Angela Carter! %orn a# Angela Ol&e 'tal(er! )a# an Engl#h f*ton )rter and +o,rnal#t (n (no) o)n n for for her fe"n fe"n#" #" an and d "ag "ag*a *all re real al# #" " )or( )or(# # 'h 'hee )a# )a# %o %orn rn n ./ 0a1! 0a1! .234 .234 n Ea#t%o,rne! )ere #he l&ed )th her 5arent# ,ntl the Ger"an aeral atta*(# of Word Word War War 66! )hen #he "o&ed n $or(#h $or(#hre re )th her grand"other grand"other Carter Carter )a# hred a# +o,rnal#t +o,rnal#t at The Croydon Advertiser an and d afte afterr that that #he attend attended ed the Uni Univer versit sityy of Bristo Bristoll )he )here re #he #t,de #t,ded d Engl#h Engl#h Lterat,re Angela too( her father a# a "odel )ho )or(ed a# a +o,rnal#t Carter %e*a"e fl,ent n Ger"an and Fren*h Tro,gho,t the .2/47# and .2847# #he )or(ed a# a )rter n re#den*e at ,n&er ,n &er#t #te# e# a# University of Sheffield, Brown University, the University of Adelaide and the University of East Anglia. A# 6 #ad! Angela )a# )ell (no)n for her )rtng# that e"%od1ed a *o""t"ent to fe"n#" and "ag*al real#"! #o n .2/8 Carter #5ea(# a%o,t the )or(# of Marquis of Marquis de Sade (The Sadeian Woan the !deology of "ornogra#hy$ "ornogra#hy$ 6n her e##a1! Angela *la"# that the 0ar9,# de 'ade # one of the fr#t )rter# )ho *hanged the 5er*e5ton thro,gh )o"en! %1 ex*eedng the "entalt1 n )h*h a )o"an # *reated )th the f,n*ton of 5rod,*ng %a%e# 6n .2/2 .2/2 Angel Angelaa Carter Carter 5,%l#he# 5,%l#he# the "o#t "o#t "5ort "5ortant ant *olle* *olle*to ton# n# of #hort #hort f*to f*ton n The Bloody Cha%er Cha %er.. 'he *o"e# o&er )th art*le# n The &uardian and and 'ew 'ew Statesan, #he )rte# dra"a and no&el# a# 'ights a# 'ights at the Cirus. 'o"e Cirus. 'o"e *reaton# al#o had %een adda5ted for the #l&er #*reen Angela nter5ret# "an1 tale# fro" The Bloody Cha%er +,#t +,#t a# )ittle a# )ittle *ed *iding +ood, The Werewol rewolf, f, WolfAli lfAlie e and The Co#any Co#any of Wolfs lfs.. ( htt5:;;)))eg#ed,;l%rar1;angelahtt5:;;)))eg#ed,;l%rar1;angela*arter;%ogra5h1; <4.==4.3 *arter;%ogra5h1; <4.==4.3 $ A# )e #ee! the *entral deea aro,nd )h*h re&ol&e# all tho#e tale# "entoned earler # the Wolf! Wo lf! #,*h a# n the #hort #tor1 "eter #tor1 "eter and the Wolf. Wolf. Fr#tl1 Fr#tl1!! t )a# a *o"5o#ton )rtten %1 'erge Pro(ofe& n .2<> n R,##a 6t # a #tor1 for *hldren! )here the narrator # a**o"5aned %1 an or*h *hee#tra )hl hle #5e 5eaa(n (ng ?htt5:;;en)(5edaorg;)(;Peter@and@the@Wolf ! &deo htt5#:;;)))1o,t,%e*o";)at*h&B0f0/$2P*d) <4.==4.3 htt5#:;;)))1o,t,%e*o";)at*h&B0f0/$2P*d) <4.==4.3 Angela # ren&entng a )onder tale! a reno)ned R,##an tale! "o&ng a)a1 fro" the *la##*al *hldren7# #tor1 to a *reaton do"nated %1 grote#9,e "age# and ro,gh #*ene# Carter7# )olf-#tore# *an %e a55roa*hed thro,gh the len# of the grote#9,e! th# %eng *a,#ed %1 the fg,re# hghlghed n o,r tale: the 5art-h,"an! the 5art-an"al ? The o%ination of hu hua an n an and d ania aniall tr trai aits ts is is.. .... one of the the ost ost anie anient nt gr grot otes esque que fo for rss 0(hal a(htn! Re%ela# <.> ? ett1 0o##e- -esire 0o##e- -esire and the eale &rotesque in Angela/s Carter 0"eter and the Wolf0 &oogle E%oo1s htt5#:;;%oo(#googlero;%oo(# dB"*L18.hgr6C5gBPA dB"*L1 8.hgr6C5gBPA.88l5gBPA .88l5gBPA.88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l .88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l 3
