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Bluebeard
A fairy tale written by Charles Perrault. It's the story of a wealthy man no woman wishes to marry due to his bluebeard which they find
ugly, plus none of his past wives have been seen again after he's married them. After a time, he wins the good graces of a
neighbor's youngest daughter. After the wedding, he tells her he must leave for a spell but she may amuse herself as she wishes and
go anywhere in the house she wants, except a small closet locked with the smallest key. While away, curiosity causes her to peek into
the room after being forbidden and there she finds the murdered wives of Bluebeard. In the end, just as Bluebeard's about to strike off
her head for looking into the forbidden room, her brothers arrive and kill him, and she is left all the estate.
Cruel Fairy Tales
From Chris: Kaori Yuki's "Cruel Fairy Tales" has a reference to the locked room stories, such as Blue Beard. There is a giant doll house full of the
murdered bodies of girls.
Shoujo Kakumei Utena
Bluebeard is the title of a BGM in this series. If anyone can find the exact point in the series when this piece is played, I'd appreciate very much if they could e-mail me and let me know.
There are a few parallels to the fairy tale. First, there are the themes of temptation and knowledge. Akio offers the duelist what they desire most, he tempts them. As Bluebeard offers his
wife everything she desires, he ultimately suspects she will enter the forbidden chamber. Akio, our Bluebeard, already knows in his heart Utena is the only one worthy, but takes on a new
"wife" in the duelists one by one anyway. The Akio Car might be a kind of parallel to the key given by Bluebeard to his new bride. It offers her free reign of the castle, but also the chance
to enter the chamber and through it learn the truth behind her husband. Through the scene in the Car the duelists have their key to their own truths, but it is up to them to choose to use it.
Once the duelist has stepped from the Car (which appears again during the duel) they come away with more understanding of themselves than before. So the duel in some respects becomes
their passage into the forbidden chamber which they have chosen to unlock. While, the past brides of Bluebeard all ended up dead, the last escapes and finds happiness. Each duelist
has the potential for the same, to be the one who can escape Akio, the comfortable life of the Academy, and find their happiness.
From John: A parallel between Bluebeard and Akio would be they are both negative or destructive personifications of the animus.
There is also a debated historical aspect to the Bluebeard legend. Some believe, and others argue against, that Gilles de Rais who lived in 1400s France may have been an inspiration behind the
legend of Bluebeard. De Rais followed Joan of Arc while she fought the English, but received a terrible reputation after her execution. He studied black magic and was tried and executed himself
many years later after he was brought to trial for the murder of over 100 youths which he sodomized and beheaded. There's a possible nod to the fallen figure aspect and murderer aspect
when Mikage burns the building with 100 youths inside. Again, though, I do not remember where the music played and if this is a true parallel or not.
* Background information on De Rais and his connection to the Bluebeard tale found at Surlalune: http://surlalunefairytales.com