Fairy Tale Analysis

“A ‘fairy-story’ is one which touches on or uses Faerie, whatever its own main purpose may be: satire, adventure, morality, fantasy. Faerie itself may perhaps most nearly be translated by Magic — but it is magic of a peculiar mood and power, at the furthest pole from the vulgar devices of the laborious, scientific, magician. There is one provision: if there is any satire present in the tale, one thing must not be made fun of, the magic itself. That must in that story be taken seriously, neither laughed at nor explained away.”

- J.R.R. Tolkien 's 1939 essay "On Fairy Stories"

In the story ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ when the people of the village refused to pay the piper what they had promised for his services, he took all the children of the

Tolkien

The form of a fairytale is such that it kind of offers a complete package – problem, trial, solution, judgment and punishment or reward. Also fairytales provide a narrative, which is a way of making sense and understanding, of imagining ourselves in extreme situations and be shown various possible actions and their consequences. There has been a lot of debate in the recent years over the importance of fairytales in the lives of children. There are parents who think fairytales are not good for their children, they believe fairytales are unrealistic and portrays such imaginative images that hamper the development of children and are not always values that should be followed. I believe fairytales are more than just imaginative creations for the enjoyment of children. They are not just for children but can help in the lives of adults as well. The fairy tales that we hear today were not written for children in the first place, it was after the late nineteenth century that the tales were changed and made ‘more appropriate’ for children. In case of children’s fairytales in simple terms – they show children how to solve problems, they cross cultural boundaries and at the same time familiarize children with their own traditions and cultures, they develop a child’s imagination and last not the least they teach lessons (moral lessons, life lessons etc.). Thus I think fairytales are an important part of the learning process especially for children, while for adults it can be a source of entertainment or