The Queen of Nothing

The golden bridle is a symbol of control, subjugation, and the negative aspects of power. It first makes an appearance on Queen Suren, covering her mouth and throat. “Its straps sit oddly against her skin, as if they have partially sunken into it” (83). Jude calls the bridle “a horrible thing,” crafted by Grimsen. Lady Nore and Lord Jarel use the bridle to control their daughter, and they lead her around with it. The bridle makes not just a controlled child but a beast out of Suren. In The Queen of Nothing, the bridle is an object of barter and a trick rolled into one. After Cardan’s transformation, the bridle is cut off Suren, leaving her face scarred. Lord Jarel and Lady Nore offer the golden bridle to Jude as a means to control Cardan in his serpent form. Their offer symbolizes a temptation for Jude. If she gives in to the temptation of unfettered Power and Control, she will herself come under the bridle’s control, since the object is meant as a trick. Lord Jarel tells Jude that the bridle “will fit itself to the creature being restrained,” indicating the absolute and cruel control the object wields (241).