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:
- 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:
- 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:
- 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/9780691160580.003.0005
- 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.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the eight tales in this volume. The stories celebrate Satya Pīr, a figure of religious power who is nominally both Muslim and Hindu; they ...
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This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the eight tales in this volume. The stories celebrate Satya Pīr, a figure of religious power who is nominally both Muslim and Hindu; they vault women or their offspring into heroic roles as the men flounder in uncertainty and helplessness; they play with gender distinctions, all in an effort to comment, critique, and even stretch the traditional values reaffirmed in the conclusions of each tale. The perpetuation of cultural narratives in South Asia and the sectarian literatures of Satya Pīr are also discussed.Less
This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the eight tales in this volume. The stories celebrate Satya Pīr, a figure of religious power who is nominally both Muslim and Hindu; they vault women or their offspring into heroic roles as the men flounder in uncertainty and helplessness; they play with gender distinctions, all in an effort to comment, critique, and even stretch the traditional values reaffirmed in the conclusions of each tale. The perpetuation of cultural narratives in South Asia and the sectarian literatures of Satya Pīr are also discussed.
Malcolm Davies
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199285686
- eISBN:
- 9780191713958
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199285686.003.0005
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Literary Studies: Classical, Early, and Medieval, Poetry and Poets: Classical, Early, and Medieval
It is well known that Hesiod's Theogony contains a number of folk tale motifs. West's 1966 commentary specifies Prometheus and Epimetheus, ‘the pair of brothers, one clever and one stupid, or one ...
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It is well known that Hesiod's Theogony contains a number of folk tale motifs. West's 1966 commentary specifies Prometheus and Epimetheus, ‘the pair of brothers, one clever and one stupid, or one good and the other bad’ and the succession myth of lines 453-506, with ‘the father who tries to dispose of his children in order to prevent the fulfilment of a prophecy that one of them will overthrow him; the child who is exposed, but who grows up in safety nevertheless and returns to claim his inheritance; and the man who is swallowed by a monster or demon and afterwards rescued alive and whole from his belly. This chapter suggests that a further folk tale motif is lurking in the aetiological account of how Prometheus tricked Zeus over sacrificial portions (555-616).Less
It is well known that Hesiod's Theogony contains a number of folk tale motifs. West's 1966 commentary specifies Prometheus and Epimetheus, ‘the pair of brothers, one clever and one stupid, or one good and the other bad’ and the succession myth of lines 453-506, with ‘the father who tries to dispose of his children in order to prevent the fulfilment of a prophecy that one of them will overthrow him; the child who is exposed, but who grows up in safety nevertheless and returns to claim his inheritance; and the man who is swallowed by a monster or demon and afterwards rescued alive and whole from his belly. This chapter suggests that a further folk tale motif is lurking in the aetiological account of how Prometheus tricked Zeus over sacrificial portions (555-616).
Mohammad Talib
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- October 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198067719
- eISBN:
- 9780199080083
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198067719.003.0006
- Subject:
- Sociology, Occupations, Professions, and Work
This chapter focuses on three Delhi sites of world-making, each acting as a site of an implicit, largely symbolic politics: the stone quarry workers' children's school, the workers' temple, and the ...
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This chapter focuses on three Delhi sites of world-making, each acting as a site of an implicit, largely symbolic politics: the stone quarry workers' children's school, the workers' temple, and the informal sessions of sharing folk tales. It describes the experiences of working class children in the school and examines how this shapes world-making and the workers' perceptions of their living conditions. Although the government implemented a number of welfare schemes at the quarry, the actual benefits were not available to every worker. This always led to an intense competition among the many workers for the limited welfare facility. Some workers engaged in bribery to gain access to the sanctioned loan offered by the banks to the poor. Workers who were able to secure the money were envied by their not so fortunate colleagues. This chapter also looks at the workers' perceptions about ghosts, indebtedness, poverty, and anti-Brahmanism.Less
This chapter focuses on three Delhi sites of world-making, each acting as a site of an implicit, largely symbolic politics: the stone quarry workers' children's school, the workers' temple, and the informal sessions of sharing folk tales. It describes the experiences of working class children in the school and examines how this shapes world-making and the workers' perceptions of their living conditions. Although the government implemented a number of welfare schemes at the quarry, the actual benefits were not available to every worker. This always led to an intense competition among the many workers for the limited welfare facility. Some workers engaged in bribery to gain access to the sanctioned loan offered by the banks to the poor. Workers who were able to secure the money were envied by their not so fortunate colleagues. This chapter also looks at the workers' perceptions about ghosts, indebtedness, poverty, and anti-Brahmanism.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This chapter talks about the translations of the eight tales in this volume. The author has taken a slightly different tack: the translations are not retellings, but faithful renderings of the ...
