Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.003.0002
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This chapter focuses on the significance of Madame Catherine-Anne d'Aulnoy and the French writers of fairy tales in the 1690s. d'Aulnoy coined the term “fairy tale” in 1697, when she published her ...
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This chapter focuses on the significance of Madame Catherine-Anne d'Aulnoy and the French writers of fairy tales in the 1690s. d'Aulnoy coined the term “fairy tale” in 1697, when she published her first collection of tales. But it was not until 1750 that the term “fairy tale” came into common English usage. The chapter explores the historical importance of the term “fairy tale” in greater depth by discussing the role of the fairies in d'Aulnoy's works. It also looks at how fairies were part of a long oral and literary tradition in French culture, and how d'Aulnoy's employment of fairies in her tales owes a debt to Greek and Roman myths, the opera, theatrical spectacles, debates about the role of women in French society, and French folklore.Less
This chapter focuses on the significance of Madame Catherine-Anne d'Aulnoy and the French writers of fairy tales in the 1690s. d'Aulnoy coined the term “fairy tale” in 1697, when she published her first collection of tales. But it was not until 1750 that the term “fairy tale” came into common English usage. The chapter explores the historical importance of the term “fairy tale” in greater depth by discussing the role of the fairies in d'Aulnoy's works. It also looks at how fairies were part of a long oral and literary tradition in French culture, and how d'Aulnoy's employment of fairies in her tales owes a debt to Greek and Roman myths, the opera, theatrical spectacles, debates about the role of women in French society, and French folklore.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0004
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This chapter concentrates on two key features of the Americanization of the Grimms' tales: the English and American translations and adaptations of the Grimms' tales from 1823 to the present, and the ...
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This chapter concentrates on two key features of the Americanization of the Grimms' tales: the English and American translations and adaptations of the Grimms' tales from 1823 to the present, and the filmic adaptation of the Grimms' tales in the age of globalization. It also briefly discusses three significant essays and an anthology of European folk and fairy tales that provide important information and analyses of the Americanization of the Grimms' tales: “The Tales of the Brothers Grimm in the United States” (1963) by Wayland Hand; “The Americanization of the Brothers Grimm” (1998) by Simon Bronner; and Cinderella in America: A Book of Folk and Fairy Tales (2007), edited and compiled by William Bernard McCarthy. The chapter then analyzes the literary translations and the cinematic adaptations of the Grimms' tales.Less
This chapter concentrates on two key features of the Americanization of the Grimms' tales: the English and American translations and adaptations of the Grimms' tales from 1823 to the present, and the filmic adaptation of the Grimms' tales in the age of globalization. It also briefly discusses three significant essays and an anthology of European folk and fairy tales that provide important information and analyses of the Americanization of the Grimms' tales: “The Tales of the Brothers Grimm in the United States” (1963) by Wayland Hand; “The Americanization of the Brothers Grimm” (1998) by Simon Bronner; and Cinderella in America: A Book of Folk and Fairy Tales (2007), edited and compiled by William Bernard McCarthy. The chapter then analyzes the literary translations and the cinematic adaptations of the Grimms' tales.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.003.0004
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This chapter attempts to clarify the importance of the connections between witches and fairies coupled with their deep roots in pagan and Greco-Roman beliefs by moving away from western Europe to ...
