Language, Characters and Some Analysis

http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Reviews/64_Bluebeard/Words.html

Here there is an English version of the opera's libretto. It is actually written in Hungarian language as mentioned before. An English version is maybe not so successful to show real manner of the piece, but even this is English I think there are some clues about character establihments. First of all something is significant for me: usage style of language. When I look at Bluebeard's words, I see that they are generally in old English language style. Judith speaks a rather modern language. I think this situation is not a problem of translation, this must be intentionally. This traditional usage of language is also parallel with music. Bartok uses much more pentatonic kind of movements to make Bluebeard speak. Pentatonic scales are very characteristic for folk music, this situation again make us think about traditional approach. So Bluebeard is a kind of tradition figure with all these features in my opinion.

By the way, Judith is a much more "flexible" characters in terms of those features. As said, her language is much more modern rather than Bluebeard. It is not like that but at least I feel as if Bluebeard is much more older than Judith. This strengten my feeling about the situation. Also her melodies, lines are generally in a diatonic manner - at least she has variety of modes and feelings much more than Bluebeard.

Also rhythmically they are really diffirent. Bluebeard sings in a more "walking" way. More regular patterns, 2/4 or 4/4 generally... About its manner I can say maybe even "maestoso" or maybe as better "misterioso". But Judith is just opposite with again variety of rhythmic pattern usage. It is as if her curiosity dances, runs, jumps around Bluebeard and makes him annoyed gradually.

All those tell me actually this is not a story of a man and a women actually. I think we can analyse this story from many point of views. But first thing that I thought is this about stability of some concepts. In social life some concepts like very basic traditions or norms are really deeply stable and unchangeable. And trying to change or question them creates really chaos and it is useless as we see at the and of this story.

Other than this social analysis, we can think also historically in my opinion. This opera was written in 1911 - which is just 3 years before Great World War I. That period wasn't of course not as chaotic as during or after the war. But there is a fact that system of the world was changing deeply. Economical situation was so unbalanced and instable. I think in those years people were becoming to be not sure about their future and also about themselves. Cause, those period is also the time that the concepts like subconscious, individual are much important. People were beginning to question themselves in many ways. So in this "suspicion" kind of general feeling of the period, it is normal Bartok to reflect so much suspicion and anxiety. I think Judith is a symbol that symbolizes humanity whose curiosity and anxiety is graudally rising towards life. And Bluebeard is the stable system which doesn't answer to humanity's worries and also makes it a part of the system step by step.

We know that Bartok changed the original Bluebeard story very much. In original, Judith tries to escape from him. But now there is an endless love and dependence. I thought first, his curiosity was very much. For example she sees blood everywhere, but still she tries to go on and see what is happening. She wanders gradully levels of Bluebeard's life - actually subconscious. Human brain is perfect seemingly but inside it is not so easy to understand. But I think also Judith's insistince to learn about everything is not about love at all. It is again a "humanly" kind of approach. So maybe Bartok also says, human is an extremely chaotic and inside it an extremely lonely creature. When we try to learn deep about it or try to be a part of another human's "inside", we see generally it is impossible and creates big problems. To leave everybody with their own "in" and to be individual are always healthier and mostly much happier for everyone.