READING JOURNAL

FEMINISM RESEARCH


First-wave feminism refers to a period of feminist activity during the 19th and early 20th century throughout the world, particularly in the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands and the United States. It focused on legal issues, primarily on gaining women's suffrage (the right to vote).
The term first-wave was coined in March 1968 by Marsha Lear writing in The New York Time Magazine, who at the same time also used the term "second-wave feminism". At that time, the women's movement was focused on de facto (unofficial) inequalities, which it wished to distinguish from the objectives of the earlier feminists.


Second-wave feminism is a period of feminist activity that first began in the early 1960s in the United States, and eventually spread throughout the Western world and beyond. In the United States the movement lasted through the early 1980s. It later became a worldwide movement that was strong in Europe and parts of Asia, such as Turkey and Israel, where it began in the 1980s, and it began at other times in other countries.
Whereas first-wave feminism focused mainly on suffrage and overturning legal obstacles to gender equality, second-wave feminism broadened the debate to a wide range of issues: sexuality, family, the workplace, reproductive rights, de facto inequalities, and official legal inequalities. Second-wave feminism also drew attention to domestic violence and marital rape issues, establishment of rape crisis and battered women's shelters, and changes in custody and divorce law. Its major effort was the attempted passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the United States Constitution, in which they were defeated by anti-feminists led by Phyllis Schlafly, who argued as an anti-ERA view that the ERA meant women would be drafted into the military.
Many historians view the second-wave feminist era in America as ending in the early 1980s with the intra-feminism disputes of the feminist sex wars over issues such as sexuality and pornography, which ushered in the era of third-wave feminism in the early 1990s.


Third-wave feminism is a term identified with several diverse strains of feminist activity and study, whose exact boundaries in the history of feminism are a subject of debate, but are generally marked as beginning in the early 1990s and continuing to the present. The movement arose partially as a response to the perceived failures of and backlash against initiatives and movements created by second-wave feminism during the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, and the perception that women are of "many colors, ethnicities, nationalities, religions and cultural backgrounds". Rebecca Walker coined the term "third-wave feminism" in a 1992 essay. It has been proposed that Walker has become somewhat of a symbol of the third wave's focus on queer and non-white women. As political and economic equality has been granted to women in most parts of the western world. Third Wave feminists have broadened their goals, focusing on ideas like queer theory, abolishing gender role expectations and stereotypes, and defending sex work, pornography, reproductive rights, and sex-positivity



MARXISM RESEARCH


In 1959, the Cuban Revolution led to the victory of anti-imperialist Fidel Castro and his July 26 Movement Although the revolution had not been explicitly socialist, upon victory Castro ascended to the position of Prime Minister and eventually adopted the Leninist model of socialist development, forging an alliance with the Soviet Union. One of the leaders of the revolution, the Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara, subsequently went on to aid revolutionary socialist movements in Congo-Kinshasa and Bolivia, eventually being killed by the Bolivian government, possibly on the orders of the CIA, though the CIA agent sent to search for Guevara, Felix Rodriguez expressed a desire to keep him alive as a possible bargaining tool with the Cuban government; he would posthumously go on to become an internationally recognised icon.
In the People's Republic of China, the Maoist government undertook the Cultural Revolution from 1966 through to 1976 in order to purge capitalist elements from Chinese society and entrench socialism. However, upon Mao's death, his rivals seized political power and under the Premiership of Deng Xiaoping, many of Mao's Cultural Revolution era policies were revised or abandoned and much of the state sector privatised.
The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the collapse of most of those socialist states that had professed a Marxist–Leninist ideology. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the emergence of the New Right and neoliberal capitalism as the dominant ideological trends in western politics – championed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher – led the west to take a more aggressive stand against the Soviet Union and its Leninist allies. Meanwhile, in the Soviet Union, the reformist Mikhae    nl Gorbachev became Premier in March 1985, and began to move away from Leninist-based models of development towards social democracy. Ultimately, Gorbachev's reforms, coupled with rising levels of popular ethnic nationalism in the Soviet Union, led to the state's dissolution in late 1991 into a series of constituent nations, all of which abandoned Marxist–Leninist models for socialism, with most converting to capitalist economies