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This chapter attempts to clarify the importance of the connections between witches and fairies coupled with their deep roots in pagan and Greco-Roman beliefs by moving away from western Europe to look at the great witch Baba Yaga of Slavic countries. It cites three reasons for concentrating on Baba Yaga and Slavic fairy tales. The first one regards neglect. For the most part, the focus of folklore and fairy-tale studies in the United States and western Europe has been on the works of the Brothers Grimm and other notable western European writers and folklorist. The second is to understand the relationship between goddesses, witches, and fairies. The third reason is that a brief analysis of Baba Yaga tales with a focus on the neglected work Russian Folk Tales (1873), translated and edited by W.R.S. Ralston (1828–89), might assist us in grasping how oral and literary traditions work together to reinforce the memetic replication of fairy tales.Less
This chapter attempts to clarify the importance of the connections between witches and fairies coupled with their deep roots in pagan and Greco-Roman beliefs by moving away from western Europe to look at the great witch Baba Yaga of Slavic countries. It cites three reasons for concentrating on Baba Yaga and Slavic fairy tales. The first one regards neglect. For the most part, the focus of folklore and fairy-tale studies in the United States and western Europe has been on the works of the Brothers Grimm and other notable western European writers and folklorist. The second is to understand the relationship between goddesses, witches, and fairies. The third reason is that a brief analysis of Baba Yaga tales with a focus on the neglected work Russian Folk Tales (1873), translated and edited by W.R.S. Ralston (1828–89), might assist us in grasping how oral and literary traditions work together to reinforce the memetic replication of fairy tales.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0007
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This chapter explores some of the more salient contemporary Grimm variants, primarily in the fields of literature and poetry that have appeared in North and South America, the United Kingdom, ...
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This chapter explores some of the more salient contemporary Grimm variants, primarily in the fields of literature and poetry that have appeared in North and South America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia during the twenty-first century. The chapter endeavors to choose and discuss works that represent, in the author's opinion, significant artistic contributions to our understanding of the Grimms' folk and fairy tales and are furthermore innovations that seek to alter our viewpoints on how these tales relate to current sociopolitical conditions. Alongside a discussion of these contemporary fairy tales, the chapter also touches upon its use of the terms “Grimmness” and “Grimm.”Less
This chapter explores some of the more salient contemporary Grimm variants, primarily in the fields of literature and poetry that have appeared in North and South America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia during the twenty-first century. The chapter endeavors to choose and discuss works that represent, in the author's opinion, significant artistic contributions to our understanding of the Grimms' folk and fairy tales and are furthermore innovations that seek to alter our viewpoints on how these tales relate to current sociopolitical conditions. Alongside a discussion of these contemporary fairy tales, the chapter also touches upon its use of the terms “Grimmness” and “Grimm.”
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.003.0007
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
Two major tendencies in fairy-tale re-creations and collisions have been observed in the past decades. The first tendency is called remaking and re-creating classic tales. The second tendency is ...
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Two major tendencies in fairy-tale re-creations and collisions have been observed in the past decades. The first tendency is called remaking and re-creating classic tales. The second tendency is referred to as conflicted mosaics, consists of paintings, sculptures, and photographs that draw on an assortment of fairy-tale fragments to evoke a sense of wonder, if not bafflement. This chapter explores the significance of the two tendencies in fairy-tale collisions with a focus on the recent 2012 exhibit Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination, held at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee. It also comments on the works of many other talented artists who have been experimenting with the fairy tale along the same lines.Less
Two major tendencies in fairy-tale re-creations and collisions have been observed in the past decades. The first tendency is called remaking and re-creating classic tales. The second tendency is referred to as conflicted mosaics, consists of paintings, sculptures, and photographs that draw on an assortment of fairy-tale fragments to evoke a sense of wonder, if not bafflement. This chapter explores the significance of the two tendencies in fairy-tale collisions with a focus on the recent 2012 exhibit Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination, held at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee. It also comments on the works of many other talented artists who have been experimenting with the fairy tale along the same lines.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0005
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This chapter sets the discussion of the legacy of the Grimms' tales in the German sociocultural context of the last twenty-five years. It begins by discussing some of the more recent popular ...
