Critical extract J- Reading around Angela Carter's 'The Lady of the House of Love'

This critical extract provides a highly feminist interpretation of the story 'The Lady of the House of Love', the reader realises throughout the text that the Countess is challenging typical gender stereotyping by having the idea that there is a possibility that there is more to her than appearance, "(And could love free me from the shadows? Can a bird sing only the song it knows, or can it learn a new song?)", as the Countess is questioning herself and the reader on this she is also questioning the patriarchal system, as the protagonist questions "Can a bird sing only the song it knows, or can it learn a new song?" she is also questioning whether her life has deeper meaning. The extract confirms my interpretation as it shows that women are stuck in this patriarchal system and trapped in this biological essential-ism, this is shown by the interpretation of women not being able to do things that men can do; therefore suggesting that women are weaker and not as important/'useful' as men, furthermore the belief that women are only important for their appearances/beauty "gaping at the countess in her satin finery"- in this quotation it is symbolising men's demeaning opinions of women's individuality and importance by only seeing her beauty and no further. The critical extract adds to my interpretation because it is challenging the stereotypical norms by questioning whether this attitude and behaviour could be changed.