<sup>Carter's previous work
'Wise Children' was Carters last published novel, and tells the story of twins, Nora and Dore Chance. The twin chorus girls, who go on to lead lives of 'frivolous lechery'. It is noted through this story that Carter held a deep love of Shakespeare, and she also incorporates a large amount of magic realism and carnivalesque elements.
From the introduction, the reader is given the impression that whilst the narrator is clearly knowledgeable, she is also naïve. This is portrayed by the almost childish yet friendly 'Hello Reader!' and the seemingly incessant ramblings.

Reviews of Carter Work
positive;</sup>

• ^{'empowering...fierce...witty...jaunty,'}
• ^{'ground-breaking...beautiful'}
• ^{'welcome...enchantment...vivid...magic'}
• ^{'deep...unmistakeable...imaginative'}
• ^{'exuberant...daring...ambitious'}

^negative;

• 'wicked...female format'
• 'valuing the pornographic...evil'
• 'not a particularly good poet...bad puns...did not have a good imagination'
• 'childish writer...no real depth...ill-wrought'
• 'unneeded...larded with clichés'

^{Problems with Marxist Criticism
Marxist criticism tends to deal with history in a fairly generalised way, as it rarely discusses the details of a specific historical situation before relating it to the particular literary text. It can also be seen to be more 'sociological,' that 'Marxist' in the fact that it is concerned with only the 'raw material,' and the literary works content, and its authors attitude towards this and society. This misinterpretation is related to the popular stereotype of Marxism as simple economism.} 


Problems with Feminist Criticism
The Feminist literary criticism of today is the direct product of the 'woman's movement,' in the 1960's, and this is often seen by feminists of today as a disguised exploitation of women concerning the implied loose morality of glorified statements used such as 'free love.' Some forms of feminism have been harmful in the way that they have been built on an anti-male foundation, preaching that misogyny is evil but that misandry is virtuous and laudable, this does not promote 'equality of the sexes.'

'The Lady of the House of Love' - Presentation of the Male Character & Interpretations




How is the young man presented?
The young man is presented as both young and old in his attitudes. And he is said to be both 'young,' and 'rational,' two seemingly contrasting qualities. As we have seen in past stories, young characters are presented as naïve and easily influenced, an example of this can be seen as the young man here is said to be full of 'unknowingness' but that this contradictorily gives him 'power in potentia'. This 'power' could perhaps be in relation to the innocence he still possesses (a rare quality) making him powerful as it almost projects an image of him being unaware of the danger and corruption that lies in the world, allowing him to still revel in happiness unlike others who are aware of the truth.


What is the significance of the bicycle?
The bicycle could be seen to be a phallic symbol and could also foreshadow what is to come further on in the story. The young man talks of the bicycle as a very good thing, as he believes 'it contributes so much to mans welfare and nothing at all to his bane,' adding to his 'powerful' ignorance and innocence. Feminists may argue that Carter has inserted this view to act as the viewpoint of all men in this situation, that 'bicycles' can do no 'harm' and are in all ways 'beneficial.' It could be argued that some female protagonists throughout these stories have been harmed in this way and thus proving that while sex may be always beneficial to men, it is not always so for women.


What might be the significance of 'he gratefully washed his hands and feet' in the village fountain?
The fact that this water is presented as 'bright, clear' suggests that there is goodness to be found and also again emphasises his purity and innocence. This fountain seems to be the only source of relief and comfort for the young man as he is disappointed to find himself in a village full of 'rank...twisting...crumbling,' structures. The washing of the hands and feet could also be religiously symbolic as this is often associated with the washing away of sins and cleansing oneself. This is significant as it could foreshadow the 'sin' he is about to commit when he meets the Countess.

