The manifestations of fairytales reflect significance beyond a simple one-dimensional context and as a natural departure from the source tale, their transcendent nature is evinced by their ability to shift, not replace, the tales values, archetypes and contextual paradigms beyond the intentional. This shifting nature predicates the textual integrity of the tale, allowing it a pertinent and germane makeup, built upon its didactic nature. This significance is especially apparent in the appropriations of ‘Aladdin’s Lamp’ and ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.
Aladdin’s Lamp, 1704, was included in Antoine Galland’s translation of Arabian Nights., however, it has a status as a disputed orphan tale, bearing its origins vaguely from an 1115 manuscript and a tale recited to Galland by a scholar, Youhenna Diab . The tale was designed specifically to appeal to both the aristocratic and the plebeian audiences in France, and it reflects the purposes of Galland; it had none of the erotic passages or the complicated poetry common throughout Arabian Nights but, unpopular in the vogue style of the time. There is also change in religious disposition between the original Arabian Nights and the Aladdin showing anti-Semitic tendencies, “… and the Jew though of what he should offer, for Aladdin seemed clever. He decided that the smallest valuation was the best, and pulled out a single coin…” This demonstrations a distinct shift in the religious paradigm and is indicative of the changing contextual opinion of Jews, for in the late 17th century, Louis XIV expelled Jews from France, and Galland, as Louis’ official antiquary, reflected his position in his stories.
In Galland’s Aladdin, certain transcendent values resound in any context. Racism is a hist...
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... The tale uses simple motifs and archetypes, the red symbolising menstrual blood in Grimm’s, part of the maturation process, the huntsman as an ally to LRRH, showing she cannot protect herself , the depiction of LRRH as the hero in Grandmother’s tale, underpinned by her self-reliance, but as the naïve, innocent child in Grimm’s whose gullibility and inexperience presents her as ideal prey for the wily wolf. The wolf epitomizes the archetypal message of text, as a villain and lustful trickster who becomes the shape-shifter when necessary.
The didactic value of fairy tales and their archetypal relevance allow them a certain significance transcendent of the discrete culture and context in which they were composed, in particular, the salient features of Aladdin and Little Red Riding Hood and their variations show exemplary examples of these common fairy tale traits.
Fairytales share similar themes in the manner in which they approach storytelling for the individual. In “The Great Fairy Tale Tradition”, Jack Zipes has selected and edited stories and categorized them by their respective themes, illustrating the different thematic elements found in each story. Every chapter includes a short introduction to the literary history of the selected stories and their themes. In the “Three Brother’s Who Become Wealthy Wandering the World”, “The Three Brothers”, and “The Four Skillful Brothers” each story explores the adventures and pursuits of brothers who venture into the outside world and are later faced with a test of skills in which they must prove their worth and courage. Although the three tales are incorporated into the thematic chapter of “Competitive Brothers” and share similar characteristics, there are contrasts between their respective stories.
Children can identify themselves with fairy-tale characters; they imagine themselves as heroes, who are capable of killing dragons, or simpletons, who demonstrate the superiority over clever people. Fantasies based on the fairy tales are extremely important part of the children’s lives, and this is not only because they describe threatening situations that resemble main fears of a young child such as the fear of getting lost, fear of wrong decisions, fear of monsters or evil animals. Happy endings, which are always present in fairy tales, give children the confidence that despite all their fears they will be able to win in the end. This knowledge helps them to prepare for the difficulties of life, regardless whether they are real or imagined (Doughty, 2006).
Fairy tales are one of the longest lasting forms of literature. Though now they bring to mind classic movies engendered by Disney, many of these stories were first passed on in an oral manner, meant to convey a message, moral, or lesson. Alison Lurie’s “What Fairy Tales Tell Us” covers a broad range of classic tales, discussing how under the guise of an entertaining story comes life lessons we would all do well to follow. To begin this paper, some of the tales Lurie examines in her article will be looked at and critically examined beyond what she discusses. This will then move the text towards its remaining sections, which will take Lurie’s ideas and have them applied to folk and fairy tales that have not yet been contemplated; for the purpose
If children or adults think of the great classical fairy tales today, be it Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Cinderella, they will think Walt Disney. Their first and perhaps lasting impression of these tales and others will have emanated from Disney film, book, or artefacts (Zipes 72)
At first glance, what makes a fairy tale a fairy tale may seem obvious—some kind of magic, hidden symbols, repetition, and of course it’s evident it’s fiction—but fables are more than that. As Arthur Schelesinger puts it, it’s about “[expanding] imagination” and gaining understanding of mysterious places (618). While doing this, it also helps children to escape this world, yet teach a lesson that the reader may not be conscious of. A wonderful story that achieves all of this is Cinderella, but not the traditional tale many American’s have heard. Oochigeaskw, or The Rough-Faced Girl, and Ashputtle would be fitting for a seven-year-old because they get the gears of the mind turning, allowing for an escape on the surface, with an underlying enlightenment for children of the ways of the world.