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This chapter sets the discussion of the legacy of the Grimms' tales in the German sociocultural context of the last twenty-five years. It begins by discussing some of the more recent popular manifestations of their stories. The chapter focuses mainly on literature, including picture books and filmic adaptations, though given the large amount of material available, it will only feature a selection of this literature. Following the discussion of popular manifestations, the chapter turns to the concept or notion of a Grimm legacy and concludes with an analysis of scholarly studies that, in contrast to popular culture, have grounded the legacy of the Grimms in substantial ways that would have gratified the Grimms.Less
This chapter sets the discussion of the legacy of the Grimms' tales in the German sociocultural context of the last twenty-five years. It begins by discussing some of the more recent popular manifestations of their stories. The chapter focuses mainly on literature, including picture books and filmic adaptations, though given the large amount of material available, it will only feature a selection of this literature. Following the discussion of popular manifestations, the chapter turns to the concept or notion of a Grimm legacy and concludes with an analysis of scholarly studies that, in contrast to popular culture, have grounded the legacy of the Grimms in substantial ways that would have gratified the Grimms.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.003.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This chapter expands on the author's most recent books, Why Fairy Tales Stick and Relentless Progress, and includes new research by scholars interested in interdisciplinary approaches to cultural ...
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This chapter expands on the author's most recent books, Why Fairy Tales Stick and Relentless Progress, and includes new research by scholars interested in interdisciplinary approaches to cultural evolution. It clarifies why and how tales were created and told, and formed the basis of culture. It suggests that oral tales were imitated and replicated as memes in antiquity to form the fiber of culture and tradition. Taxonomies in the nineteenth century were established in response to recognizable features of tales as well as to organize and order types of stories. “Modern” genres originated during the Enlightenment and are basically social institutions that have defined cultural artifacts and patterns, divided them rationally into disciplines, and established rules and regulations for their study. In many ways, the fairy tale defies such definition and categorization.Less
This chapter expands on the author's most recent books, Why Fairy Tales Stick and Relentless Progress, and includes new research by scholars interested in interdisciplinary approaches to cultural evolution. It clarifies why and how tales were created and told, and formed the basis of culture. It suggests that oral tales were imitated and replicated as memes in antiquity to form the fiber of culture and tradition. Taxonomies in the nineteenth century were established in response to recognizable features of tales as well as to organize and order types of stories. “Modern” genres originated during the Enlightenment and are basically social institutions that have defined cultural artifacts and patterns, divided them rationally into disciplines, and established rules and regulations for their study. In many ways, the fairy tale defies such definition and categorization.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0002
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This chapter considers Edgar Taylor's (1793–1839) adaptation of the Grimms' German Popular Stories (1823, 1826), which radically changed the destiny of what we today call the “fairy tales” of the ...
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This chapter considers Edgar Taylor's (1793–1839) adaptation of the Grimms' German Popular Stories (1823, 1826), which radically changed the destiny of what we today call the “fairy tales” of the Brothers Grimm. It recounts and analyzes the Grimms' intentions in collecting and publishing the two volumes of the first edition of their tales in 1812 and 1815 as well as the second edition of 1819. Then the chapter reviews the history of how Taylor came upon their tales in the early 1820s and why he decided to “translate” them into English. This chapter concludes by discussing how Taylor participated in the romantic antiquarian movement, what we would today call folklore, to recapture neglected relics of the past, and to defend the imagination against rationalism.Less
This chapter considers Edgar Taylor's (1793–1839) adaptation of the Grimms' German Popular Stories (1823, 1826), which radically changed the destiny of what we today call the “fairy tales” of the Brothers Grimm. It recounts and analyzes the Grimms' intentions in collecting and publishing the two volumes of the first edition of their tales in 1812 and 1815 as well as the second edition of 1819. Then the chapter reviews the history of how Taylor came upon their tales in the early 1820s and why he decided to “translate” them into English. This chapter concludes by discussing how Taylor participated in the romantic antiquarian movement, what we would today call folklore, to recapture neglected relics of the past, and to defend the imagination against rationalism.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This introductory chapter describes the corpus of folk and fairy tales that the Brothers Grimm had passed on to the German people. It then asks what legacy means in this context, more specifically in ...
