Archetypal Elements In The Seven Ravens

Fairy tales have held a great deal of influence over children for centuries. The stories help set the standards of society. The stories stay with children throughout their youth and into their adult lives; therefore, they affect future generations. The stories are able to withstand centuries of change because they are repeatedly told and teach children what society expects of them. “The Seven Ravens” tells about the powerful bond that only siblings share.

Like many popular fairy tales, the Brothers Grimm wrote “The Seven Ravens”. “The Seven Ravens,” similar to many common fairy tales, possesses German origins. The real message of the story is to show the unique bond of siblings. The father did not care for the boys, he only had eyes for his beloved daughter. The daughter, however, wanted to help the boys and bring them back to the family. Parents are often guilty of having a favorite child so the other children often bond together. One archetypal element in the story is the daughter. The daughter defies the typical damsel in distress story by being her story’s heroine. This element is incredibly interesting in the story. Women were not seen as strong, capable creatures during the time the story took place. Another archetypal

“Blood is thicker than water,” is a famous quote, that states that family bonds are greater than any other (Anonymous). The message of the story is one that I will take to heart. My brother and I don’t get along all that well, but when it comes down to it, we have each other’s backs, and always will. Some people in today’s world and possibly other generations to come, may not have the same family values. This story should be one that is told for thousands of centuries and teach siblings that even though they don’t get along, that even if they don’t realize it, they will risk their life to save the other, within a split