”Peter and the Wolf”
Angela Carter
ot#B1F.P&I08#gBl%lU(IIlIgClxJ'T('E(3+'EhlBen#aBKeBWhN"tF8&#U#'>grgN&edB4CD0J>AE)A )M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e )M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e 5age .8/! <4.==4.3 6n Angela7# tale )e *an o%#er&e a dfferent a55roa*h: n the tradtonal tale# of )ol&e# the an*ent an"al # a #1"%ol of "a#*,lnt1 and do"nan*e! t "ean# danger and threat and t *on&e1# fear Carter7# re-&#onng# re-&#onng# )or( agan#t th# tradton and n o,r tale the )olf *hara*ter # e"%oded %1 a fe"ale Al#o! *o"5arng Carter7# tale )th Pro(ofe&7# #tor1! )e *an o%#er&e t)o dfferent t15e# of *hara*ter: One that 5ro&e# h# o)n "a#*,lnt1 %1 *a5t,rng the )olf and one %,ld# dfferentl1 e"%o1ng a lttle %o1 that d#*o&er# the )olf-grl! %,t )here Peter doe# not f,n*ton a# a hero* g,de ”Carter7# retellng of "eter "eter and the Wolf Wolf de*on#tr,*t# and defa"lare# orgnal tale#! "o#t re*ogna%l1 Pro(ofe&7#! th,# *allng attenton to %oth lterat,re and realt1 a# *on#tr,*t# or 5er*e5ton# 5er*e5ton# ” ? ett1 0o##e0o##e- -esire and the eale &rotesque in Angela/s Carter 0"eter and the Wolf0 &oogle E%oo1s htt5#:;;%oo(#googlero;%oo(# dB"*L18.hgr6C5gBPA dB"*L1 8.hgr6C5gBPA.88l5gBPA .88l5gBPA.88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l .88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l ot#B1F.P&I08#gBl%lU(IIlIgClxJ'T('E(3+'EhlBen#aBKeBWhN"tF8&#U#'>grgN&edB4CD0J>AE)A )M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e )M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e 5age .88! <4.==4.3 6n the %egnng! )e *a5t,re the "o"ent n )h*h the narrator note# that )th failiarity,, the landsa#e eases to #rovo1e awe and wonder and the traveller sees the Al#s with failiarity the indifferent eye of those who always live there (23$. 6n the endng of the tale! after the vertigo of freedo ex5ere ex5eren*e n*e )e are told that for that for the first tie , he saw the #riitive, vast, agnifient, %arren, un1ind, si#liity of the ountain (45$ 0(hal a(h" tal(# a%o,t Angela7# tale and her fe"n#" )rtng! re*onng that ”lterat,re # an n#e5ara%le 5art of the totalt1 of *,lt,re and *annot %e #t,ded o,t#de the total *,lt,ral *ontext” *,lt,ral *ontext” ?”Note#” .34 and he theore# theore# grote#9,e real#" a# a "ode )h*h ”d#*lo#e# ”d#*lo#e# the 5oten*alt1 of and entrel1 dfferent )orld! )orld! of another order! another )a1 of lfe” ?38! =.4 He al#o thn(# that Carter7# *reaton *orre#5,nd# )th Helene Cxo,#7# &e#on of the fe"nne )rtng: ”Her ?the fe"nne )rter7# l%o )ll 5rod,*e far "ore rad*al effe*t# of 5olt*al and #o*al *hange than #o"e "ght l(e to thn(” ?La,ght! <<2 Carter tal(# a%o,t #tor1 of a lttle grl )ho ha# %een l&ng n a re"ote *a%n )th her 5arent# ,ntl #o"e )ol&e# atta*(ed the"! (llng the t)o older "e"%er# of the fa"l1 The1 had a %r,tal death e&en f the )ol&e# ddn7t ",tlate "other7# %od1 We ,nder#tand fro" the #tor1 that the lttle grl )a# a%d,*ted and ra#ed %1 tho#e )ol&e# The )hole a*ton "o&e# fo)ard eght 1ear# later )here Peter! an old )o"an7# ne5he)! )ho t,rn# to %e al#o the grand"other of the lo#t lttle grl! "eet# the )olf-grl )hle he )a# g,ardng the fa"l17# goat# There he #ee# the thing he had %een taught ost to fear advaning silently. 6n silently. 6n th# #*ene )e *an o%#er&e that! a**ordng 4