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This introductory chapter describes the corpus of folk and fairy tales that the Brothers Grimm had passed on to the German people. It then asks what legacy means in this context, more specifically in how the Brothers Grimm had attempted to pass on a wealth of cultural legacy and memory which have, in the process, become so universally international. The Brothers were aware from the very beginning that they were bequeathing their collected tales to a growing literate Germanic public; they endeavored to make these people more aware of popular culture in the German principalities. By doing this—bequeathing a legacy that was not really theirs to bequeath—they helped to create a new tradition of folklore that had a nationalist tinge to it.Less
This introductory chapter describes the corpus of folk and fairy tales that the Brothers Grimm had passed on to the German people. It then asks what legacy means in this context, more specifically in how the Brothers Grimm had attempted to pass on a wealth of cultural legacy and memory which have, in the process, become so universally international. The Brothers were aware from the very beginning that they were bequeathing their collected tales to a growing literate Germanic public; they endeavored to make these people more aware of popular culture in the German principalities. By doing this—bequeathing a legacy that was not really theirs to bequeath—they helped to create a new tradition of folklore that had a nationalist tinge to it.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0003
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This chapter discusses how the Grimms became involved in hyping their own tales to change their reception at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It first considers some of the theoretical ...
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This chapter discusses how the Grimms became involved in hyping their own tales to change their reception at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It first considers some of the theoretical aspects of hyping and the particular role hyping plays in the media paratexts of the culture industry. Hereafter the chapter reviews how the Brothers Grimm changed the format and scope of their tales, primarily under the influence of Taylor's 1823 translation, German Popular Stories, to make their tales more accessible to the general reading public in Germany. Lastly, the chapter examines some recent filmic adaptations of fairy tales and considers whether the hyping of these films detracts from the value of the fairy-tale genre and storytelling in general.Less
This chapter discusses how the Grimms became involved in hyping their own tales to change their reception at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It first considers some of the theoretical aspects of hyping and the particular role hyping plays in the media paratexts of the culture industry. Hereafter the chapter reviews how the Brothers Grimm changed the format and scope of their tales, primarily under the influence of Taylor's 1823 translation, German Popular Stories, to make their tales more accessible to the general reading public in Germany. Lastly, the chapter examines some recent filmic adaptations of fairy tales and considers whether the hyping of these films detracts from the value of the fairy-tale genre and storytelling in general.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.003.0005
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This chapter deals with a significant, but obfuscated category of nineteenth-century folk and fairy tales that deserves greater attention: tales told, collected, and written by women. Hardly ...
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This chapter deals with a significant, but obfuscated category of nineteenth-century folk and fairy tales that deserves greater attention: tales told, collected, and written by women. Hardly anyoneknows anything about the tales of Laura Gonzenbach, Božena Němcová, Nannette Lévesque, and Rachel Busk, despite the great advances made in feminist studies that led to the rediscovery of important women European writers of fairy tales from the seventeenth century to the present. Not only are the tales by Gonzenbach, Němcová, Lévesque, and Busk pertinent for what they reveal about the beliefs and customs of specific communities in the nineteenth century and about the role of women, but they are also valuable in the study of folklore for elucidating the problematic aspects of orality and literacy, and the interpretation of particular tale types such as the innocent persecuted heroine.Less
This chapter deals with a significant, but obfuscated category of nineteenth-century folk and fairy tales that deserves greater attention: tales told, collected, and written by women. Hardly anyoneknows anything about the tales of Laura Gonzenbach, Božena Němcová, Nannette Lévesque, and Rachel Busk, despite the great advances made in feminist studies that led to the rediscovery of important women European writers of fairy tales from the seventeenth century to the present. Not only are the tales by Gonzenbach, Němcová, Lévesque, and Busk pertinent for what they reveal about the beliefs and customs of specific communities in the nineteenth century and about the role of women, but they are also valuable in the study of folklore for elucidating the problematic aspects of orality and literacy, and the interpretation of particular tale types such as the innocent persecuted heroine.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0008
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This concluding chapter examines the explorations of Ernst Bloch (1885–1977), the great philosopher of hope, and Theodor Adorno (1903–69), the foremost critical thinker of the Frankfurt School, ...
