Suivez-moi…

Dangerous seduction In The Lady of the House of Love and The Erl-King, both eponymous characters are enticing, mysterious and seductive, and present danger to the hero and heroine respectively. These characters are variations of another fairy-tale stock character - the other-worldly fairy or siren. A modern variation might be the ‘femme fatale’ character.

The Lady of the House of Love Vampire stories have had quite a comeback recently, and it has become fashionable to view vampires sympathetically, often as sad, brooding, mysterious characters, who are alluring rather than simply terrifying. Consider the most famous vampire characters from recent years – Angel & Spike, Bill Compton, Edward Cullen – all of them are admittedly dangerous, but would do anything to save the women they love from harm. How does this compare to the ‘big bad wolf’ phenomenon?

The Lady of the House of Love How does Carter create a Gothic atmosphere? Consider the following:

• The setting, including the castle and its surroundings

• The Lady herself • Use of motifs • Use of imagery

The Lady of the House of Love How does our hero, the young officer, compare to the other heroic characters in the collection? Consider: • How he behaves with the Lady • His attitudes and behaviour • How he perceives the events

The Erl-King In German folklore, the Erl-King haunted forests. He would carry off travellers to their deaths. In Goethe’s poem, the Erl-King preys on a child. Some texts focus on the Erl-King’s daughter, a fairy who lures men to their doom. The Erl-King has been depicted as a goblin, a sprite, an elf and a demon. He can also be seen to embody the spirit of the forest. Carter’s Erl-King is captivating, mysterious and uncanny. However, he is also described as “an excellent housewife”…

The Erl-King Explore the setting of the story, focusing on: • Autumn • The Forest

The Erl-King

Explore the relationship between the narrator and the Erl-King, focusing on: • Power • Trust • Danger • Freedom

“I come, like any other trusting thing that perches on the crook of his wrist.”

Summary How do these stories compare to the rest of Carter’s collection? Consider: • Genre, characters and setting • Themes, motifs and ideas