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Images of race, class, and gender in nineteenth-century French culture: from Carmen, Susan McLary Musicologist, Harvard University graduate MA and PhD, university professor of music at Case Western Reserve University, noted for her numerous works that combine musicology and a feminist music criticism; moreover, her research on the cultural criticism of music The article investigates what was occurring socially, politically, and culturally in France during the time when George Bizet was writing the opera Carmen McLary addresses the following points: 1. The characteristics and role of orientalism in French culture and how this shaped Western perspectives during the nineteenth century 2. Bizets personal fascination with exoticism; furthermore, the orientalist themes interwoven in Carmen with regards to specific principal groups at the time-gypsies and jews. 3. The shift in society among women in French culture and how sexuality contributed to this change. Also McLary briefly addresses predestined hierarchy and the role of women before this was being challenged 4. The prominent role and Bizets exploitation of prostitution in French culture; moreover, how this contributed to developing the character Carmen. 5. How Carmens rational depiction of issues in race, class, and gender were initially rejected in French society but later accepted Inequalities in race, class, and gender played a prominent role in French culture during the development of Bizets Carmen, which contributed to the work significantly. The author addresses various issues. First, she recognizes a clash among cultures in the nineteenth century. Many people perceived Western traditions to be superior to that of the East and she provides facts in how people were using this as a vantage point in critiquing musical works. She also discusses a number of important events such as the French Revolution that shaped change among various social classes. Second, the author also mentions key plot points in Carmen as well as Bizets creative process in developing this work. Additionally, McLary expects the reader to know specifics about the plot prior to reading this article. Some spoilers are revealed to those who may have no prior knowledge of this work. Finally, she mentions a number of things about eroticism and sexuality. While Eastern traditions were accepting of this, the West viewed these as

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taboos. McLary reiterates the fact that race, ethnicity, class, and gender are completely separate issues. After Carmen was premiered, she addresses how attitudes changed. Hegemonic practices among social groups will always be an issue but Carmen specifically created awareness unlike anything else. Specifically, she digs deeper into the mind of Bizet and confirms that his character Carmen was unique during this moment in history. I believe this to be a very useful article for a number of reasons. This article allows us to become aware of a different cultures social norms in the nineteenth century. It also addresses Bizets social life and then allows the reader to see how he addresses this in his composing. It was interesting to see how something such as prostitution was viewed during this time in France; moreover, to relate this to my own perceptions of prostitution having grown up in the United States. McLary allows the reader to visualize what todays modern strip clubs would have been like in nineteenth century France which also was rather intriguing.

Garrett Kheshtinejad Assignment I McClary, Susan. Images of Race, Class, and Gender. In Carmen, 2943. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.