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This concluding chapter examines the explorations of Ernst Bloch (1885–1977), the great philosopher of hope, and Theodor Adorno (1903–69), the foremost critical thinker of the Frankfurt School, concerning the profound ramifications of the fairy tale. In doing so they made a significant contribution to the Grimms' cultural legacy. The chapter reveals that, not long after Bloch escaped the dystopian realm of East Germany in 1961, he held a radio discussion with Adorno about the contradictions of utopian longing. Both displayed an unusual interest in fairy tales and were very familiar with the Grimms' tales, which they considered to be utopian.Less
This concluding chapter examines the explorations of Ernst Bloch (1885–1977), the great philosopher of hope, and Theodor Adorno (1903–69), the foremost critical thinker of the Frankfurt School, concerning the profound ramifications of the fairy tale. In doing so they made a significant contribution to the Grimms' cultural legacy. The chapter reveals that, not long after Bloch escaped the dystopian realm of East Germany in 1961, he held a radio discussion with Adorno about the contradictions of utopian longing. Both displayed an unusual interest in fairy tales and were very familiar with the Grimms' tales, which they considered to be utopian.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This chapter continues the examination of neglected stories and collectors of folk tales. It explores the significance of collections in Germany, France, Italy, and other European countries that led ...
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This chapter continues the examination of neglected stories and collectors of folk tales. It explores the significance of collections in Germany, France, Italy, and other European countries that led to a greater cultural interest in folklore. In England, after the foundation of the British Folklore Society, a great effort was also made by British and American folklorists to translate folk tales from other countries, such as India, China, Japan, and Africa. Yet their full impact has never been appreciated because the majority of the European folk-tale collections have not been translated or studied in English-speaking countries. For instance, until recently, one of the most exceptional of the great nineteenth-century European and American folklorists, Pitrè, was ignored. The chapter considers his life and works to demonstrate how he is an exemplary representative of those learned, dedicated folklorists who tried to make the past usable so that we might learn something about ourselves.Less
This chapter continues the examination of neglected stories and collectors of folk tales. It explores the significance of collections in Germany, France, Italy, and other European countries that led to a greater cultural interest in folklore. In England, after the foundation of the British Folklore Society, a great effort was also made by British and American folklorists to translate folk tales from other countries, such as India, China, Japan, and Africa. Yet their full impact has never been appreciated because the majority of the European folk-tale collections have not been translated or studied in English-speaking countries. For instance, until recently, one of the most exceptional of the great nineteenth-century European and American folklorists, Pitrè, was ignored. The chapter considers his life and works to demonstrate how he is an exemplary representative of those learned, dedicated folklorists who tried to make the past usable so that we might learn something about ourselves.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.003.0003
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This chapter analyzes Catherine Breillat's film Bluebeard. It argues that Breillat's filmic appropriation of Charles Perrault's “Bluebeard” is part of a memetic process that entails imitation, ...
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This chapter analyzes Catherine Breillat's film Bluebeard. It argues that Breillat's filmic appropriation of Charles Perrault's “Bluebeard” is part of a memetic process that entails imitation, innovation, and transformation. Her interpretation of Perrault's tale is a contestation, and while she seeks to replace Perrault's version with a double rendition of his tale, she also emphasizes the significance of Perrault's tale and demonstrates how all Bluebeard tales are part of a singular discursive process within the larger genre of the fairy tale. Interestingly, both Perrault and Breillat become merely markers in the evolutionary history of a tale type about mass murders that continues to breathe and demand our attention through supernormal stimuli.Less
This chapter analyzes Catherine Breillat's film Bluebeard. It argues that Breillat's filmic appropriation of Charles Perrault's “Bluebeard” is part of a memetic process that entails imitation, innovation, and transformation. Her interpretation of Perrault's tale is a contestation, and while she seeks to replace Perrault's version with a double rendition of his tale, she also emphasizes the significance of Perrault's tale and demonstrates how all Bluebeard tales are part of a singular discursive process within the larger genre of the fairy tale. Interestingly, both Perrault and Breillat become merely markers in the evolutionary history of a tale type about mass murders that continues to breathe and demand our attention through supernormal stimuli.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This chapter highlights an important theme in the Grimms' fairy tales that few scholars have discussed—cooperation or superhuman cooperative efforts necessary to defeat evil. It shares a string of ...
