CAS WR 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Tanith Lee, Zoophilia, Intertextuality
21 May 2018
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Close Reading of Passage from “When The Clock Strikes”
“Six black horses drew it. The coachman and postilions were clad in crimson, and strangely
masked as curious beasts and reptiles. One of these beast-men now hopped down and opened
the door of the carriage. Out came a woman’s figure in a cloak of white and glided up the
palace stair and in at the doors.” (125)
This extract is from “When the Clock Strikes” by Tanith Lee. It is obtained from the
scene in which Ashella arrives at the Prince’s ball in a magnificent carriage. The most important
themes in this passage are color imagery and juxtaposition of bestiality with femininity. The first
phrase, “six black horses drew it”, is emphasized since it is significantly shorter than the
following sentences, thereby drawing attention to the use of dark imagery at the beginning.
Throughout the passage, Lee uses color imagery such as “clad in crimson” which connotes blood
and “cloak of white” which ironically suggests the woman’s innocence. Interestingly, Lee uses
these colors to suggest that Ashella’s hardships are coming to an end. This is done by mentioning
“black” first since it refers to her previous sufferings; “white” is mentioned towards the end of
the passage to foreshadow victory and peace for Ashella. This passage also utilizes
intertextuality by incorporating elements of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, a famous fairy tale
surrounding the relationship between a beautiful woman and a beast. Lee juxtaposes the
primitive nature of these “beast-men”, who “hopped” down like animals, with the elegance of the
woman, who “glided up the palace stair”. This passage contributes to the whole text because, as
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