Tuesday 26 January 2016

Carmilla Analysis

For this makeup unit I have chosen to design makeup for my character Carmilla. I have chosen her as I believe she is the main protagonist of the novel. I will be using my own interpretation and some of the rich descriptive details that the author provides in the book.

To start I have collected quotes about Carmilla's appearance; the first quote happens at the start of the novel she was described to have 'a solemn , but very pretty face' and 'it was pretty, even beautiful.' The first descriptions of Carmilla are vague and often use general terms like it, which gives the reader an early insight into the end of the book. We only get slight insights into her appearance until chapter 4 when we are given a full description; "She was above the middle height of women... She was slender, and wonderfully graceful. Except that her movements were languid-very languid-indeed, there was nothing in her appearance to indicate an invalid. Her complexion was rich and brilliant; her features were small and beautifully formed; her eyes large, dark, and lustrous; her hair was quite wonderful, I never saw hair so magnificently thick and long when it was down about her shoulders... It was exquisitely fine and soft, and in a colour of a very rich dark brown, with something of gold." I found this quote to be very descriptive, but there is something strange about it, she has a dark beauty, everything is perfect which can be unsettling and almost inhuman, it is also noted that she is lethargic for no apparent reason but has no physical signs of an injury or disability. Apart from this descriptive detail Carmilla's character is kept pretty much a mystery, and the writer does everything in his power to keep her this way, she seems to have no personality at all, however she still shocks and intrigues the reader, she is diabolical but does not show it. The only information that she divulges to Laura is ‘What she did tell me amounted, in my unconscionable estimation—to nothing. It was all summed up in three very vague disclosures: First—her name was Carmilla. Second—her family was very ancient and noble. Third—her home lay in the direction of the west.'

However this idea of beauty is contrasted by the beast like form that Laura see's Carmilla in on a night, often in her dreams she is interpreted as a black cat, or panther; "I saw something moving round the foot of my bed, at first I could not accurately distinguish. But soon I saw it was a sooty black animal that resembled a monstrous cat. It appeared to me about four or five feet long for it measured fully the length of the hearthrug as it passed over it; and it continued to-ing and fro-ing with the lithe, sinister relentlessness of a beast in a cage." From the text it is hard to tell if Carmilla actually takes a cat like form, or if this is just Laura's perception of the beast, as when she awakes she see's a female form instead of a cat. I believe that Carmilla is represented as a cat as she is praying on Laura, as she is feeding off her, she gives her a stone that she wears pinned to her nightdress and her health deteriorates, I believe this stone is soaked in something to knock her out, so she stops awaking in terror when Carmilla is feeding off her. One night when Carmilla is feeding "A sweet and tender. and at the same time terrible which said ' your mother warns you to be aware of the assassin'. " to which Laura awakes and see's Carmilla covered in blood. This creation of a beast shows the bad side of, Carmilla and is a severe contrast to the beautiful side of her during the day. She preys on the innocence of young Laura and her friendship often passes over into the realm of being possessive often telling her that she must die for them to be together, it is hard to tell if Laura is scared of Carmilla's sexual advances or if she is scared of dying. Camilla's words are like lullabies that she whispers in her preys ears, as if almost to numb them before preying on them.

These ideals are further contrasted by her split personality, she is often friendly making idol chit chat about various situation but sometimes she becomes angry, this is sparked often by religion, or in this instance a singing of a hymn; "Her face underwent a change that terrified me for a moment, it darkened, became horribly livid, teeth and hands were clenched, and she frowned and compressed her lips... a low convulsive cry of suffering broke from her and gradually the hysteria subsided." What is weird about these episodes is how quickly she comes out of them, for they pass almost instantly. Carmilla's personality is often obsessive and her affection towards Laura at once appalled and disgusted her but at the same time also evoke the same feelings of ecstasy that her companion feels In these mysterious moods I did not like her. I experienced a strange tumultuous excitement that was pleasurable, ever and anon, mingled with a vague sense of fear and disgust.’

I really like having Carmilla as my chosen character as she is very ambiguous, so I can leave her open to my own opinions and ideas, my initial ideas for a character design would be to have her being typically beautiful, but almost too beautiful. The hair and makeup will be straight but periodically accurate. I will be looking to develop this idea through research.

Unknown. (Dec 2011). Before Dracula There Was Carmilla. Available: http://www.victoriangothic.org/before-dracula-there-was-carmilla/. Last accessed 9th February 2016.

Unknown. (2013). Shortanalysis ‘Carmilla’ by Sheridan Le Fanu. Available: http://insaneowl.com/2013/03/09/shortanalysis-carmilla-by-sheridan-le-fanu/. Last accessed 9th Feb 2016.

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