More
This chapter talks about the translations of the eight tales in this volume. The author has taken a slightly different tack: the translations are not retellings, but faithful renderings of the handwritten and printed originals, with many of the qualities of Bangla retained, including some that might qualify as quirks and oddities in English. Consequently, the stories will inevitably be somewhat uneven, because some of the authors are better than others in telling a tale.Less
This chapter talks about the translations of the eight tales in this volume. The author has taken a slightly different tack: the translations are not retellings, but faithful renderings of the handwritten and printed originals, with many of the qualities of Bangla retained, including some that might qualify as quirks and oddities in English. Consequently, the stories will inevitably be somewhat uneven, because some of the authors are better than others in telling a tale.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The Fabled Bengamā Bird and the Stupid Prince, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
The Fabled Bengamā Bird and the Stupid Prince, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The mythic figure Satya Pīr has a wide following among Hindus and Muslims alike in the Bangla-speaking regions of South Asia. Believed to be an avatara of krsna, or a Sufi saint, or somehow both, he ...
More
The mythic figure Satya Pīr has a wide following among Hindus and Muslims alike in the Bangla-speaking regions of South Asia. Believed to be an avatara of krsna, or a Sufi saint, or somehow both, he is worshipped for his ability to bring wealth and comfort to a family. At the heart of this worship is the simple proposition that human dignity and morality are dependent upon a proper livelihood-without wealth, people cannot be expected to live moral lives. Men have a special responsibility to create that stability, but sometimes fail miserably, making ill-advised decisions that compromise the women who are dependent upon them. At these threatening junctures, women must take matters into their own hands, and they call on Satya Pīr to help them right the wrongs done by their husbands or fathers. This book presents lively translations of eight closely related 18th- and 19th-century Bengali folk tales centered on Satya Pīr and the people he helps. While the worship of Satya Pīr is the ostensible motivation for the tales, they are really demonstrations of the Pīr's miraculous powers, which authenticate him as a legitimate object of worship. The tales are also very amusing, parodying Brahmins and yogis and kings and sepoys. These stories fly in the face of conventional wisdom about the separation of Muslims and Hindus. Moreover, the stories happily stand alone, speaking with an easily recognized if not universal voice of exasperation and amazement at what life throws at us.Less
The mythic figure Satya Pīr has a wide following among Hindus and Muslims alike in the Bangla-speaking regions of South Asia. Believed to be an avatara of krsna, or a Sufi saint, or somehow both, he is worshipped for his ability to bring wealth and comfort to a family. At the heart of this worship is the simple proposition that human dignity and morality are dependent upon a proper livelihood-without wealth, people cannot be expected to live moral lives. Men have a special responsibility to create that stability, but sometimes fail miserably, making ill-advised decisions that compromise the women who are dependent upon them. At these threatening junctures, women must take matters into their own hands, and they call on Satya Pīr to help them right the wrongs done by their husbands or fathers. This book presents lively translations of eight closely related 18th- and 19th-century Bengali folk tales centered on Satya Pīr and the people he helps. While the worship of Satya Pīr is the ostensible motivation for the tales, they are really demonstrations of the Pīr's miraculous powers, which authenticate him as a legitimate object of worship. The tales are also very amusing, parodying Brahmins and yogis and kings and sepoys. These stories fly in the face of conventional wisdom about the separation of Muslims and Hindus. Moreover, the stories happily stand alone, speaking with an easily recognized if not universal voice of exasperation and amazement at what life throws at us.