Essay that I forgot the title to

In The Bloody Chamber, it can easily be argued that women are presented as 'trembling victims' at the mercy of 'predatory males'. This can be seen through the presentation of the characters in this story, as both seem to have and follow traditional gothic conventions within their personas, such as weak willed and naïve females (an example of this being Mina from the novel Dracula) and controlling and powerful males (which can be seen in novels such as Wuthering Heights, with the character Heathcliff.) However this is easily challenged by Carters unique presentation and paradox's posed by her characters, perhaps suggesting Carters aim was specifically to challenge the conventions set by original gothic literature.








The narrator of the Bloody chamber can be seen to be a 'trembling victim' due to her young age and her obvious naivety. The narrator refers to her own life before marriage as 'innocent and confined,' suggesting that she had little experience in the world outside her own, adding to her childish innocence. This is strengthened by the quote, 'I was seventeen and knew nothing of the world,' as it also signifies one of her weaknesses, in that she has no knowledge and so can easily be taken advantage of, making her a 'trembling victim'.
The physical characteristics of the narrator also contribute to her being seen as a 'trembling victim,' her small body and typical feminine gothic attributes such as her 'young girls pointed breasts,' link strongly with the idea of fragility and weakness. She is described as 'the frail child,' within her dress and this creates the image of both a physically and mentally inferior or 'trembling,' character, as the reader regards her as immature and childless, thus easy to exert power and dominance over.
 Another way in which the female protagonist can be seen to be a 'trembling victim,' similar to those in the original gothic is displayed through her being a possession of the Marquis rather than his wife. An example of this is when he bestows her his wedding gift, 'a choker of rubies,' that 'clasped around my throat,' symbolising not only her fate, but also his ownership over her, as it could represent a collar to show ownerships over a pet. The narrator also states that the a servant smiled when he saw the choker as it provided him with proof that 'I was his masters,' again adding to the idea that she is owned by her husband and so at the mercy of his actions and decisions, contributing to her portrayal as a 'trembling victim.'
It is also clear that the narrator feels trapped and at times victimised by her new marriage, shown through the 'sharp premonition of dread,' that she feels at some of the Marquis advances, and that she states herself to 'always be lonely,' feeling she is exiled from her own world, show by the quotation 'into marriage, into exile,' implying she is trapped and must deal with the Marquis alone, loneliness being a key theme linked with the female victims in original gothic as it signifies that there is no one else to assist her in danger. The dread she feels at the Marquis is indicative of the limited power she has to stop him doing whatever it is he desires, and also illustrates that she does not want his desire forced upon her, meaning she is the 'victim.'











However, it can also be seen that Carter has gone against the conventions of original gothic literature and has depicted her main female protagonist as not a 'trembling victim,' but perhaps a knowledgeable and developing character. This is shown by her gaining information that was intentionally hidden from her, 'I took the forbidden key,' shows her growing defiance towards the demands of her husbands and also indicates that she knew the act she was about to commit would be disobeying her husband, yet she chooses to anyway. Toward the end of the story, the narrator seems to have gained strength and control over her own situation perhaps due to her 'tainted innocence', and she now differs greatly from her earlier personality of the 'trembling victim.' Phrases like, 'fear gave me strength,' and 'I flung back my head defiantly,' show her newfound strength and bravery, which seemingly appears after the loss of her virginity, perhaps symbolising a rebirth of wisdom as she is no longer clueless about the world of marriage and men, due to this she is no longer represented as the 'trembling victim' and contrasts with the typical constraints of the original gothic.
The narrator can also be seen as more of a seductive character than a 'trembling victim,' challenging the original perspective. When the Marquis returns and she is aware of the danger she is in, she states that 'I forced myself to be seductive,' indicating that she now understands his feelings of desire and is aware of new ways to manipulate him, by acting in a seductive/sexual fashion. She then goes on to state that 'he almost failed to resist me,' suggesting that she had become skilled as the seduction act and thus is no longer a 'victim' as she has now gained some power of her own. She also takes on the role of traditional gothic seductress (opposite of the disempowered 'trembling victim') as she shows violent traits when she states, 'if he had come to bed, I would have strangled him,' showing her obvious 'potentiality for corruption,' that she sensed earlier in herself. This could contribute to the argument that she is more of a seductress than a 'trembling victim' as her intended actions are more similar to the common 'femme fatales' seen in original gothic.
A final point that argues women are not presented as 'trembling victims' within The Bloody Chamber is the presentation of the mother figure. She is described as 'eagle featured, indomitable Mother,' who had once before 'shot a man eating tiger with her own hand.' She is recognised by the narrator and thus the readership as a warrior like figure of immense strength and bravery as she comes to her daughters rescue and kills the Marquis, which is contradictory not only to the original Bluebeard tale, (where the damsel is saved by her gang of  heroic brothers) but also to the generic gothic forms which depict women as powerless and simple-minded.




