History of the Influence of Fairy Tales

Most people are fascinated by fairy tales and at least partially aware of the great impact they have on children. What most people do not know, however, is anything about the history of fairy tales, as Jack Zipes says in his book Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion: The Classical Genre for Children and the Process of Civilization, “The history of the fairy tale for children is a mystery.” (Zipes 2). This is unfortunate because the history of fairy tales gives an insight into its great influence on children today. Essentially, they originally began as vulgar, but gradually developed into a means of teaching children manners and virtues.

http://hubpages.com/literature/What-is-a-Fairy-Tale

Originally fairy tales came from folk tales, which did not necessarily teach children virtues. Many of the oldest fairy tales served to comfort both adults and children as a response to the oppression of human reality. In the oldest tales there is a general plot where a type of material hardship exists, and the hero fights and eventually wins power, social prestige, the woman, and wealth. Town life, industrialization, religion, and history are omitted, making the story applicable to all lower classes facing hardships, “The form itself is its meaning, and the historicity of the individual creator (or creators) and society disappears.” (Zipes 5-6). Appropriately, peasants were the main carriers of oral folk tales, because they were most attracted to magical ways of escaping oppression.

Not only did fairy tales mainly serve to comfort, but rather than serving to teach virtues, often they taught vices. For example, Maria Tatar writes in her Off With Their Heads!: Fairy Tales and the Culture of Childhood, “Although fairy tales often celebrate such virtues as compassion and humility and show the rewards of good behavior, they also openly advocate lying, cheating, and stealing.” (Tatar 11). She continues to explain that the heroes and heroines, who are not necessarily morally good people, always get all the awards while the villains, who are not necessarily evil, are tortured and destroyed. As an example, the miller’s daughter in “Rumpelstiltskin” becomes a queen upon marrying a king, but her means of obtaining this ‘happily ever after’ was by breaking her end of a bargain. Rumpelstiltskin keeps his end, but perishes. Fairy tales also contained much vulgar material, portraying bodily functions deemed inappropriate for children in the twenty-first century. In the Grimm Brothers’ version of “Cinderella” the stepsisters’ cut their heel and toe off. The oldest versions of “The Three Gifts” show a boy making three wishes, the third being that whenever his stepmother scowls at him, “her bum might then let go, and crack like roaring thunder.” (Tatar 4). Frequently images of defecation, sex, and other bodily functions are also expressed in the oldest folk tales.

Around the seventeenth century, fairy tales evolved to address children as an audience. Most importantly, lessons of manners and morals were incorporated into the plots. Tatar testifies, “The moral depravity of fairy-tale heroes and heroines did not escape the attention of those who had an audience of children in mind as they prepared volumes of fairy tales for publication.” (Tatar 11). For example, Jack in “Jack and the Beanstalk” was modified so that Jack does not steal from the giant, but simply reclaims what was already his. Zipes also informs us that the French fairy tale writers were required to incorporate the values of a male-dominated Christian society in their stories. French fairy tales had to be accepted by the Louis XIV court and prominent Parisian salons before being distributed to children. Sometimes the morals taught were written for specific classes; fairy tales written for the lower classes had to receive approval from Madame de Maintenon and Fenelon so that the servants’ productivity and ideas could be “exploited.” (Zipes 3). When Europe experienced a capitalist period, folk tales were transformed from a matriarchal view into a patriarchal view before being distributed to children, as Zipes explains:

“That is, by the time the oral folk tales, originally stamped by matriarchal mythology, circulated in the Middle Ages, they had been transformed in different ways: the goddess became a witch, evil fairy, or stepmother; the active, young princess was changed into an active hero; matrilineal marriage and family ties became patrilineal; the essence of the symbols, based on matriarchal rites, was depleted and made benign…” (Zipes 7).

Another important modification of fairy tales is that images that were deemed too inappropriate for children were removed, although some frightening images remained so as to entertain and frighten the children. After all, “What child is not mesmerized by the sight of the burning dresses, lopped-off thumbs, and tormented animals in Hoffmann’s Struwwelpeter, a book whose appeal can be traced not just to the need of parents to coerce their children into docile behavior, but also to the desire of children to hear stories as sensational in their own way…” (Tatar 12-13). After removal of vulgar material as well as addition of moral lessons, fairy tales became acceptable to children of their times.