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This chapter highlights an important theme in the Grimms' fairy tales that few scholars have discussed—cooperation or superhuman cooperative efforts necessary to defeat evil. It shares a string of associations about cooperation in fairy tales before explaining why a tale such as “How Six Made Their Way in the World” and other similar tales in the Grimms' Kinder-und Hausmärchen significantly touch on a relevant memetic topic that we can find in myths and folk and fairy tales throughout the world. The chapter explores the appeal of tales about superheroes and why we are all more or less attracted to them as they work together to help underdogs.Less
This chapter highlights an important theme in the Grimms' fairy tales that few scholars have discussed—cooperation or superhuman cooperative efforts necessary to defeat evil. It shares a string of associations about cooperation in fairy tales before explaining why a tale such as “How Six Made Their Way in the World” and other similar tales in the Grimms' Kinder-und Hausmärchen significantly touch on a relevant memetic topic that we can find in myths and folk and fairy tales throughout the world. The chapter explores the appeal of tales about superheroes and why we are all more or less attracted to them as they work together to help underdogs.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153384
- eISBN:
- 9781400841820
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153384.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
If there is one genre that has captured the imagination of people in all walks of life throughout the world, it is the fairy tale. Yet we still have great difficulty understanding how it originated, ...
More
If there is one genre that has captured the imagination of people in all walks of life throughout the world, it is the fairy tale. Yet we still have great difficulty understanding how it originated, evolved, and spread—or why so many people cannot resist its appeal, no matter how it changes or what form it takes. This book presents a provocative new theory about why fairy tales were created and retold—and why they became such an indelible and infinitely adaptable part of cultures around the world. Drawing on cognitive science, evolutionary theory, anthropology, psychology, literary theory, and other fields, the book presents a nuanced argument about how fairy tales originated in ancient oral cultures, how they evolved through the rise of literary culture and print, and how, in our own time, they continue to change through their adaptation in an ever-growing variety of media. In making its case, the book considers a wide range of fascinating examples, including fairy tales told, collected, and written by women in the nineteenth century; Catherine Breillat's film adaptation of Perrault's “Bluebeard”; and contemporary fairy-tale drawings, paintings, sculptures, and photographs that critique canonical print versions. While we may never be able to fully explain fairy tales, this book provides a powerful theory of how and why they evolved—and why we still use them to make meaning of our lives.Less
If there is one genre that has captured the imagination of people in all walks of life throughout the world, it is the fairy tale. Yet we still have great difficulty understanding how it originated, evolved, and spread—or why so many people cannot resist its appeal, no matter how it changes or what form it takes. This book presents a provocative new theory about why fairy tales were created and retold—and why they became such an indelible and infinitely adaptable part of cultures around the world. Drawing on cognitive science, evolutionary theory, anthropology, psychology, literary theory, and other fields, the book presents a nuanced argument about how fairy tales originated in ancient oral cultures, how they evolved through the rise of literary culture and print, and how, in our own time, they continue to change through their adaptation in an ever-growing variety of media. In making its case, the book considers a wide range of fascinating examples, including fairy tales told, collected, and written by women in the nineteenth century; Catherine Breillat's film adaptation of Perrault's “Bluebeard”; and contemporary fairy-tale drawings, paintings, sculptures, and photographs that critique canonical print versions. While we may never be able to fully explain fairy tales, this book provides a powerful theory of how and why they evolved—and why we still use them to make meaning of our lives.
