Bluebeard

views updated May 11 2018

Bluebeard a character in a tale by Charles Perrault, who killed several wives in turn for disobeying his order to avoid a locked room which contained the bodies of his previous wives. His last wife, left in his castle on her own with her sister, explores and opens the fatal room, as Bluebead on returning discovers; in the nick of time, she is rescued by her brothers, who arrive and kill Bluebeard.

His name is often used allusively to refer to the uncontrollable curiosity which has brought his earlier wives to their death.


Bluebeards Castle

views updated May 14 2018

Bluebeard's Castle ( Bartók). See Duke Bluebeard's Castle.