References:

Tatar, Maria. Off with Their Heads!: Fairy Tales and the Culture of Childhood. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1992. Print.

Zipes, Jack. Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion: The Classical Genre for Children and the Process of Civilization. New York: Wildman, 1983. Print.

Women's Passive Role

Classic fairy tales demonstrate a passive role in female characters. The female character patiently bears wrongs. It is the man who makes the main decisions, especially marriage, and who rescues her from distress. Maria Tatar in her “Show and Tell: Sleeping Beauty as Verbal Icon and Seductive Story” quotes French political activist, writer, and feminist Simone de Beauvoir, “Woman is the Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, she who receives and submits. In song and story the young man is seen departing adventurously in search of a woman; he slays the dragons and giants; she is locked in a tower, a palace, a garden, a cave, she is chained to a rock, a captive, sound asleep: she waits”. (Tatar 2014). To demonstrate Beauvoir’s argument of the passivity of women, let’s look at several classic princess fairy tales.

One particularly significant example is “Sleeping Beauty.” Charles’ Perrault writes an original version, but the story is also told by Walter Disney and Twentieth Century North American Drama. In each case, the general story is of a beautiful woman who pricks her finger on a spindle, falls into a deep, cursed sleep (for one hundred years in the drama and Perrault’s versions), and is found by a courageous prince who journeys on a daring adventure. While the woman waits for her prince, he fights thorns and dragons. 

http://mentalfloss.com/article/12481/sleeping-beauty-syndrome-disorder-where-you-sleep-all-day

Another example is Madame LePrince de Beaumont’s original “Beauty and the Beast”. In this story, a weary and unfortunate merchant stumbles upon a cursed castle where a Beast initially takes him captive. The Beast demands that the merchant’s daughter die in his stead, a demand which Beauty willingly submits to. Later, the Beast repeatedly asks for her hand in marriage. It is only by submission to the Beast’s requests that Beauty is able to obtain happiness for herself and for Beast, since her stay and her love breaks Beast’s spell. In this way, Beauty’s submission is demonstrated as a virtue.

Cinderella is a classic fairy tale told by Charles Perrault and Walt Disney of a young girl who is abused by her stepmother and stepsisters but obtains freedom and happiness through the help of her fairy godmother and marriage to a prince. Out of fear of upsetting her father and being scolded, Cinderella never resists her ill treatment, “The poor girl suffered all in silence, not daring to complain to her father.” (Gustafson 115). Then the stepsisters ask Cinderella, “Cinderella, would you not like to go to the ball?” and Cinderella replies, “Please, sisters, do not mock me… How could I ever dream of such a thing?” Instead of fighting for this right, she freely offers to do her stepsisters hair for them as well as she can. It is not because of a fight that Cinderella achieves her dreams, but because a fairy randomly appears and provides her with all her needs. Like Beauty, Cinderella’s submissive character is portrayed as a virtue when Perrault consistently describes her as “very sweet and gentle in nature.” (Gustafson 114). 

https://ayearindisneymovies.wordpress.com/2015/03/18/week-12-cinderella/

In the Grimm Brothers’ version of “Rapunzel”, Rapunzel never resists the abusive Mother Gothel. In fact, Rapunzel even tells Mother Gothel about the prince who visited her. Most children are familiar with this female protagonist waiting in a tower for her prince to rescue her from the tower. Rapunzel never escapes from the tower, but is removed by Mother Gothel herself and abandoned in a wood, where she miraculously reunites with the injured prince. 

http://cjc7664.deviantart.com/art/Rapunzel-130572182

The Grimm Brothers also write a version of “Rumpelstiltskin” where a girl is trapped and told to weave straw into gold. She does not resist the king, but breaks down in tears. She initially gives in to all of Rumpelstiltskin’s demands. When the king is satisfied with her work, “…he celebrated his marriage to the girl at once” (Ehrlich 170) without any word of consent from the girl, and this marriage seems to be celebrated as a good thing by the Grimm Brothers. Although the girl does win back her child from the deal she made with Rumpelstiltskin, it is by winning a challenge that Rumpelstiltskin offered her – not by challenging him herself.