”Peter and the Wolf”
Angela Carter
to the narrator! the fear )a# ta,ght! a #en#aton that #,55re##e# other )a1# of thn(ng! an ele"antal "agnt,de We *an #ee #"lart1 %et)een "eter %et)een "eter and the Wolf Wolf #tor1 and the re&#ed tale )ittle *ed *iding +ood fro" The Bloody Cha%er Cha%er : the grandda,ghter had %een ta,ght to fear! +,#t l(e o,r *hara*ter! %,t #he dare# to la,gh at the "a#*,lne 5redator! the )olf! (no)ng that #he )a# no%od17# "eat and after that #he #lee5# )th the *reat,re Red Rddng Hood o5en# ne) )a1# of thn(ng a%o,t de#re and #ex,alt1 +,#t a# n o,r #tor1! )here the grote#9,e and the fe"nne are %ond offerng an other &#on of #ex,alt1 and de#re ” ? ett1 0o##e- -esire and the ea eale le &ro &rotes esqu quee in Angel ngela a/s Carte arterr 0"et 0"eter er and and the Wolf lf0 0 &oog &ooglle E%oo E%oo1s 1s htt5#:;;%oo(#googlero;%oo(# dB"*L18.hgr6C5gBPA dB"*L1 8.hgr6C5gBPA.88l5gBPA .88l5gBPA.88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l .88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l ot#B1F.P&I08#gBl%lU(IIlIgClxJ'T('E(3+'EhlBen#aBKeBWhN"tF8&#U#'>grgN&edB4CD0J>AE)A )M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e )M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e 5age .2.! <4.==4.3 6n the #*ene )here Peter o%#er&e# the lttle )ol&e#! Carter "a(e# a *o"5ar#on %et)een the fa"lart1 of "o,ntan# that no longer 5ro&o(e# a#ton#h"ent and the ,n(no)n that he )ant# to d#*o&er they had notthen %een#ee# the that first the wolves heone had#ever eve r seen, the )th %oy would notofhave ins#eted the so? !f losely losely He thrd not #"lar the re#t the an"al# ?harle## on the %od1! % od1! onl1 on t7# head The next 5art # al#o ntere#tng f )e *on*entrate on the "o"ent )hen Peter fg,re# o,t that the *reat,re he #a) )a# a grl He tre# to ex5lan to h# grand"other that he #a) a lttle grl #tandng )th the )ol&e# ,t ho) dd Peter (ne) that the lttle *reat,re )a# n fa*t a grl! f #he )a# )al(ng on all fours fours Carter n#n,ate# that )e ",#t ,nder#tand the gender a# a *on#tr,*t ”The narrator #5e*,late# that "a1%e her hair was so long, so long and lively. Angela n##t# that gender and #ex,alt1 are not fxed a**ordng to anato"1 or e##en*e#” After hearng Peter7# #tor1! h# grand"other # #,re that the )olf-grl # n fa*t her grand*hld! Peter7# *o,#n The three one#! n*l,dng the %o17# father go to fnd the grl and to %rng her %a*( ho"e The *a5t,re # a #1"%ol* rt,al that h15er%ole# the %r,talt1 of "a#*,lne "a#*,lne *ontan"ent of the fe"nne the lttle grl *hallenge# the "en7# 5o)er: Soe%ody aught her with a sliding noose at the end of a ro#e6 the noose over her head 7er1ed tight... The girl srathed and fought until the en tied her h er wrist and an1les together with twine and slung her