The opening of the short story “The Bloody Chamber” by Angela Carter includes an abundance of conventions typical of the Gothic genre. The passage sets the scene for a tragic tale, where a young girl's innate curiosity inevitably puts her in danger. Published in the late 20th century, at a time when Gothic writing was less prominent in literature, the tale could be said to be quite progressive within the genre, with the underlying criticism of patriarchal society not being a particularly common theme in Gothic writing. However, the fact that this is the 3rd Republic in France, an era known for corruption and hedonism, and the use of classical Gothic elements in this passage, ensures that the foundations of this tale are deeply rooted in the Gothic style. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay This passage from “The Bloody Chamber” provides an introduction to the two main characters to the reader. The narrator gives a detailed description of her lover, and it is from this that the reader is so easily able to predict the narrator's fate, since the Marquis displays many of the qualities of a typical Gothic antagonist. The allusion to bestial qualities made so early in the story is striking, as the narrator describes "the leonine shape of his head" and "his dark mane", comparing the marquis to a lion, indicative of his predatory nature. The repetition of animal imagery leads the reader to question whether or not the Marquis is fully human, knowing that the Gothic genre usually includes aspects of the supernatural. Human or not, Carter makes it clear that Marquis is a danger to the narrator. This is emphasized by Carter's use of floriography in comparing the Marquis to "a lily", a funeral flower, foreshadowing that he will be the death of her. Here, Carter creates an overwhelming sense of foreboding, something that gothic writing often depends on to achieve one of its primary goals: to frighten the reader. The short story takes the form of a first-person narrative, and this form introduces the reader to the other main character, this familiar pattern of Gothic narrative allowing the reader greater insight into her character, as she goes through a period of transition from childhood to womanhood, the catalyst being her impending marriage. Perhaps the most telling indicator of the narrator's character is her clothing: "the white muslin" and the "crimson jewels...bright as arterial blood." Color semiotics is so often used to represent characters in gothic fiction, and here it's no different. The juxtaposition of colors, white with connotations of innocence and red with connotations of evil and lust, demonstrates the possibility of corruption that makes the narrator so vulnerable to the Marquis. The idea that women are inherently susceptible to corruption is a notion commonly explored in the Gothic genre, which, in the case of "The Bloody Chamber", heightens the sense of foreboding and gives the reader considerable reason to worry about the fate of women. narrator. The symbolism behind the ruby ​​choker highlights the danger the narrator has placed herself in, as it recalls one of the bloodiest periods in French history, once again implying that the fate of the narrator is uncertain. However, this would not necessarily arouse the reader's sympathy; the story was published in the late 20th century, a time when the second wave of feminism was quite prominent in society and therefore a woman of her time might have difficulty understanding why.