Discuss how two of Carter's tales fit in to the tradition of fairy and folk tales

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Discuss how two of Carter’s tales fit in to the tradition of fairy and folk tales

In Angela Carters ‘The Bloody Chamber’ she interweaves various aspects of retold fairytales and folk tales. Consequently as people may recognise this and have knowledge about these certain fairytales it will manipulate the way in which they think about the adaptation of these stories and the different outcomes possible. Carter therefore plays upon peoples expectations and changes the way in which things happen to what should be expected.

The tale ‘The Company Of Wolves’ is relating to the original fairytale of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. However unlike ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ where the young girl is defenceless and vulnerable in ‘The Company Of Wolves’ the girl can look after herself and is wholly competent in fending for herself. In the adaptation of ‘The Tiger’s Bride’ the story has connotations from ‘The Beauty and the Beast’, as to how the Beast will die after the last petal of the rose falls.

Throughout the ‘The Company Of Wolves’ Carter makes it fairly lucid and clear that men can be very powerful beings, ‘her father might forbid her, if her were home’. Thus reinstating that fact that the girl’s father has some form of power over her. However the use of the modal verb ‘might’ accompanied by the ending of the sentence gives the reader the impression that the girl is not scared of her father and would disobey what her father would find objectionable as he was not present. Although this quotation does not directly stick to the same narrative as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and therefore giving a slightly different impression of the original fairytale, it does reinstate that fact that men are powerful and possibly to be feared of as they prey on young girls. In ‘The Tiger’s Bride’ The Beast is also portrayed as a powerful and dominating male, ‘My master’s sole desire is to see the pretty young lady unclothed…’ this exposes The Beast to be someone who perceives himself as mighty and to have a much higher hierarchy to the young girl. His ‘desire’ is of a most degrading and outrageous manner, however the fact that The Beast himself has not told the young girl of his desire shows that he is somewhat shy and maybe even embarrassed of his desire. This therefore fits in to the tradition of fairytales by replicating a certain aspect of a moral; restraining desire. The importance of a virginal woman is also highlighted within the two stories mentioned. In ‘The Company Of Wolves’ there are mentions of the loss of virginity and different descriptions are used, ‘blood on snow’ and ‘her cheeks are an emblematic scarlet and white and she has just started her woman’s bleeding’. The reference to ‘scarlet and white’ and ‘blood on snow’ illustrates the importance of a girl been virginal, the extracts bring out very vivid images, which will enable the reader to envisage the precise importance of these quotations. These previous quotations relate and refer to the fact that when a woman looses her virginity blood is shed. These preceding descriptions describe the girl’s virginity and her independence. The girl is not afraid of anything and is strong in all her convictions and thoughts, ‘her mother cannot deny her’. The previous quotation shows that the girl knows she should not go in to the woods; however the use of the verb cannot emphasises the factor that the girl is strong and defiant.

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In ‘The Bloody Chamber’ Angela Carter also intertwines the old folk and fairy tales within her own adaptations, this therefore gives the reader some form of comfort and something to relate to. In ‘The Company Of Wolves’ the extract, ‘What big teeth you have!’ is an inter-textual reference taken from Little Red Riding Hood which many people, young or old will have read. The reader will therefore instantly revert to their knowledge and understanding of the original fairytale which will make them anticipate what will happen next. This therefore will be that the wolf will eventually eat the young ...

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