fro a #ole... Then she went li# ... and #retended to %e dead(48$. We *an #ee the )a1 the grl #tr,ggle# to re##t! %,t e&en n all her )ldne##! #he *an7t #tand agan#t tho#e 5o)erf,ll "an and ther tool# Th# dra"at*al #*ene re&eal# that "en7# 5o)er # related )th &olen*e The 5ortra1al of the grl # de#*r%ed n detal! dra)ng an grote#9,e "age to the lttle )olf ...and how filthy she was9 Ca1ed with ud and dirt. And every inh of her hestnut hide was sored and sa%%ed with do:ens of sars of shar# a%rasions of ro1 and thorn. A# )e *an #ee the de#*r5ton # gloo"1 and tene%ro,# The narrator tell# ,# that the grl #tan(ed and her 5
”Peter and the Wolf”
Angela Carter
har )a# #o drt1 1o, *o,ld not #ee )hat *olor # )a# The anal1t*al *ategor1 of grote#9,e # re5re#ented %1 the %od1 She never rose u# two legs6 she rouhed, all the tie, on her hands and ti#toes6 yet it was no quite li1e rouhing, for you ould see how all fours ae naturally to her as though she had ade a different #at with gravity than we have. 6n "1 o5non! th# "a1 #,gge#t# her an"al nat,re and the dealaton of the fe"ale )th )h*h )e are a**,#to"ed # "##ng "## ng fro" Carter7# Carter7# #tor1 The lttle )olf-grl )olf-grl *on&e1# fear: Even the old woan, who had ontrated with herself to love the hild of her dead daughter, was frightened when she heard the girl howl. An "5ortant #*ene #*ene # that )hen Peter d#*o&er# d#*o&er# the fe"ale fe"ale #ex: "eter/s heart gave a ho#, a s1i#, so that he had a sensation of falling6 he was not onious of his own fear %eause he ould not ta1e his eyes off the sight of the revie of her girlhild/s se;... !t e;eised an a%solute fasination u#on hi(4<$. ,#t l(e n the fr#t "eentng )th the )ol&e#! the %o1 d#*o&er# #o"ethng ,n(no)n He ha# the #en#aton of fear! %,t al#o of fa#*naton The grl7# %od1 # a seret #lae! #lae! that a)a(e# n the "nd of the %o1 *ontrad*tor1 feelng#! #hatterng h" Wtho,t ntenton! #he o5en# her l5#! offerng h" a &e) of whorled flesh flesh that seeed to o#en one u#on another in herself.. After Peter7# d#*o&erng of the fe"ale #ex! the )olf-5a*( n&aded the ho"e! tr1ng to re*o&er t# h,"an "e"%er and %rngng )th the" d##onan*e and terror E&er1 "e"%er of the fa"l1 )a# #*ared and the %o1 )a# no) ex5eren*ng the fear and the #ho*( of %eng n danger A# n the 5re&o,# 5art! the %o1 feel# %oth fear and fa#*naton! terror and a no#talg* de#re to t,rn %a*( t"e: +e t"e: +e was full of nervous dread. +e would have given anything to turn tie %a1, so that he ight have run, shouting a warning, when he first aught sight of the wolves, and never seen her. her. A #e&eral "o,nth# later! after the n*dent )th the )olf-grl! Peter7# grand"other de# fro" a )o,nd "ade fro" her grand-*hld %te Peter %la"e# h"#elf for h# grand"other7# death ?onsued %y an i#erious #assion for atoneent ! ! rea#on )h1 he learn# ho) to read the %le fro" a lo*al 5re#t The %o1 # l&ng for a 5erod of t"e n an a%#tra*t )orld - the )orld of ,n&er ,n &er#al #al 0truths0 0truths0 and *ore e##en*e#- ele*tng to den1 the fle#h Peter7# "o&e"ent to)ard relg relgon on - "eta5h "eta5h#* #*al al tran#* tran#*end enden*e en*e - dene# dene# h# ex5er