Angela Carter's "Nights at the Circus": The Other Side of Prostitution
by
Abstract
The feminist postmodern writers have always attempted to depict the struggles of underrepresented categories and reveal the injustice committed against them. In this context, Angela Carter’s Nights at the Circus studies the condition of British women of the 19th century, mainly the prostitutes as an undermined category. Carter unveils the patriarchal misjudgment of prostitutes and puts forth a new view. She presents to her readers Ma Nelson’s brothel as a historical and cultural site rather than a promiscuous place. The economic necessity behind prostitution does not hinder the girls from positively engaging in political activism and contributing to rewriting the historical path of the new woman.