Within this story, there is certainly a clear presentation of men as 'predatory,' common to the original gothic, displayed most distinctly by the Marquis, the male character who pursues the female protagonist. The description of his characteristics and personality attributes to this. His head shape is described as 'leonine,' which males him seem bestial and threatening, and his 'carnal avarice,' directed towards her depicts him as predatory, due to the harsh yet sexual nature of his glances towards her. Also significant to this point is his ambiguous statement or quote from Little Red Riding Hood, 'all the better to see you,' likening himself to the predatory character of the wolf within the tale, indicating his avaricious and rapacious intentions towards his new bride. The narrator displays fear when faced with his 'strange, heavy, almost waxen face,' which portrays his as unnatural and different instilling fear. The narrator shows reluctance and great anxiety when he 'ran his tongue over his red lips,' as this threatening and 'predatory' motion has connotations of blood and sexual violence, suggesting harm may come to her through his advances.
The Marquis is also displayed as a 'predatory male,' through his age, him being 'much older,' and the way that he treats her much more like a possession than he does a wife, signified by the way he makes his wife 'put on the choker,' which can be seen to act as a means of control over her. Predators are named so as they 'feed' off of those who are weaker and lower that them, which is an easily recognised metaphor for the relationship between the Marquis and his bride. He is older, bigger, more experienced, and more socially powerful than her which arguably makes him the predator and his bride the selected prey.
The fact that the Marquis has had previous wives, or prey, adds to the idea of him being a 'predatory male,' as he has already been married 3 times previously to the narrator who has been 'invited to join his gallery of beautiful women,' heavily suggesting that he had a certain type of prey, i.e. beautiful women, this is typical as 'predatory males' in original gothic generally pursued women like this. Adding to this point is the use of the 'choker of rubies,' that 'every bride that came to the castle wore,' indicating his predatory hold over all women that he has had relationships with.


However, a strong point that argues against Carter using the conventional character of the gothic 'predatory male,' is that at some points within the text the Marquis is shown to be kind or 'tender' towards his bride. An example of this

Improved responses


'The Erl King is the most innovative and experimental of the narratives'


Response 1:
The Erl King can be seen to be innovative as it contains elements that generic gothic tales do not, such as domesticated and seemingly immature men. However, it does follow some gothic conventions as it contains a powerful male and vulnerable female in an isolated setting. Compared with the other narratives of the Bloody Chamber, this narrative too changed perspectives to jumble the narrative and also shows a woman gaining some knowledge over the one who controls her, allowing her to be saved from him as he usually dies, proving it us not innovative as it shares strong links with the other narratives.


Response 2:
The Erl King can be seen as innovative compared with the other stories within the collection as it contains elements that the generic and un-experimental narratives do not. Such as the domesticated man, this could easily be seen as a different and experimental figure for the gothic genre as it is generally and traditionally the woman who plays this role. However, The Erl king could as well be seen as un-original and similar to the other narratives as it does still seem to follow some traditional trends set by gothic literature. This can be seen through the powerful and enchanting male, taking control over as seemingly vulnerable and naïve female within the strange and isolated setting. Despite this, compared with other Bloody Chamber narratives, it seems to be more jumbled in terms of its perspectives and shifting tenses, allowing the reader to experience heightened emotion along with the narrator. This 'blurring' of the tenses could be regarded as experimental as Gothic Narratives are traditionally told through 1st person narrative, allowing for greater understanding and description.