ex5eren*e en*e )th )th the fe"ale fe"ale grote# grote#9,e 9,e Ho)e&er h# 5ath # "ar(ed %1 ,nea#e for! ”as ” as if to s#ite the four evangelists he nightly invo1ed to #rotet his %ed, the nightare regulary disorded his slee#s slee#s”! ”! )here all tho#e %ad drea"# #ho) h# nternal #tr,ggle )th h# fear# He al#o #tart# to learn latn and )hen he t,rn# fo,rteen the 5re#t a#(# h# 5arent# to let Peter attend to a #e"nar1 n the to)n there the %o1 %o 1 )o,ld learn to %e*o"e a 5re#t ? ett1 0o##e- -esire and the eale &rotesque in Angela/s Carter 0"eter and the Wolf0 &oogle E%oo1s htt5#:;;%oo(#googlero;%oo(# dB"*L18.hgr6C5gBPA dB"*L1 8.hgr6C5gBPA.88l5gBPA .88l5gBPA.88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l .88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o,r*eB%l ot#B1F.P&I08#gBl%lU(IIlIgClxJ'T('E(3+'EhlBen#aBKeBWhN"tF8&#U#'>grgN&edB4CD0J>AE)A 6
On h# )a1 to the #e"nar1! Peter #to5# near a #trea" to )a#h h# fa*e! "o"ent )hen he "eet# for the #e*ond t"e h# *o,#n Peter ” %egan to tre%le and sha1e... he felt he had %een ade of snow and now ight elt (44$0. The visionary estasy ins#ired %y the o#elling eleental grotesque of the halfhuan= halfanial defeats the osi terror fro whih "eter suffers, and #ro#els hi into #ossi%ilities6 he wonders,0What would he do at the seinary, now> or now he 1new there was nothing to %e afraid of. +e e;#eriened the vertigo of freedo freedo (44$0. 6n the end! Peter Pe ter gan# freedo"! l%ert1! he a%andon# tradton and #tart# a ne) +orne1 +orne 1 nto an ,n"a55ed )orld! he #tart# a ne) *ha5ter n a different story story Peter ref,#e# to loo( %a*( n the 5a#t ” !f i loo1 %a1 again0 he tought with a last gas# of su#erstition terror, terror, 0! shall turn into a #illar of salt0. 6n Po(ofe&7# #tor1! Peter "ar*he# tr,"5hantl1 *arr1ng the *a5t,re of )olf l(e a hero 6n "1 o5non! Carter7# *hara*ter 5ro&e# the #a"e 9,alte#! he ex*eed# h# fear# and he de*de# to l&e another )a1 of lfe
%logra5h1: . Angela7# Carter ogra5h1: htt5:;;)))eg#ed,;l%rar1;angela-*arter;%ogra5h1; htt5:;;)))eg#ed,;l%rar1;angela-*arter;%ogra5h1; <4.==4.3 = Content: GOOGLE EOOQ' F6LE F6LE - Danelle 0 Roe"er! and Cr#tna a**hlega Angela Carter and the fairy tale. Detrod! 0*hgan 38=4.: Marvels?T 38=4.: Marvels?Tales, ales, .228 Prnt 6 ,#ed ett17# 0o##e- -esire -esire and the eale &rotesque &rotesque in Angela/s Carter 0"et 0"eter er and the Wolf0 ha#ter. Ln( of the &rt,al for"at of the %oo(: ett1 0o##e- -esire 0o##e- -esire and the eale &rotesque &rotesque in Angela/s Carter 0"eter and the Wolf0 Wolf0 &oogle E%oo1s htt5#:;;%oo(#googlero;%oo(# dB"*L18.hgr6C5gBPA dB"*L1 8.hgr6C5gBPA.88l5gBPA .88l5gBPA.88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o .88d9Bangela*arter5eterandthe)olf#o ,r*eB%lot#B1F.P&I08#gBl%lU(IIlIgClxJ'T('E(3+'EhlBen#aBKeBWhN"tF8&#U#'>grgN&edB4CD0J >AE)A)M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e >AE)A)M&Bone5age9Bangela=4*arter=45eter=4and=4the=4)olffBtr,e 5age .2/! <..==4.3 < $o,T,%e deo of an*o,&er '1"5hon1 Or*he#tra 5erfor"ng 'erge Po(ofe&7# "eter Po(ofe&7# "eter and the Wolf@ htt5#:;;)))1o,t,%e*o";)at*h&B0f0/$2P*d)