Symbolism in "The Lady of the House of Love" and "The Company of Wolves" Anonymous 11th Grade

Symbolism is a strong feature in many fables, it helps create meaning and emotion in a story. “The Lady of the House of Love” and “The Company of Wolves” were both written by Angela Carter and published in 1979 and 1985. Both of these stories can be viewed as feminist fables which explore how women can break free of social conventions. In “The Lady of the House of Love” the countess, also known as the “queen of the vampires”, lives in an abandoned Romanian village with her caged lark. She feels trapped as her ancestors’ portraits always appear to be watching her, she subsequently fears the consequences of disappointing them. When she spends a night with a British soldier, and mysteriously goes missing in the morning, her lark is released which symbolizes her soul flying free. In “The Company of Wolves” Red Riding Hood, also feels trapped due to the pressure of the past, such as her grandma enforcing strict Christian morality. She frees herself by rejecting Christian code and having the union with a wolf. The symbols which Carter has incorporated, help to create meaning and emotion, which enrich the readers understanding of the underlying themes of both stories.

Carter incorporated the use of symbols such as the lark, the path...