Angela Carter's feminist reconstruction of the classical fairy tales

?Once upon a time ?? is a pleasant echo from our early childhood memories. It is associated with a magical world which is peopled with beautiful and virtuous. Fairy tales are the basic means to create and settle the major images and structures about ?ideal? and ?bad? women in the young brains and indeed in a very dangerous way.Since fairy tales serve to traditional, patriarchal and man-centered policies, the characterization and the structure of the tales are almost always identical; the princess in the tale is always incredibly beautiful, elegant, virtuous, kind, mild, affectionate and forgiving. Yet, interestingly enough, she is always in a big trouble and she desperately waits passively to be saved by a white-horsed prince. Actually, because of her ?qualities?, this princess ?deserves? to be saved and be married by an ideal man.However, the feminist writers of the 20th century sternly attack these archetypes and attempt to redefine women?s individual, social and cultural identity. They point to the fact that women are not weak, submissive, passive, muted and controlled beings in need of a male protection. So, they create more realistic female characters based on actual experiences. Within the framework of this search, they also redefine the characterization and structure of fairy tales.Among these writers, Angela Carter is a prominent name. She carefully deconstructs and reconstructs the classical fairy tales, especially focusing on the characterization. She indirectly criticizes the clichéd ?ideal? and ?bad? women archetypes by carrying her female characters into a real and realistic realm with authentic experiences. Thus, she leads us to question the essential nature of womanhood, female experiences and the particular drives directing women to act in a certain way. The reconstructed image of classical fairy tales? female characters can perhaps be best exemplified with the tales in Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter.Key Words: Fairy Tale, Classical, Traditional, Feminist, Realistic