The Andrew Lang retells an interesting version of “Pretty Goldilocks” which does not include any bears (that would be “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”) and which seems to demonstrate a theme opposite to the ones formerly discussed. This is a story about a king who demands Goldilock’s hand in marriage, but she persistently refuses him and his gifts. The King sends a man named Charming to woe Princess Goldilocks, but she makes impossible demands. First Charming must find her lost ring in the stream. Then he must kill the violent giant Galifron, and lastly, he must obtain water from the Gloomy Cavern guarded by two dragons. Upon hearing this last demand, Charming complains, “Princess, you at least can never need this water, but I am an unhappy ambassador, whose death you desire.” (Lang 177).

Although at first this old fashioned story seems to contradict the anti-feminist theme demonstrated in stories such as “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty”, and “Beauty and the Beast”, one only need to look a little deeper to see that that is not the case. After Charming completes all of his quests, Princess Goldilocks regretfully complies to the King’s demands, even though she truly desires to stay where she is and marry Charming, “Why didn’t we stay where we were? I could have made you king, and we should have been so happy!” (Lang 178). The King even imprisons Charming, and Goldilocks, “threw herself at the King’s feet and begged him to set Charming free” (Lang 179). Nonetheless, the King clearly makes the decisions, and so Charming remains imprisoned. In the end, Charming and Princess Goldilocks do end up together happily, but it is not by Goldilock’s efforts. Rather, it is by the King’s folly of accidentally putting himself under a sleeping curse which ultimately kills him.

In general, traditional fairy tale writers, such as the Grimm Brothers, Andrew Lang, Walter Disney, Charles Perrault, and Madame LePrince de Beaumont, give women roles of humility. Many examples have been demonstrated, and many more still exist. We see the courageous Prince in “Sleeping Beauty”, the Prince in “Rapunzel”, and Charming in “Pretty Goldilocks” fighting dragons and giants, but the women sleep, wait in a locked tower, and give in to kings’ demands. Their submissive characters are portrayed as virtues, such as in Cinderella’s kindness and Beauty’s revival of Beast. The fairy tale princess would wait until near the twenty-first century before fighting for herself.

References:

Cinderella. Dir. Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson. Perf. Ilene Woods Eleanor Audley Verna Felton, Rhoda Williams, James MacDonald, Luis Van Rooten, Don Barclay, Mike Douglas, Lucille Bliss. Walt Disney Productions, 1950. DVD.

Ehrlich, Amy, comp. The Random House Book of Fairy Tales. New York: Random House, 1985. Print.

Gustafson, Scott, comp. Classic Fairy Tales. Seymour, CT: Greenwich Workshop, 2003. Print.

Johnston, Emma. Sleeping Beauty. 2016. TS, Twentieth Century North American Drama. University of Chicago, Chicago. Web. 2 May 2016

Lang, Andrew, and Frank Godwin. The Blue Fairy Book. Philadelphia: D. McKay, 1921. Print.

Perrault, Charles, and Betts, Christopher. Complete Fairy Tales. Oxford, GB: Oxford University Press, 2009. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 26 April 2016.

Sleeping Beauty. Perf. Mary Costa, Eleanor Audley, Bill Shirley, Verna Felton. Walt Disney, 1959. Amazon

Tatar, Maria. "Show and Tell: Sleeping Beauty as Verbal Icon and Seductive Story." Marvels & Tales 28.1 (2014): 142,158,219. ProQuest. Web. 4 May 2016. 

Just Marry and Be Happy

Traditional fairy tales do not share the same view on love and marriage as Americans do today; they teach that marriage is the ultimate goal in life. Because of this, characters typically marry young. Normally their relationships also work out well, even if the couple does not know each other until the day before the marriage. The essential piece in the true love story is the marital act, regardless of age or experience, and always ends in happily ever after. The only love that exists is romantic.