Jack Zipes
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160580
- eISBN:
- 9781400852581
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160580.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This book explores the legacy of the Brothers Grimm in Europe and North America, from the nineteenth century to the present. The book reveals how the Grimms came to play a pivotal and unusual role in ...
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This book explores the legacy of the Brothers Grimm in Europe and North America, from the nineteenth century to the present. The book reveals how the Grimms came to play a pivotal and unusual role in the evolution of Western folklore and in the history of the most significant cultural genre in the world—the fairy tale. Folklorists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm sought to discover and preserve a rich abundance of stories emanating from an oral tradition, and encouraged friends, colleagues, and strangers to gather and share these tales. As a result, hundreds of thousands of wonderful folk and fairy tales poured into books throughout Europe and have kept coming. The book looks at the transformation of the Grimms' tales into children's literature, the Americanization of the tales, the “Grimm” aspects of contemporary tales, and the tales' utopian impulses. It shows that the Grimms were not the first scholars to turn their attention to folk tales, but were vital in expanding readership and setting the high standards for folk-tale collecting that continue through the current era. The book concludes with a look at contemporary adaptations of the tales and raises questions about authenticity, target audience, and consumerism. The book examines the lasting universal influence of two brothers and their collected tales on today's storytelling world.Less
This book explores the legacy of the Brothers Grimm in Europe and North America, from the nineteenth century to the present. The book reveals how the Grimms came to play a pivotal and unusual role in the evolution of Western folklore and in the history of the most significant cultural genre in the world—the fairy tale. Folklorists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm sought to discover and preserve a rich abundance of stories emanating from an oral tradition, and encouraged friends, colleagues, and strangers to gather and share these tales. As a result, hundreds of thousands of wonderful folk and fairy tales poured into books throughout Europe and have kept coming. The book looks at the transformation of the Grimms' tales into children's literature, the Americanization of the tales, the “Grimm” aspects of contemporary tales, and the tales' utopian impulses. It shows that the Grimms were not the first scholars to turn their attention to folk tales, but were vital in expanding readership and setting the high standards for folk-tale collecting that continue through the current era. The book concludes with a look at contemporary adaptations of the tales and raises questions about authenticity, target audience, and consumerism. The book examines the lasting universal influence of two brothers and their collected tales on today's storytelling world.
Kenneth B. Kidd
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780816675821
- eISBN:
- 9781452947709
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816675821.003.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This chapter focuses on the psychoanalytic engagement with the fairy tale, from the foundational ideas of Freud and Jung to current fairy-tale studies. As educational psychologist Nicholas Tucker ...
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This chapter focuses on the psychoanalytic engagement with the fairy tale, from the foundational ideas of Freud and Jung to current fairy-tale studies. As educational psychologist Nicholas Tucker notes, psychoanalysts have long ignored children’s books and “concentrated on those traditional fairy stories and myths that most clearly lend themselves to Freudian interpretation.” Because those stories, such as Tales from the Brothers Grimm, were understood to be traditional, analysts could take up fairly dramatic topics, like cannibalism, torture, incest, bestiality, and murder, with less fear of protest or censorship. The psychoanalytic literature on the fairy tale gradually began to intersect with the widespread belief that the fairy tale is “for” children, so that by midcentury, the fairy tale was broadly received both as a psychological genre and as cornerstone for children’s literature.Less
This chapter focuses on the psychoanalytic engagement with the fairy tale, from the foundational ideas of Freud and Jung to current fairy-tale studies. As educational psychologist Nicholas Tucker notes, psychoanalysts have long ignored children’s books and “concentrated on those traditional fairy stories and myths that most clearly lend themselves to Freudian interpretation.” Because those stories, such as Tales from the Brothers Grimm, were understood to be traditional, analysts could take up fairly dramatic topics, like cannibalism, torture, incest, bestiality, and murder, with less fear of protest or censorship. The psychoanalytic literature on the fairy tale gradually began to intersect with the widespread belief that the fairy tale is “for” children, so that by midcentury, the fairy tale was broadly received both as a psychological genre and as cornerstone for children’s literature.
