The subversion of female character in the bloody chamber and other stories by Angela Carter

Abstract

This paper refers to the book The bloody chamber and other stories (1989) by the English writer Angela Carter (1940-1992). In order to present this research, the analysis of the short stories is distributed in three sections having the theoretical support of Toril Moi and Elaine Showalter’s studies. The self-sufficient characters’ resilience, their relation to financial issues and their familiar context are discussed. From that perspective, this research aims at pointing out and analyzing how the author deconstructed and subverted the feminine image proposed by patriarchal society taking into account all aspects that are present in the texts. Therefore it is possible to verify Carter’s demystifying proposal in the book, since its narrative structure is used to establish characters that have autonomy and freedom. Hence, this architecture goes in an opposite direction to all female stereotypes, helping on building new stories with authentic and empowered women.