Bettelheim Questions


1. Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purpose of fairy tales as they relate to us the fact that all characters and people have a certain 'dark side' within them capable of committing unagreeable acts, but this is seen as acceptable as they are generally good people. This can be seen in Cinderella when she disobeys her stepmother and sneaks out to go to the ball to meet her Prince Charming, however this behaviour is not scorned by the reader as Cinderella is the Heroine of the story, and thus the reader wishes to see her endeavours succeed.


2. Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of gothic as it indicates to us that it enables children to acquire a firmer grip on problems in their purer form, as the tales and problems presented are often simple and therefore easily dissected by children. As explained by Bettelheim, in typical gothic literature, the villains and their acts are plain and obvious and all details unless they are significant are eliminated for easier understanding. The immense polarities between the characters and their characteristics displayed by gothic enables the child to male choices about who he would rather be, and they make personal identifications of their own.


3. Carter blatantly mixes fairy tale and gothic genres within the Bloody Chamber to display, as Bettelheim mentions, the obvious villains and heroines as they are easily seen throughout the plots of Carters stories. However the gothic elements added help to bring an element of more grown up themes such as oppressive male dominance, sex, seduction and the loss of innocence, the gaining of knowledge and secrets. These are arguably all elements seen subconsciously within fairy tales and so Carter has both genres so that we as readers can see more sinister elements to the tales we were told as children from a more sinister point of view, perhaps changing our opinion of them.,

The Bloody Chamber - The Tigers Bride, Task 3


1. 'The Devils Picture Books' refers to the cards held by the payers during their game. They are made to be objects of evil, as they often lead to people gambling and losing their money, which is referred to in the bible as 'The root of all evil,'
2. When the heroine calls the Beast, 'Milord,' the language used is seemingly old fashioned and comes across to the reader as mocking and sarcastic. This signifies the pride and wit of this female protagonist, as it is uncommon for women to mock men of such high status
3. White roses are often associated with romance, and also purity and virginity due to the colour. It is first mentioned in the previous story, 'The Courtship of Mr Lyon,' as is here shown to be a gift for the Fathers 'girl child,' signifying his love for her. Within this story, the roses are used more than once. Firstly, they are given as a gift to the narrator form the Beast, seemingly as some sort of gift, to 'reconcile' any hurt emotions she may feel at being lost to the Beast by her Father. They are then used shortly afterwards as a symbol of a forgiveness from the narrator to her own father, to say that she has forgiven his misdeeds. However, when she hands over the rose which has been bloodied from her pricked finger, this symbolises the brokenness of the apology, and will act as a reminder to the father of his actions as the rose is now stained and tainted, never to be the same, much like the narrators feelings for her father.
4. The verb choice of 'fleeced' suggests that they were 'swindled' out of a great deal of money, as they were overcharged and taken advantage of by the people of their new town. However, 'fleeced' also suggests that they were covered with a material, perhaps made blind and were not allowed to see the truth.
5. 'Gobble you up' is a line from another common fairy tale 'Three Billy Goats gruff' where a troll is trying to eat 3 billy goats as they cross the bridge trying to escape with their lives, they trick the troll, and in the end the troll is killed. Within this story, it could be said to have connotations of rape or assault, and is used as a threat to the narrator, suggesting that something sinister awaits her.
6. We are told that the Beast 'bought solitude, not luxury,' which tells us that the Beast thinks little of material possessions and appearances, and we can also see that the inhabitants of his home seem happy enough without the luxury, as the horse 'trotted' into the great hall. This suggests that the Beast is searching for something more than wealth to bring him happiness, perhaps a woman like he has summoned.
7. The phrase 'where the fruit and blossom grew on the bough together' is significant as it suggests the Beasts strong belief of nature and humans coinciding peacefully. It also suggests he feels as though animals should be treated as equals, showing that he has clearly been mistreated due to his animalistic nature and wishes he would be treated similarly to other humans even though he is not one.
8. The description of the soubrette machine suggests to the reader that the Beast does not like to have many human servants around, similarly to Mr Lyon from the previous tale, as it reminds him of his inhuman self. The Soubrette seems also to be a perfect image of femininity, and also is described to look the same as the narrator, which could tell of the Beasts pleasure of the female which may be why he wishes to see the heroine naked.
9. The narrator compares herself to animals as she states that she 'wished she had rolled in ray' so that she could be alike to animals in the way that they do not have to endure humiliating rituals such as this one. She also later goes on to say that she 'larruped and harrumphed' on her way to the stables, likening herself to a horse, perhaps suggesting her desire to be free and wild instead of confined to the Beasts home.
10. The phrase 'The tiger will never lie down with the lamb; he acknowledges no pact that is not reciprocal’ suggests that even though this being is a Beast, he would not bring harm to her as it was never his or her wish.

