Fairy Tale Cultural Analysis

a fairy tale is more than just a fairy tale abstract In focusing on the interaction between various mediations of the fairy tale, Zipes refutes dichotomies of print vs oral controversies that scholars -especially Wilem de Blécourt in Tales of Magic, Tales of Print (2011) and Ruth Bottigheimer in Fairy Tales: A New History (2009) -have been promoting to paint a misinformed history of fairy tales as having literary (rather than oral) origins. Zipes changes the terms of the debate by arguing that researchers should turn their attention to recent sophisticated and innovative theories of storytelling, cultural evolution, human communication and memetics to see how fairy tales enable us to understand why we are disposed towards them and how they 'breathe' life into our daily undertakings.

2021

Yaratıcı Drama Dergisi, 2016

As it is widely known that fairy tale refl ects the basic characteristics of a culture. Beside their functions such as preparing children for sleeping, to improve their imaginary, and guiding for the appropriate attitudes and behaviors; they have a critical role in the process of transferring basic rules and norms of the society to the next generations. In this paper, I would like to propose a study examining how fairy tales contribute to the process of constructing and transferring gender roles. More specifi cally, this proposed question aims to investigate the decisiveness of narrators of the fairy tales in the process of transferring gender roles. This question is worth studying and needs scientifi c attention since the survival of the fairy tale depends on social acceptance. In other words fairy tales are needed to be reproduced according to the needs of the society in that specifi c period. Additionally, examining reproduction process is critical to understand how gender roles are constructed and transferred. The hypotheses of this study examine decisiveness of women as the narrators of the fairy tales in the process of transferring gender roles.

Abstract : Every society has its folk tales and fairy tales, which are passed from one generation to the other by oral speech. Because fairy tales are universal in all ages, societies, races and cultures they have many similar aspects in their plots, forms and contents. When we examine fairy tales in a feminist reading, it is obvious that traditional social norms or traditional gender roles trait young minds with stereotypical gender patterns so early in so–called fairy tales for children, lots of them are for adults. The fairy tales produce passive female and active male behaviors idealized in patriarchal society that female characters are stereotypically portrayed as submissive, dependent, powerless, incapable and obedient while male figures are typically portrayed as dynamic, independent, powerful and disobedient. This paper not only gives a short definition and historical background of the term fairy tale, but also focuses on a closer feminist reading of traditional gender roles in fairy tales in English Fairy Tales (1890) collected by Joseph Jacobs and Forty Four Turkish Fairy Tales (1913) collected by Ignácz Kúnos. Keywords : fairy tale gender role good and evil figures Article: Download PDF Journal DOI : 10.15373/22501991

2014

The literary fairy tale, present along history since the Middle Ages, is a device that portrays the ideology, politics, values, and morals of a society. However, they have also worked as an acculturation device for many centuries now. The language used in these tales is a key element, for it is selected by the tale collector or the tale writer with a purpose. A clear example is the fairy tale "Cinderella". People with power, men in the majority of cases, have articulated some specific discourse in order to reproduce or, rather, create, a reality in which men are strong while women are weak, men are active while women are passive, men are the leaders while women are the followers, just to mention a few dichotomies. Male collectors of fairy tales such as Basile, the brothers Grimm, and Charles Perrault have used their power as storytellers to reproduce a hierarchical structure of society, namely, patriarchy. These biased ideas on women, which the literary fairy tale has help...

1982

2020

This thesis seeks to investigate how female characters are represented in classical fairy tales and in their retellings. The study uses the famous fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast” as a case study. Three versions of this fairy tale are examined: James Planché’s English translation “Beauty and the Beast” (1858) as a classic, its retelling by Robin McKinley under the title of Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast (1978), and its Disney adaptation of 2017 entitled Beauty and the Beast. In addition, the study explores whether the female characters of each narrative are empowered or disempowered. Furthermore, this research traces the message evolution of the classical fairy tale throughout its retellings. Following the analytical and the comparative methods, the present investigation is conducted through the use of two literary approaches. From the one hand, feminism is imperative to this study since the protagonist is a female herself, and because the study tackles female representation as well as female (dis)empowerment. From the other hand, the historical approach permits the assessment of message evolution. The study concludes that while female characters are positively represented as well as fully empowered in McKinley’s retelling because it is a highly feminist tale, their representation and empowerment is only partial and delusional in both the classic and the 2017 adaptation. Finally, though the fairy tale versions are produced in different periods, developed differently and written to accomplish dissimilar purposes, the key message of the classical fairy tale is still the same in both retellings: it did not change but it rather evolved.

This article explores the cross-cultural significance of three iconic fairy tales: Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. Using a comparative analysis approach, the study investigates recurring themes, motifs, and symbolism found in these tales across different cultures and time periods. The research draws on primary and secondary sources such as literary works and scholarly articles to uncover the underlying messages that resonate with audiences worldwide. The historical and cultural contexts of the tales are also examined to provide a deeper understanding of their significance in shaping cultural identity and values. The findings of the research demonstrate the enduring legacy of these tales and their continued relevance in contemporary society. The study highlights how the tales have evolved and adapted over time to reflect changing cultural values and beliefs. The interpretation of the findings offers insights into the role of storytelling in shaping cultural identity and ...