Blog #8
I really enjoyed the story; however, I must admit that the entire time I was reading it I was trying to figure out why the story was so familiar! After reading our blog assignment for the week I was incredibly thankful that Debbie was able to put an end to my unanswered thoughts. I had read Perrault’s original “Bluebeard” years ago and just couldn’t put my finger on it!! Well enough about that… on with the question.
PART I:
There were many differences between Carter’s “Bloody Chamber” and Perrault’s original “Bluebeard”.
1. First of all, Bluebeard wasn’t a character in Carter’s story. In her version the husband was an attractive older man, whom I think was created in order to show how much more trusting we are to attractive people and how we tend to be more standoffish towards someone who has a disfiguration or who is less attractive. (EX: Bluebeard)
2. The young wife searches the room on her own in order to add a “thriller” feeling to the story. By having her in the house alone instead of with a group, like the original, made it more mysterious and freighting.
3. In “Bluebeard” it is the brother’s of the young woman who become the heroes. Carter took the story to a feminist viewpoint by having the wife’s mother come to her rescue. It was the mother’s intuition that something is wrong with her daughter and runs to her aid. This intuition demonstrates how women are able to bond on various levels, and shows how strong a mother- daughter bond can be.
Carter’s personal twists on the original story, allows the reader to see her perspective of the strengths that women possess. I believe the main theme of Carter’s version of the story is the empowerment of women. This demonstrates that it is no longer a man’s world!
PART II:
According to church history, Cecilia was a maiden of noble birth. At an early age, she dedicated her life to God with a vow of chastity. She, however, was betrothed and married to a young noble named Valerian. On her wedding day, she prayed to the Lord and asked Him to protect her virginity. History records, "The day on which the wedding was to be held arrived and while musical instruments were playing she was singing in her heart to God alone saying: Make my heart and my body pure that I may not be confounded" (McKinnon 46). St. Cecilia's prayers were answered, and Valerian was willing to take her as his wife without forcing her to break her vow. Not only did he accept her vow of chastity, he and his brother Tiburtius were both converted to Christianity. At this time, Christianity was still illegal in Rome. Both Valerian and his brother Tiburtius were soon discovered as professed Christians and were martyred. Cecilia was discovered soon after and met a similar fate. It required two attempts, however, before the death of Cecilia was successful. She was first locked in a bath in her own home to be suffocated by the steam. When she emerged from the bath unharmed, she was then beheaded. The stroke of the axe failed to sever her head from her body, however, and she lived for three days. During this time, she saw to the disbursement of her assets to help the poor, and she donated her home to the ecclesiastical authorities to be used as a church.