Christine J. Gardner
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780520267275
- eISBN:
- 9780520950559
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520267275.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
A key argument in the evangelical sexual abstinence campaigns is that delaying sexual gratification today means a greater prize of true love and romance tomorrow. This theme is communicated through ...
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A key argument in the evangelical sexual abstinence campaigns is that delaying sexual gratification today means a greater prize of true love and romance tomorrow. This theme is communicated through the use of the fairy-tale narrative, complete with beautiful princesses in distress, valiant princes on horseback, and evil forces that threaten to steal the princesses' virginity. This chapter analyzes how the fairy-tale narrative both supports and subverts traditional gender roles. Young women may be waiting for their princes, but they are also taught that modestly covering their bodies exerts power and control over lustful young men. The young men, in turn, are actively pursuing and protecting their princesses, but they are also trapped and emasculated by their seemingly uncontrollable hormonal urges.Less
A key argument in the evangelical sexual abstinence campaigns is that delaying sexual gratification today means a greater prize of true love and romance tomorrow. This theme is communicated through the use of the fairy-tale narrative, complete with beautiful princesses in distress, valiant princes on horseback, and evil forces that threaten to steal the princesses' virginity. This chapter analyzes how the fairy-tale narrative both supports and subverts traditional gender roles. Young women may be waiting for their princes, but they are also taught that modestly covering their bodies exerts power and control over lustful young men. The young men, in turn, are actively pursuing and protecting their princesses, but they are also trapped and emasculated by their seemingly uncontrollable hormonal urges.
Jessica R. McCort
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781496806444
- eISBN:
- 9781496806482
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781496806444.003.0005
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
This essay focuses specifically on the recent fairy-tale novels Coraline and A Tale Dark and Grimm as examples of gruesome, morally impactful modern fairy tales. Jessica R. McCort situates these ...
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This essay focuses specifically on the recent fairy-tale novels Coraline and A Tale Dark and Grimm as examples of gruesome, morally impactful modern fairy tales. Jessica R. McCort situates these particular books in relation to twentieth-century women authors’ dark fairy-tale revisions that emphasize identity development and the current cultural moment, a time in which mainstream American culture is obsessed with the darker side of fairy tales and the resurgence and rehabilitation of the fairy tale. Both Coraline and A Tale Dark and Grimm, filled with violence, gore, and horror, hearken back to the literary fairy tales that precede them and concentrate on the idea that children must learn to conquer their demons in order to achieve self-awareness. As McCort argues, these novels illustrate that children can gain, through textual encounters with the horrific, an enhanced sense of self and the power of bravery. In the end, this essay argues that these books are excellent examples of the social importance of maintaining terror as part of the texture of modern fairy tales for young readers, especially those in which the pursuit of personal identity is at the apple’s core.Less
This essay focuses specifically on the recent fairy-tale novels Coraline and A Tale Dark and Grimm as examples of gruesome, morally impactful modern fairy tales. Jessica R. McCort situates these particular books in relation to twentieth-century women authors’ dark fairy-tale revisions that emphasize identity development and the current cultural moment, a time in which mainstream American culture is obsessed with the darker side of fairy tales and the resurgence and rehabilitation of the fairy tale. Both Coraline and A Tale Dark and Grimm, filled with violence, gore, and horror, hearken back to the literary fairy tales that precede them and concentrate on the idea that children must learn to conquer their demons in order to achieve self-awareness. As McCort argues, these novels illustrate that children can gain, through textual encounters with the horrific, an enhanced sense of self and the power of bravery. In the end, this essay argues that these books are excellent examples of the social importance of maintaining terror as part of the texture of modern fairy tales for young readers, especially those in which the pursuit of personal identity is at the apple’s core.
