explores the importance of nature as a Gothic element, in it's destructive nature and omnipotence in life, which leads well above any control we possess.

'The Erl King' ; Angela Carter

The introduction to the Erl King describes the serene natural setting of the forest, ‘the leaves glittered…the withered blackberries dangled…’ Carter’s narrative here involves the reader directly; using direct description to the reader ‘you step between the first trees…the wood swallows you up’. Moreover a feeling of claustrophobia is created in Carter’s description of the overbearing forest, ‘Once you are inside it, you must stay there until it lets you out again’. Moreover the idea that nature is control is created here, in the sense that the forest holds the control, personifying the forest and making it seem grand and above the powers of human control ‘the trees stir…a little stream…has grown sullen’.

Setting is important here, as it creates the atmosphere for the story. As Carter spends so much time describing the menacing forest we as the reader are kept in suspense as to what is going to happen and are put edge by the gloomy, threatening setting.

Page 97 - ‘It is easy to lose yourself in these woods’; could have 2 different meanings? 1. Get physically lost 2. Lose the kind of person you are?

Narrative shifts between first, second and third person – intention to confuse the reader? Make us feel lost by the forest?

The Erl King: Seems to be at one with nature, a part of the forest. ‘He knows all about the wood and the creatures in it’. Physical description of the Erl King creates the image of a tree, ‘hair that is the colour of dead leaves, dead leaves fall out of it’. The way in which the birds come to rest on him, as if the branches of a tree. ‘Like a tree that bears bloom and fruit’

He is at one with nature, yet asserts power of the forest, calling all the birds to him (similar to The Pied Piper) – is he a symbol of nature’s power? Destructive in the same way that nature can be destructive.

Seduction by the Erl King, ‘he drew me towards him’.

Idea of stripping skin (links to Tiger’s Bride and Wolf Alice) ‘he strips me to my last nakedness, that underskin of mauve’.

Young woman narrator feels consumed by him, consumed by the forest/nature. Takes control and ironically strangles him with his own hair.

‘with hands as gentle as rain’ – shows a different less destructive side of nature – however an odd simile to use to describe such a destructive act

'Wolf Alice' ; Angela Carter

Wolf Alice represents a common theme in Angela Carter's version of the Gothic, animalistic qualities within a human. Alice is initially introduced as 'wild, impatient of restraint, capricious in temper' and is further characterised as a wolf by the constant reference to her 'claws'. Page 146, ‘you might say she could not put her finger on’, the italic emphasis of ‘finger’ is ironic, in the sense that until this point Alice is described as having ‘claws’, it also reminds us that she is human. We also see the emphasis of animalism in humans in the 'Bloody Chamber' when the Marquis is described as having a 'dark mane'.

Another Gothic theme present is the idea of rejection or desertion; Alice is rejected by the nuns (who were her 'saviors') because of her animalism. Similarly we see themes of rejection in Frankenstein + also 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon'.

Setting: The Duke's 'gloomy mansion'

Gothic themes: Werewolf, setting at night, corpses, graveyard, loneliness, and rejection

(direct reference to the bloody chamber...'heaped in the corners of his bloody chamber')

Page 143 - 'the coffin had been ripped open...not a trace could be found but for a rag of the bridal veil...’ This creates an oxymoronic image of a negative, death and a positive, marriage. Links to Frankenstein- the 'bridal bier' (Elizabeth's death)

Page 142 – Angela Carter uses the idea of food and appetite to remind us of the link between animals and humans. ‘His eyes see only appetite. These eyes open to devour…’ The word ‘devour’ emphasizes the need for food and also his uncivilized existence. (Courtship of Mr Lyon; Mr Lyon’s health decreases when he does not eat – reminds the reader of the close link between animals and humans)

Importance of the moon/night: Is when the Duke hunts, acts as an illuminator, revealer, how Alice establishes time (acts as a cycle). ‘With a punctuality that transformed her vague grip of time’

The Mirror: Alice discovers her reflection and believes it to be a playmate, this emphasizes her loneliness and isolation, and also how distant she is from the human world as something as regular and recognizable as a mirror/her own reflection she does not know of. (Naivety? Innocence?). Also reveals the Duke eventually.

Establishment of her human side: Gradually Alice establishes a grip on human life, she recognizes time and the regularity of her natural cycle, cries and later discovers clothing and compassion for the Duke