Appropriation of the bluebear Fairytlae in modern writings a study of gender politics in Charles Dickenss Captain Murderer Angela Carters The Bloody Chamber Ruskin Bonds Susannas Seven Husbands and Jane Nickersons Strands of Bronze and Gold

Abstract

Fairy tale has evolved on coming in contact with literature and has come to be identified with specific issues. One of these issues is the depiction of women in literature. This work is an attempt to study the process of appropriation of fairy tales through modern writings, which depict women in a different light, in the mainstream literature, with special focus on The Bluebeardand#8223; tale. Literature reflects many alternatives in relation to power, sexual politics and the changing perceptions of the relationship between a man and a woman. The same can be observed in The Bluebeardand#8223; tale and its adaptations. While deconstructing the myth of male domination, one can observe a shift in position of women from object to subject position in the subsequent adaptations of the tale. The selected works in the research work deconstruct stereotypes of gender and challenge the boundaries of age, time and hegemonic male dominated cultures. Thus, it can be said that the mad wom[e]n in the atticand#8223; have come out from the oppressions of the patriarchal gender politics through their constant struggles, counter discourses and political ideologies. This process of liberation from the clutches of oppressive forces is a historical process. The reading of literature of different ages and across genres shows how women have asserted their voice in the public sphere. The study analyzes how women enable themselves to become strong, rational, autonomous and self-reliant. The stories of The Bloody Chamberand#8223;, Captain Murdererand#8223;, Susanna s Seven Husbands and Strands of Bronze and Gold belong to different time and space and help retrace the passage to the empowerment of women. newline