Gender In Fairy Tales

F_# _fn @ cfm fairy tales. With this essay, I’d like to convey what fairy tales mean to me as an artist, which is everything. (Ever since I was a child I have been happiest living in the sphere of a story. That in itself is a fairy tale.) I’d also like to demystify the idea that fairy tales are of use only to writers of fantasy or fabulism. I’d like to celebrate their lucid form. And I’d like to reveal how specific techniques in fairy tales cross stylistic boundaries. For while the interpretation of fairy tales is a well-traveled path among writers, fairy-tale techniques remain little identified and appreciated. “The pleasure of fairy tales,” writes Swiss scholar Max Lüthi, “residesin theirform.” I find myself more and more devoted to the pleasure I study the interpretation of meaning in fairy tales—there is a pile of scholarly books on my desk in which are buried my worn-out fairy-tale books—and I apply what I’ve learned to my editing, teaching, and writing in intricate ways. To learn the history of fairy tales is to learn the history of myth, printing, childhood, literacy, violence, loss, psychology, class, illustration, authorship, ecology, gender, and more. My first three novels—scarce of word though they may k a t e b e r n h e i m e r 64

Even though the earlier versions of fairy tales may have been more violent, frightening and overtly sexual they still provided lessons and morals to be learned. Fairy tales provide us another prospective, they are complex iterations of life and the challenges that it contains. Regardless of who is reading the stories, a young girl, or older man, there is always a lesson to be learned through fairy tales. Sometimes lessons are less pronounced than others, but this may be because we have to connect our own personal situations to them for the meaning to be revealed. Those who learned from pre-modern fairy tales have an advantage earlier in life than those who are not exposed to fairy tales. Those people can only learn these valuable life lessons by experience or possibly not at all. The morals and lessons fairy tales provide make us a better person and those who miss these lessons are destined to make mistakes. Fairy tales take us to a place where happily ever after are where dreams can come

Fairy tales are a way of using a big metaphor to teach children and society in general about the morals in life. Because of their moral teachings and the extensive appeal to both children and adults, fairy tales are still applicable to the lives of an average person dealing with everyday struggles. Reading fairy tales, like the famously known “Cinderella” by the Grimm Brothers, can help children who are struggling to mature or understand certain reasons for doing something in life. When taking a well-known fairy tale like “Cinderella”, and discovering its history, archetypal elements, and psychological meaning, it can help to come across deeper meanings within a story.

In What’s Wrong With Cinderella? by Peggy Orenstein, she argues the stereotypical views on the female population and the unfavorable aspect of princess fairytales. As a feminist, Orenstein feels the need to defy against the negative outlook on girls and protect her own daughter from the hostility of these false feminine beliefs. She embraces the idea that the princess culture is showing that beauty and perfection is the importance in young girl’s lives. While Orenstein recognizes how princess culture affects the female population in a negative way, she fails to acknowledge a more positive outlook on women. Women are expressing themselves more than just beauty. She strongly advises that our generation needs to improve feminine and gender based problems being faced in today’s society.

Numerous schools of criticisms have attempted to find the meaning behind most of our favorite childhood stories. From Marxist who pursue the idea of social classes portrayed in literary works, to Psychoanalysts who depict the sexual tensions and desires that are subconsciously embedded behind characters’ motives and actions, to Historicists who try to show the preservation of tradition in stories, many different concepts exist for each fairy tale. The Feminist school of criticism greatly focuses on unveiling the patriarchal system and sexist roles that are displayed in stories, and more specifically, fairytales. Four versions of the well-known fairytale of The Little Mermaid will be compared and discussed while focusing on many distinctive

Chivalric romances are often centered upon the efforts of gallant knights seeking to achieve a concept known as “true knighthood” which involves embarking on quests or adventures to obtain honor, love, and Christian virtue. The brave knights of these stories are met with many obstacles to overcome, commonly in regards to rescuing or protecting a lady. In other words, the typical role of women in this period is that of the damsel in distress or a helpless, dependent lady in need of a hero. However, the stories of Chrétien de Troyes’ Yvain, the Knight of the Lion and Friedrich Heinrich Karl La Motte-Fouqué’s The Magic Ring strays from the typical role of women as the damsel in distress. Many of the women in these stories are portrayed as strong, independent women who, in many cases, are the hero themselves. Women in Chrétien and La Motte-Fouqué’s stories are given strong roles in order to highlight and emphasize the important virtues of peace, bravery, and power which ultimately transfers the role of the hero from men to women.