Martine de la Rochere in her, “But Marriage Itself is No Party” points out that fairy tales are so focused on weddings, but not on married life. Here is a list of many examples of fairy tales ending in weddings:

• ·       Disney’s The Little Mermaid
• ·         The Brothers Grimm’s and Disney’s Rapunzel
• ·         Madame LePrince de Beaumont’s and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
• ·         Charle’s Perrault’s and Disney’s Cinderella
• ·         The Brothers Grimm’s and Disney’s Snow White
• ·         Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea
• ·         Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina

Even so, many fairy tales continue after the wedding, but tell very little of the couple’s life before or after marriage. The main focus is on the actual event of the marriage. Dutheil Rochere, however, disagrees that Charles’ Perrault’s “Sleeping Beauty” follows this pattern. To support her claim, she explains that there is no “true love’s kiss” between the Princess and the Prince. Furthermore, the marriage between the Princess and the Prince takes place halfway through the story, with the remaining part of the story showing trials the couple faces.

“The lack of a romantic kiss in the source text, however, and the fact that the eventual marriage of Sleeping Beauty to the Prince is not without its trials seem to have suggested to Carter that this narrative was not simply an endorsement of saccharine patriarchal romance.” (Rochere 2010)

However, what Rochere does not discuss is the fact that although a “true love’s kiss” does not wake up the Princess, nor any clear act or presence on the Prince’s part, the Princess and Prince marry the very day that they meet, not “eventually” as Rochere puts it. The beginning of the story shows not even a mere acquaintance between the Prince and the Princess before her awakening. After all, the Princess had fallen sleep one hundred years before she and the prince met, long before the Prince was born. Furthermore, the Princess was only about fifteen or sixteen when she was married. To get a better understanding, let us see word for word what Charles Perrault writes about the Prince and the Princess’ first meeting:

“Since the end of the enchantment had come, the Princess woke up, and gazing at him with greater tenderness in her eyes than might have seemed proper at a first meeting, she said: ‘Is that you, my prince?’… the Prince did not know how to express his gratitude and joy, but he told her that he loved her more than himself.” (Perrault 89).

That very day, the Prince and the Princess marry, not only in Perrault’s original version, but in the Grimm Brothers’ and the Twentieth Century North American Drama’s versions as well. Just because there is no magical kiss in the original version, that does not mean there is not excessive romance and lack of a message of any other kind of love.

Furthermore, the “Moral” of the story as given by Perrault himself is the blissfulness of marriage. Essentially, a handsome husband is worth waiting for, but women should still marry young because of the joy it brings.

THE MORAL OF THIS TALE

For girls to wait awhile, so they may wed

A loving husband, handsome, rich, and kind:

That’s natural enough, I’d say;

But just the same, to stay in bed

A hundred years asleep – you’ll never find

Such patience in a girl today.

Another lesson may be meant:

Lovers lose nothing if they wait,

And tie the knot of marriage late;

They’ll not be any less content.

Young girls, though, yearn for married bliss

So ardently, that for my part

I cannot find it in my heart

To preach a doctrine such as this

However, Rochere provides an alternate translation of this moral, which may give a new insight:

The Moral

I

To get a husband rich, genteel and gay,

Of humour sweet, some time to stay,

Is natural enough, 'tis true.

But then to wait an hundred years,

And all that while asleep, appears

A thing intirely [sic] new.

Now at this time of day,

Not one of all the sex we see

To sleep with such profound tranquillity.

II.

But yet this Fable seems to let us know

That very often Hymen's blisses sweet,

Altho' some tedious obstacles they meet,

Which make us for them a long while to stay,

Are not less happy for approaching slow:

And that we nothing lose by such delay.

III.

But warm'd by nature's lambent fires,

The sex so ardently aspires

Of this bless'd state the sacred joy t'embrace,

And with such earnest heart pursus [sic] 'em:

I've not the will, 1 must confess,

Nor yet the power, nor fine address,

To preach this moral to 'em.

(Barchilón and Pettit 57-58)

Then Rochere proceeds to argue that Perrault is actually teaching girls to be patient and endure long engagements. I don’t believe it is clear enough to discern, though. In the last stanza, Perrault expresses the beauty and joy of marriage as something to aspire for. Although the Princess waits one hundred years in a cursed sleep, she still marries the prince after only just meeting him, and she is still only about fifteen or sixteen years old (and Perrault states that it was as if she never aged during her cursed sleep.) If Perrault were encouraging long engagements, he would have included an engagement lasting longer than a day in his story.

