F06 :: Feminist Film Studies

In class yesterday we discussed the relationship between The Piano and the Bluebeard story. I just want to clear up some info on the story. In class the story was summarized, however someone asked if Bluebeard kills his wife after she gives him the bloody key (in some versions its a bloody egg) I know the answer given was that yes she does die, but that is incorrect. Of course it is impossible to know how the story was told originally in the oral tradition, however in the original literary versions, the young wife does not die. The text by Charles Perault is generally accepted as the original. The Brothers Grimm also wrote a version and they were familiar with the Perrault text. In neither of these is the young woman murdered. Her brothers come to rescue her and they kill Bluebeard. What exactly this does for our analysis of the Piano, I’m not sure, but it is a key portion of the story. I just wanted to clear that up. Its a fascinating story, the Perrault version is very good, and Its very aplicable to feminist theory actually. Its super short so if you are interested I would definately read it. However, I do think that if Jane Campion was trying to use the Piano as a way of retelling of the story, she really missed Perrault's original intent for the message.