Gender Stereotypes in Bluebeard's Egg
Exploring Gender Roles in an Adaptation of a Classic Fairy Tale
Jul 5, 2009
Not only does Atwood explore the traditional stereotypes as they apply to men and women, but in some instances reverses the roles of the sexes, breaking from the conventions of what is expected of males and females, especially in relation to the other.
Men and Women in the Workplace in Bluebeard’s Egg
Bluebeard’s Egg tells the story of Sally and her husband, Ed. Ed is a twice-divorced cardiologist who constantly has women throwing themselves at him, but is too oblivious to notice. Sally, on the other hand, runs the in-house organ for a medium sized trust company. It sounds impressive, but it really is not, which is why Sally constantly tells people that she is in P.R. whenever she wants to impress them.
Even though Sally is technically second-in-command at her job, she actually runs the show, since the man above her has never worked in management before. Unfortunately for Sally, he gets all the credit. The disparity between Ed and Sally’s professions, and the fact that Sally gets no recognition, speaks to the fact that women are generally employed in lower positions that men, and that men are supposed to be the brains of any operation.
This parallels a common theme in fairy tales, males being more desirable than females. The daughters can be smart and cunning, but will often be passed over in favor of sons. Sally believes that she is smarter than Ed, but does give him credit for being very good at his job. Outside of this, Ed has no real substance, but because his profession is so respected, Sally is second best to her own husband.
Women and Vanity in Bluebeard’s Egg
Another stereotype that Atwood explores is that of women being vain. There is the fact that Sally thinks that middle-aged is anyone five years older than her, but only uses this rule when it comes to other women, since Ed is considerably older than her. The obsession with age and beauty is a recurring motif in fairy tales, especially in Snow White, where the evil queen’s companion is a magic mirror that cannot lie.
Then there is Marylynn, Sally’s best friend, who is tall, elegant, and fashionable. It is only when Marylynn comes over that Sally takes the time to dress nicely and put on make-up, since Ed never notices when she does these things. In a sense, Marylynn is Sally’s magic mirror, her confidante, the person she goes to for reassurance that she is beautiful when her husband fails to notice.
Fidelity in Bluebeard’s Egg
A major theme in Bluebeard’s Egg, especially considering its inspiration, is fidelity. However, Atwood reverses this theme as far as the principal characters. In Atwood’s story, it is Sally who questions Ed’s fidelity when she watches his interaction with Marylynn at a dinner party, as opposed to Bluebeard requiring that his potential wives prove to him that they can suspend their curiosity (since women are naturally curious) and not enter the forbidden room.
The focus on fidelity in both stories reflects their importance in a good marriage – for Bluebeard to accept a bride, she must first show that she can be faithful to his command that she not enter the prohibited room. But when Sally see Ed and Marylynn together, she has to wonder if he is actually enormously clever and only acts oblivious to keep her from finding out that he is being unfaithful.
Atwood’s interpretation of gender stereotypes ranges from the traditional to the unexpected, as she sometimes reverses the roles, thus defying preexisting conventions. But no matter how the stereotypes are portrayed, they each say something about the different roles that males and females are expected to play.
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