As for their married life, the main “trials” that the Prince and Princess face are unrelated to their relationship. The Prince is not even present during them; he is off fighting a war while his mother-in-law, who is part ogress, tries to eat the Princess and her two children. It is a steward who faces this trial with the Princess and her children, not the Prince. The Prince merely shows up at the very end to unintentionally frighten the ogress mother-in-law to her death by his unexpected presence.

https://zoesays.com/tag/sleeping-beauty-wedding-dress/

To better understand Perrault’s purposes, one can also look at his version of “Cinderella.” In this story, the Prince does not even know Cinderella before falling deeply in love, “She [Cinderella] asked them [the stepsisters] the name of the princess, but they replied that no one knew it and that the king’s son was so in love that he would give anything in the world to know who she was.” (Perrault 125). In this passage, the mysterious princess that Cinderella and her stepsisters speak about is Cinderella herself dressed in her gown she received from her fairy godmother. To continue, Cinderella only meets the Prince at two balls, and a few days after their reunion via the glass slipper, they marry. Walter Disney’s movie version, which is based off of Perrault’s, shows only two significant difference towards this message: first, there is only one ball. Secondly, the King is the one who arranges the ball, and he does so in determination to start a family for the Prince.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/15199717468706431/

 Looking at a fairy tale by another author will broaden the spectra, so one should also consider the Grimm Brothers’ “Rapunzel.” In the original story by the Grimm Brothers, Rapunzel agrees to marry the prince upon just meeting him for the sake of escaping hardship, “Then she lost her fear, and when he asked if she would have him for her husband, she agreed… ‘He will love me better than old Mother Gothel does,’ she said to herself, and she laid her hand in his.” (Amy Ehrlich, 30). She was only twelve years old.

In the Grimm Brothers’ “Snow White,” a young prince meets the seemingly dead Snow White for the first time and instantly falls in love, saying to the dwarves, “Give me the coffin, for I cannot live without Snow White. I will care for her coffin and keep her always as my own.” (Ehrlich 71-72). When Snow White spits up the apple, wakes up, and sees the prince for the first time, the first thing he says to her is, “You are with me. Please stay with me and we shall be married. I love you more than anything on earth.” (Ehrlich 72). The story ends at their wedding.

http://giphy.com/search/snow-white

Hans Christian Andersen also wrote the famous “The Real Princess,” also known as “The Princess and the Pea.” In the original story, the problem presented is that the prince wants a princess to marry. The whole purpose testing the princess’ sensitivity to a pea under twenty mattresses is to determine whether she is a princess and thus fit to be the prince’s royal bride. In the end, the protagonist wins the conflict simply by marrying. Interestingly, there is no account of the princess and prince ever even meeting until the wedding.

Lastly, Madame LaPrince de Beaumont’s original version of “Beauty and the Beast” initially seems to contradict the theme of the single act of marriage being a means to happiness. Beauty actually spends a considerable amount of time in the Beast’s home. She even denies his first few offers of marriage before finally agreeing to marry him. However, her love is focused on the magic of the caste, the galleries, and “precious things.” (Ehrlich 88). When she reminisces, her first thought is how much she misses the castle, not Beast, “But though their fortunes had changed and they were living in the town again their entertainments seemed hollow and Beauty often thought of the castle, where she had been so happy.” (Ehrlich 90-91). Furthermore, the only time Beast ever interacted with Beauty was during dinner time, so the reader gets very little details about their true relationship.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3083969/From-Sleeping-Beauty-Beauty-Beast-Snow-White-Robin-Hood-Disney-s-recycled-animation-scenes-revealed.html

Consequently, traditional fairy tales encourage to seek out romance, the main ingredient to a happy marriage. Children do not learn about the appropriate behaviors before marriage or anything of the trials and joys of married life afterwards. They see fairy tale characters falling in love instantaneously at very young ages and showing no lives of love other than a kiss, a wedding, and perhaps a heroic act to obtain the unknown spouse. Although Rochere believes Perrault’s “Sleeping Beauty” demonstrates family life and and love as something beyond sentimental romance, she ignores that the Prince and Princess still marry the very day they meet and their trials are only adventures between the Princess, her children, and the steward.  Perrault continues to demonstrate the same theme in his “Cinderella”, as well as the Grimm Brothers in their “Rapunzel” and “Snow White.” Although “Beauty and the Beast” seems to contradict this pattern, the contradiction is only superficial. According to traditional fairy tale writers, marriage is nothing more than a blissful act of romance and it always works out.

