Word Wise Webb

Before you can even begin to speculate on God's character, you have to assume that God exists. And once you've made that assumption, who's to say whose opinion is correct? What are the sources on which you base your opinions? Many times, it sounds like your opinions on God's character are based on what you already believe is right or wrong, whether you are conservative or progressive.

I've found a lengthy article on "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" by Judit Frigyesi. But before her interpretation overwhelms any thoughts I might have, I'm going to take a stab at advancing my own thoughts.
I said earlier that Marx and Freud provide interpretive schema. A Marxist reading is straightforward. Duke Bluebeard is a very wealthy and powerful man. I think we all realize that wealth and power are not Heaven sent but are obtained by the exploitation of others. There are seven locked doors in the castle. Judith, Bluebeard's new wife, demands that each door be opened. Behind these doors, Judith uncovers Bluebeard's past: There is a torture chamber, an armory etc., all instruments by which Bluebeard came by his riches and power. One can easily transfer all this to a more mundane scenario of multinational corporations exploiting what used to be called the Third World.

The Freudian interpretation is tougher. I thought at first that Bluebeard was impotent and his reluctance to open the doors symbolized his fear of intimacy with Judith. This line of thought proved wrong as we learn that Bluebeard had been married three times before. When Judith opens the last door, we find out what became of those three wives. To find out for yourself, you'll have to see the opera.