The fairy tale of Bluebeard has fascinated writers, filmmakers, photographers and artists throughout history and beyond national borders. Coming from European oral tradition, the first and most famous written version is Charles Perrault's Bluebeard, published in 1697. Developing the story of a murderous aristocrat whose wives have all mysteriously disappeared, Perrault's tale records the patriarchal power structures; elevating the male figure while emphasizing the oppression and silencing of women. By appropriating Perrault's Bluebeard, feminist writers were able to overturn traditional assumptions about knowledge and power to criticize the tale as a discourse producing a disparate representation of genders. In her short story The Bloody Chamber (1979), Angela Carter takes the essence of the original tale and reworks it in such a way that its social contexts of patriarchal power dynamics become meaningful to readers today. Jane Campion's film The Piano (1993) also tells the story of Bluebeard against the backdrop of 19th-century New Zealand. Both Carter and Campion's texts engage with late 20th century feminist values ​​and principles. The dominant notion of female curiosity, traditionally seen as disobedience, is explored in both texts. But instead, knowledge of one's desires is used to empower, not punish, the female protagonists. Complex, feminine voices are also present in both texts, which effectively alters the dynamics of patriarchal power in Perrault's tale. Although Carter and Campion's feminist rewrites incorporate key elements, it is the complexity of these elements that radically deviates from the values ​​of the original Bluebeard book. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayThe notion of a purely feminine trait of curiosity is discussed in The Bloody Chamber within the framework of the fairy tale genre. Since the book of Genesis, women have been considered descendants of Eve; whose knowledge and independent sexuality are also considered punishable. Carter's female protagonist uses her new knowledge and active sexuality to her own advantage; which effectively plays on the misogynistic version of Perrault. As the narrator spots the Marquis looking lustfully at her through a mirror, she catches her own reflection, recognizing “a potential for corruption” for the first time in her “innocent and confined life.” Knowing that she can excite her husband's gaze arouses her intrigue towards her sexual power. When the Marquis takes her virginity, she notes during sex that she "had heard him scream and curse at orgasm", as if the power of her virginity weakened him and she could see through his usual “deadly composure”. Initially, the loss of virginity is presented as something that makes the narrator feel "infinitely disheveled", but which leads him to recognize his independent sexuality, describing it as "reborn in his unthinking eyes". She becomes fully aware that "it must have been my innocence that captivated him", and knows that "my naivety gave him pleasure". The narrator's confidence and desperation for more knowledge can be traced as she disobeys the Marquis's strict instructions in order to satisfy her "dark newborn curiosity." This newfound confidence manifests itself as she walks through the gruesome room and emphasizes "I didn'talways felt no fear,” and later in the piano room, “Fear gave me strength. I threw my head back defiantly." The narrator's defiance towards the marquis grows as she discovers more; less ready to be punished for her curiosity, as she declares: "I have nothing fact; but that may be reason enough to condemn me.” Therefore, while Perrault warns his readers or listeners against excessive curiosity and marital disobedience, Angela Carter conveys the “purely feminine” characteristic. curiosity to be a force that shines in adversity, not a force that needs discipline or punishment. As a contemporary filmmaker, Campion's modern sensibilities allow her to deconstruct perceptions of sexuality and sexuality. women's curiosity conveyed in Perrault's film tale Set in 19th-century colonial New Zealand, The Piano follows the story of a mute mail-order bride and a talented pianist, Ada, who is sent to contract. an arranged marriage to settler Alistair Stewart, but finds herself involved in a romantic relationship with her neighbor George Baines. . Similar to Carter's text, the intrigue of the film's female protagonist and her self-defined expression of desire is a path to emancipation, not "deep regret." Ada brings with her a piano, an object through which she vividly expresses her emotions and attracts Baines' attention. After requesting piano lessons from Ada at her cabin, Baines makes a deal with her whereby she collects one of the piano keys each time he visits and, in return, allows him to stroke it while she plays. In order to get her piano back, Ada willingly accepts the deal and its consequences. The Baines cabin symbolizes the forbidden room in the texts of Perrault and Carter; a place where a woman's curiosity overtakes her and leads to her punishment. However, in the process that follows, Ada herself is sexually aroused by Baines. Being able to recognize herself as a sexual being, Ada recognizes the control she exercises over Baines, and therefore over men in general. With her sexual desires aroused, but her access to Baines restricted, Ada turns to Stewart for her own sensual contact. In a scene where she caresses his body and buttocks, she uses her new sexual awareness to control Stewart, withdrawing when he attempts to participate. Unlike a traditional fairy tale with an impartial third-person narrator, Carter rewrites Bluebeard from the intradiegetic point of view of his fourth wife. Allowing the woman to tell her own story gives the reader a deeper insight into her conscious thoughts and reflections, thus complicating it beyond Perrault's purely physical description of "perfect beauty." The narrator repeatedly states, “I was just a baby” and “I was just a little girl.” I Don’t Understand,” in which the past conveys a retrospective, autonomous voice that reflects negatively on one’s former self. By suggesting that the woman has moved beyond her role as marquis, Carter demystified the purely biological role of women in Perrault's gothic narrative. The striking twist in Carter's plot is the role of the narrator's mother, who is presented as a strong, independent and fearless person, who became "beautifully eccentric in difficulties" thanks to the death of her beloved husband . At the beginning of the story, the narrator recounts how her mother had once “defeated a slew of Chinese pirates; healed a village with the plague, killed a man-eating tiger with his own hand.” This description alone shows an alternative characterization of women:..