The Bloody Chamber-The Tigers Bride, Task 1&2



Andrea Mantegna-( 1431 – September 13, 1506) was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archaeology, and son in law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g., by lowering the horizon in order to create a sense of greater monumentality. His flinty, metallic landscapes and somewhat stony figures give evidence of a fundamentally sculptural approach to painting. He also led a workshop that was the leading producer of prints in Venice before 1500.

Guilio Romana-
(1499 – 1 November 1546) was an Italian painter and architect. A pupil of Raphael, his stylistic deviations from high Renaissance classicism help define the 16th-century style known as Mannerism. Giulio's drawings have long been treasured by collectors; contemporary prints of them engraved by Marc Antonio Raimondi were a significant contribution to the spread of 16th-century Italian style throughout Europe.

Benvenuto Cellini-
3 November 1500 – 13 February 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, draftsman, soldier and musician, who also wrote a famous autobiography. He was one of the most important artists of Mannerism.
  His first works in Rome were a silver casket, silver candlesticks, and a vase for the bishop of Salamanca, which won him the approval of Pope Clement VII.

Glossary


assuage- make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense, or to satisfy an appetite or desire.

awry- away from the usual or expected course, or out of the normal and correct position; askew.

axium- a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true.

capisco- 'I understand'

ciliate- a single-celled animal of a large and diverse phylum distinguished by the possession of cilia or ciliary structures.

civet- a slender nocturnal carnivorous mammal with a barred and spotted coat and well-developed anal scent glands, native to Africa and Asia.

desnuda- naked.

excoriate- damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin), or to criticize someone severely.

expostulate- express strong disapproval or disagreement.

eyrie- a large nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, built high in a tree or on a cliff.

gavotte- originated as a French folk dance, taking its name from the Gavot people of the Pays de Gap region of Dauphiné, where the dance originated. It is notated in 4/4 or 2/2 time and is of moderate tempo.

gracile- attractively slender or thin.

megalomaniac- a psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of power, relevance, omnipotence, and by inflated self-esteem.

 metaphysical- Referring to metaphysics, is a traditional branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world that encompasses it.

minuet- a slow, stately ballroom dance for two in triple time, popular especially in the 18th century.

molto agitato- agitated, or restless.

nascent- just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.

obsequiousness - marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness.

ostler- a man employed to look after the horses of people staying at an inn.

patina- a green or brown film on the surface of bronze or similar metals, produced by oxidation over a long period.

preternatural- beyond what is normal or natural.

profligate- recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources, or licentious; dissolute.



settecento- seven hundred.


shagreen-

sharkskin used as a decorative material or, due to its natural rough surface of pointed scales, as an abrasive, or a kind of untanned leather with a rough granulated surface.

simian simulacra- is a 1981 philosophical treatise by Jean Baudrillard seeking to interrogate the relationships among reality, symbols, and society.

soubrette- a minor female role in a comedy, typically that of a pert maidservant.

spar- a thick, strong pole such as is used for a mast or yard on a ship.

spurious- not being what it purports to be; false or fake, or (of a line of reasoning) apparently but not actually valid, (of offspring) illegitimate.
tantivy-

rapid gallop or ride, or a hunting cry.

tintinnabulation- a ringing or tinkling sound.