TRICKSTERS AND THIEVES: UNRELIABLE NARRATIVE STRATEGIES IN THE NOVELS NIGHTS AT THE CIRCUS BY ANGELA CARTER AND THE ROBBER BRIDE BY MARGARET ATWOOD

The paper offers a detailed analysis of highly dubious trickster protagonists, Fevvers in Carter's Nights at the Circus and Zenia in Atwood's The Robber Bride, who are trying to survive in and benefit from difficult situations. Using the model suggested by Ansgar Nunning, the trickster is analysed from the narratological perspective. The paper proposes to classify Fevvers and Zenia as tricksters as they manifest convincing characteristics of tricksters: they shape and transform their appearances, they voluntarily lie and steal, transgress the boundaries between fact and fiction, manners and vulgarity, as well as bodily boundaries. They are able to attract the gaze of their audience, and use feminine masquerade to their benefit. Fevvers and Zenia are confident to use their trickster skills to invite their readers/listeners to enter their stories as lives and lives as stories.