Over many epics, across different cultures around the world, the role of woman is widely shaped differently throughout all of these written works. Most of these differences derive from cultural aspects that are worlds wide in conflicting views and beliefs. One view point that is interpreted differently in epics is the role in which women portray and how women are viewed in society. When comparing and contrasting the Quran and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, we find conflicting opinions on how these woman are portrayed and how cultural society treats them in a gender role-ruled culture.

Most women during the early middle ages were not treated properly. They were treated as housekeepers ready to serve every single one of their husband’s needs. According to society women who were not submissive to their husband where all evil. These ideas influenced many of the stories written during the early middle ages; stories such as, Beowulf, Marie de France’s Lanval, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Wife of Bath. In all of these stories women were given a negative image because of the standards set for women by society. Women were not respected and often thought of sex objects that are there to make great men fall; this becomes very evident in the literature written during this time.

Princesses’ in Disney movies are tied down to a recurring theme: the princess that must be saved from the evil woman by the charming prince. A significant contrast to the usually weak and easily persuaded figure of the father. Even though the women are portrayed as weak, nobody stops to think how strong they have to be to carry the responsibility of an entire household on her shoulder, while the men always seem to be traveling or ill. Fairytales are based on a patriarchal way of thinking and as time passes by, it’s proven to be detrimental to society

The Cinderella tale has been at the heart of many stories for generations. People have become very familiar with the storyline, as it is very prevalent in society today through many moderns movies and stories. The Cinderella story is adored by young children, more specifically by young girls. However as a more feminist culture has emerged, society’s viewpoint of fairytales is becoming increasingly negative. In, “The Princess Paradox” and “Cinderella and Princess Culture”, authors James Poniewozik and Peggy Orenstein further evaluate themes found in the Cinderella stories. In their articles, both authors call on the gender roles that sit at the center of modern day fairytales. Poneiwozik and Orenstein also touch on the glorification of being

In most literature works, the stereotypical views of men and women have always been clear to the audience; especially on the occasions where the events of the certain time period played a drastic role in the tale, book or play. Epic is a genre of literature that consumes readers with a warrior, contending the enemy while that particular hero unites the multiple stories within the poem. Beowulf is a tale possessing three diverse adventures based on many stereotypical masculine qualities, such as violence, revenge, feats of power and execution of mercy; this story is a male driven plot. This epic demonstrates the stereotypical view of women as helpless and insecure beings under the dominance of men.

Fairy tales are read to children at a very young age. In today society, many children believe fairy tales are real which reflects negatively on children. The story of Cinderella is widely known across the world with many different versions of this folktale, which portrays gender stereotype throughout the tale. When reading The Cinderella, it shows how unattractive looks can lead to mistreatment by society. As children would grow up, physical appearance would be valued more over inner beauty causing bullying in schools and discriminating among others with low socioeconomic status. In addition, the story provides unequal freedom between men and women where women are trained to become good housewife and to please a man through her looks, and following with marriage. As oppose to men who make their own choices on life-partner, marriage and other important life-changing decisions. Throughout the story, the character of Cinderella is portrayed as a passive, vulnerable, and

Women have always been portrayed as the weaker sex compared to men. It has been demonstrated in history itself and throughout literary works. Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Homer’s The Odyssey, however, portray women to be more powerful than men, even when their society thought otherwise and underestimated them because of their gender. Lady Macbeth, The Three Witches, Queen Arête and Penelope demonstrate the astute, charming, and ambitious side of women that was overlooked by men when it came to having power and making decisions. Both works show the hardships of being a woman in power. At the same time, they give their perspectives of the power women disclosed.

Beowulf is an excellent piece with a lot for the readers to desire and relate to while reading. This analysis explores different escapades while examining the role of women in the literature. One thing to point out is that female characters have always received very thin attention in different pieces of literature, something that has always made many people think that their role is meager. Every piece of literature has an important message to pass across to its intended audiences. Indeed, this study seeks to demystify the male-centric mindset to promote the visibility of women in the contemporary interpretation of literary works demonstrating that women play a greater role in the literature despite the proximity given to male protagonist.

Females are an integral part of human civilization. No society or country can ever progress without an active participation of female in its general development. The status of female in society is directly linked with social and cultural traditions, stages of economic development achieved, educational levels, attitude of the society towards women, social and religious taboos, women's own awareness and political attainments.