References:

Ehrlich, Amy, comp. The Random House Book of Fairy Tales. New York: Random House, 1985. Print.

Perrault, Charles, and Betts, Christopher. Complete Fairy Tales. Oxford, GB: Oxford University Press, 2009. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 26 April 2016.

de la Rochère, Martine,Hennard Dutheil. ""but Marriage itself is no Party": Angela Carter's Translation of Charles Perrault's "La Belle Au Bois Dormant"; Or, Pitting the Politics of Experience Against the Sleeping Beauty Myth." Marvels & Tales 24.1 (2010): 131,151,185. ProQuest. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

Revolution of Snow White

As formerly discussed, traditional fairy tales, including Snow White, give women passive roles. Marriage is also a result of love at first sight, with no developed relationship between the couple before the marriage. Finally, no account is given of the couple’s life after they wed. The only focus is the romance of a traditional wedding, after which the couple lives ‘happily ever after.’ In the Brothers Grimm’s version, Snow White is a little girl (beginning at age seven, though her age at her marriage is unclear) whom the queen hates for being the most beautiful. She is abandoned in the woods by a huntsman who was ordered to kill her. Snow White then stumbles upon seven dwarves and fails to learn not to answer the door to strangers. In the evil queen’s third attempt to kill Snow White, the disguised queen poisons Snow White with an apple. Snow White falls into a deep, cursed sleep, where she passively waits until she is woken by a prince who she never met, immediately falls in love with and agrees to marry, and lives happily ever after with. Recently, however, the traditional fairy tale pattern is being broken, particularly in the new versions of Snow White, where women are active, marriage is untraditional, and love is developed and tried.

In Mirror Mirror directed by Tarsem Singh and released in 2012, Snow White is clearly an active character. Unlike the original story, Snow White defies her queen; she disobeys the queen’s orders by sneaking out of the castle and getting a glimpse of the kingdom’s oppression. Then she sneaks into a ball to ask for the prince’s help in retaking the throne and restoring the kingdom. Rather than being raised and cared for by the seven dwarves, Snow White convinces them to teach her how to fight and leads the band of bandits in a war against the evil queen. Later, she engages in a battle with the prince. It is also Snow White who rescues Prince Charming with a true love’s kiss, not the other way around. Snow White never even eats the poisoned apple or falls into a cursed sleep, for she is too clever. Furthermore, Snow White is the one who cleverly discovers how to defeat the magic puppet monsters by cutting their invisible strings. She is also the one who frees the beast – who is actually her father under a curse – and who ultimately defeats the evil queen.

https://popgoesalicia.com/2012/04/11/mirror-mirror/

Not only does Mirror Mirror give a woman an active role, but it demonstrates a developing relationship between Snow White and the Prince before their marriage. Early in the story Snow White finds the prince robbed and tied up in the wood, freeing him from the bandit dwarves’ trap and meeting him for the first time. She also dances with him at the ball, where she intrigues him with not only her beauty, but her feistiness. Their relationship also has its share of trials, as especially demonstrated when they traitorously battle against each other for opposing causes.