Douglas Gray
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780198706090
- eISBN:
- 9780191810480
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198706090.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, Early and Medieval Literature, Prose (inc. letters, diaries)
Here the book pauses to discuss the nature of folk tale, perhaps the most important of the narrative simple forms: its history, collection, and adaptation, and its influence on and use by ...
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Here the book pauses to discuss the nature of folk tale, perhaps the most important of the narrative simple forms: its history, collection, and adaptation, and its influence on and use by sophisticated writers like Chaucer. There is a section which discusses the growth of interest in folk tales, and in the attempts to describe their nature and classification. There is a more detailed description of Chaucer's ‘Clerk’s Tale’ of Griselda, showing how its folk tale background illuminates it and helps to explain some of the difficulties it causes with modern readers. It argues that the transformation of a folk tale into a sophisticated literary narrative seems to have inspired his creativity.Less
Here the book pauses to discuss the nature of folk tale, perhaps the most important of the narrative simple forms: its history, collection, and adaptation, and its influence on and use by sophisticated writers like Chaucer. There is a section which discusses the growth of interest in folk tales, and in the attempts to describe their nature and classification. There is a more detailed description of Chaucer's ‘Clerk’s Tale’ of Griselda, showing how its folk tale background illuminates it and helps to explain some of the difficulties it causes with modern readers. It argues that the transformation of a folk tale into a sophisticated literary narrative seems to have inspired his creativity.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The Princess Who Nursed Her Own Husband, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
The Princess Who Nursed Her Own Husband, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The Disconsolate Yogī Who Turned the Merchant's Wife into a Dog, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
The Disconsolate Yogī Who Turned the Merchant's Wife into a Dog, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The Mother's Son Who Spat up Pearls, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
The Mother's Son Who Spat up Pearls, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The Wazir's Daughter Who Married a Sacrificial Goat, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
The Wazir's Daughter Who Married a Sacrificial Goat, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The Erstwhile Bride and Her Winged Horse, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
The Erstwhile Bride and Her Winged Horse, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195165296
- eISBN:
- 9780199835461
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195165292.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
The Bloodthirsty Ogress Who Would Be Queen, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
The Bloodthirsty Ogress Who Would Be Queen, a Bengali folk tale translated into English, is presented.
Charlotte Linde
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195140286
- eISBN:
- 9780199871247
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195140286.003.0006
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Sociolinguistics / Anthropological Linguistics
This chapter analyzes three examples of a single story about the founder: two written versions and an oral version. The comparison demonstrates two separate dynamics in the life of a narrative within ...
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This chapter analyzes three examples of a single story about the founder: two written versions and an oral version. The comparison demonstrates two separate dynamics in the life of a narrative within an institution. The first shows how a speaker's position shapes the microstructure of the narrative: in particular, how a story about the founder is told either as an account of his management skills, or as an account of his care for his agents, and the skills and character traits which his agents still share with him. The comparison also shows the complex relation between written and oral narrative: the continuous movement of a narrative from oral form to written form back to oral form, which continues without a final fixed version. Thus, the process of transmission of folk tales and oral culture is shown to be alive in the American corporation.Less
This chapter analyzes three examples of a single story about the founder: two written versions and an oral version. The comparison demonstrates two separate dynamics in the life of a narrative within an institution. The first shows how a speaker's position shapes the microstructure of the narrative: in particular, how a story about the founder is told either as an account of his management skills, or as an account of his care for his agents, and the skills and character traits which his agents still share with him. The comparison also shows the complex relation between written and oral narrative: the continuous movement of a narrative from oral form to written form back to oral form, which continues without a final fixed version. Thus, the process of transmission of folk tales and oral culture is shown to be alive in the American corporation.
