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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 15 page research paper that examines the issues of gender in opera and specifically in regards to Bela Bartok's work Bluebeard's Castle. Bartok wrote but one opera, Duke Bluebeard's Castle, a short work based upon a grisly fairy tale. Psychologically and symbolically complex, the opera's narrative not only represents Bartok's conceptualization of gender, but also reflects the operatic heritage that preceded him. Examination of the concepts of gender that form the characterization of both Duke Bluebeard and his young bride Judith, shows that, in both cases, they reflect societal stereotypes and operatic tradition. However, close examination of these gendered conceptions also hints at a developing sensibilities and criticism of these paradigms. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Page Count:
15 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khbbcas.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
not only represents Bartoks conceptualization of gender, but also reflects the operatic heritage that preceded him. Examination of the concepts of gender that form the characterization of both Duke Bluebeard
and his young bride Judith, shows that, in both cases, they reflect societal stereotypes and operatic tradition. However, close examination of these gendered conceptions also hints at a developing sensibility
and criticism of these paradigms. The Opera, a brief summary The elderly Duke Bluebeard and his young bride, Judith, enter the Dukes dark, dismal castle. Judith is appalled
by the dark, dank hall and proposes to let in sunlight to dry its damp walls (Simon, 1998). There are seven large, black, locked doors and Judith proposes to open
them, and let in fresh air. She has to plead with the Duke for him to allow her a single key; however, hearing her profession of love, he relents. Opening
the doors, Judith discovers, in succession, a torture chamber, an armory, a treasury, a secret garden and a vista of his vast domain (Simon, 1998). Light from the five open
doors floods the castle with light. Metaphorically, the locked doors represent the secrets of the Dukes life. By unlocking these doors, light has come into this life and Judith
has, thus far, not been repelled by what she has discovered. The Duke finds hope in this and summons Judith to his embrace (Simon, 1998). However, Judith will not be
persuaded to stop and insists on opening the final two doors. The sixth door opens on a ghostly, white lake--"a lake of tears" (Simon, 1998, p. 17). The Duke will
not tell Judith who shed the tears, but they are clearly his. Judith becomes seductive in an effort to obtain the last key and, when this does not work, she
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