In conclusion, the extent to which a specific fairy tale meets Zipes’ definition varies dependent upon its adaptability and acceptance by society. Some fairy tales are harder to manipulate and their plot is insufficient to reflect society’s values so not all fairy tales are institutionalised. Thus, the manipulation of Little Red Riding Hood throughout its history and its adaptability to a myriad of usage passes Zipes’ definition of ‘institutionalisation’.
...n” is a great example of an old myth or tale reconstructed and adapted for a modern audience in a new medium. It is a progression on one hand in its use of modern language, setting, and style but it is also the product of the old myths in that it is essentially the same on the thematic level. In addition, the level of self-awareness on the part of the narrator and, by extension, the author marks it out as an illustration of the very notion of evolutionary changes of myths and fairy tales. Adaptation is the solution to the fairy tale, and fairy tales have been endlessly changing themselves throughout history and, by some strange transforming or enchanting power endlessly staying the same.”
In this chapter, the author explains how many stories relate to fairy tales, like a parallel. Themes and storylines from popular fairy tales are often reused and made into newer and sometimes slightly different versions of the tale. A prime example of this would be the 2013 movie production of Jack the Giant Slayer or the 2011 production of Red Riding Hood. One characteristic of fairy tales is that they all have a plot and a solution which makes the story easy to connect to. This characteristic makes it possible for there to always be a way to connect a story to the fairy
In one, a specimen-creating brute robs a pelican child’s life and her guardian trying to bring her back to life. In the other, a prince learns the value of his frog-turned-princess and sets out on a quest to find her. Joy Williams’s Baba Iaga and the Pelican Child and Alexander Afanasev’s The Frog Princess are both critical facets of the fairy tale genre. While initially it may seem that Williams preserved no elements from Afanasev’s tale, upon a closer glance, it is evident that the two tales’ similarities outnumber their differences. By incorporating a generous portion of the original story into his, Williams’s version brings forth an innovative arrangement of classic and new. As a result, William’s tale introduces features to the tale that mirror everyday life lessons while simultaneously maintaining qualities that are reflective of the definitional aspects of the fairy tale genre.
During her journey we begin to see how the wolf was being framed as a predator because he stalks her behind trees, bushes, and shrubs. The moment Little Red Riding Hood tells him that she is headed to her ill grandma's house; at this very moment,
This fairy tale was most likely told to children to scare them into obedience. It registered to children essentially as a warning to listen to what your parents say and not to talk to strangers. Just as Little Red Cap subjects herself and her grandmother to danger and is saved by a passing huntsman, she told herself, "As long as I live, I will never leave the path and run off into the woods by myself if mother tells me not to", promising to herself to not be as reckless in the future (Grimm). Little Red Cap also uses her past experiences to learn from her mistakes. The second time she makes a dangerous journey to her grandmother's house, she encounters a second wolf with similar motives at the first. This time, however, Little Red Cap makes a beeline straight to her grandmother’s and makes sure she to not stray from the path once. When Little Red Cap reaches her grandmother’s, she exclaims, "If we hadn't been on a public road, he would have eaten me up"(Grimm). These lessons connect with children, cautioning that the world outside their individual spaces is a dangerous place and should not be taken lightly. Even to this day, this story is told to relate to children and stresses a point to not disobey your parents and stray far from
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: the Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. London: Thames and Hudson, 1976. Print.
..., Maria. “An Introduction to Fairy Tales.” Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens, Leonard J. Rosen. Toronto: Longman, 2013. 230-235. Print.
Zipes, Jack. Why Fairy Tales Stick: The Evolution and Relevance of a Genre. New York: Routledge, 2006. Print.
Fairy Tale Text & Motif. Prod. Distribution Access. Distribution Access, 2001.Discovery Education. Web. 1 December 2001. .