Snow White and the Huntsman directed by Rupert Sanders and released in 2012 continues the revolution, beginning with giving Snow White a leading role in the action. Again, Snow White grows into an independent warrior. First, she single-handedly escapes the tower in which she was locked for many years, and then she runs into the Dark Forest. The Dark Forest is a magical forest where one can only survive by overcoming his/her fears. When the Huntsman, Eric, is nearly defeated by a troll, Snow White rescues him by yelling courageously at the troll, thereby overcoming her weakness and the magic of the Dark Forest. Afterwards, Eric says, “I told you to run” to which Snow White counters, “If I had you would be dead.” (Sanders 2012). When the evil queen Ravenna sends men to destroy a village of refugees in search of Snow White, Snow White bravely turns back to save the little girl Lily. In the closing scenes of the story, one does not see a princess sleeping in a coffin while a prince fights battles, but a princess dressed in chain mail and personally leading the army to the evil queen’s gates. In the end, it is Snow White who defeats the evil queen.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13273621-snow-white-the-huntsman

Snow White and the Huntsman also shows a developing, tried, and non-traditional love story. The love story begins in the earliest scenes, where Snow White and Prince William are close childhood friends. Sanders intentionally attempts to crush the viewer’s heart when young Prince William is rescued from Queen Ravenna but cries out when he sees that Snow White is not. When William discovers that Snow White is alive and about somewhere, their love story continues as he sets out to reunite with her before she is cursed into sleep. The trials of love after marriage are also well demonstrated in the Huntsman, Eric, who frequently reminisces the death of his beloved wife. After all, it is Queen Ravenna’s promise to bring his wife back from the dead that motivates the Huntsman to search for Snow White to begin with. However, the love stories told in Snow White and the Huntsman further break the normal pattern; the love story exists between Snow White and both men, Eric and Prince William, simultaneously. Interestingly, it is not the prince who wakes up Snow White with a true love’s kiss, but the Huntsman. It never becomes clear in this story who Snow White loves most, for no wedding ever takes place.

Director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan’s 2016 film The Huntsman: Winter’s War, a sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, continues the same revolutionary pattern of the twenty first century. In this story the Huntsman, Eric, is reunited with his believed-to-be-dead wife, Sara, in a battle to defeat Queen Freya and her sister Ravenna all over again. Just like Snow White in the former two films, Sara, the female protagonist, is an active character. She is a skilled warrior. Her tough character is demonstrated when she reunites with her long lost husband, puts a knife to his throat, and threatens him. She also survives many long, harsh years without her husband’s or, presumably, anyone’s support.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/huntsman-winters-war-review-star-studded-cast-shine-despite-fantasy-sequels-pantomime-plot-1552747

Furthermore, Eric and Sara develope a loving relationship early in the story. They are kidnapped together as children, become the greatest huntsmen together, and fight wars together. Before their marriage Queen Freya suspects their intimacy. Then after their marriage they face many trials. They are separated by the villain Freya; Eric believes Sara was killed, while Sara believes Eric abandoned her and turns against him. Eric complains to Freya of the suffering she put them through, “You broke my heart and turned hers against mine.” (Nicolas-Troyan 2016). It takes a large part of the film for the couple to build their trust again. The theme of the story is that love always endures, further claiming that love is more than a wedding. As in The Huntsman: Winter’s War, this love story is also non-traditional; the ‘marriage’ between Eric and Sara is not really a wedding, but a sexual act and Sara’s act of giving her necklace to Eric.

Therefore the retellings of “Snow White” are part of the revolution of the message of women and love in fairy tales. Fairy tale writers are no longer giving women passive roles. Love is being cultivated and tested, and the image of marriage is changing to something other than a couple proclaiming vows before a minister. One can only imagine what love stories will be told next.

References:

The Huntsman: Winter's War. Dir. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan. Perf. Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Nick Frost, Sam Claflin, Rob Brydon, Jessica Chastain. Perfect World Pictures, 2016. Film.

Perrault, Charles, and Betts, Christopher. Complete Fairy Tales. Oxford, GB: Oxford University Press, 2009. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 26 April 2016.

Mirror Mirror. Dir. Tarsem Singh. Perf. Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham, Michael Lerner, Sean Bean. Relativity Media, 2012. Amazon.

Snow White and the Huntsman. Dir. Rupert Sanders. Perf. Kristen Stewar, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin. Universal Studios, 2012. Amazon.

Transformation of Cinderella

In her essay, “The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt’s Disney’s Cinderella” Lori Baker-Sperry presents a research project on children’s perception of the meaning and associated gender roles of Cinderella as presented by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Walt Disney’s 1950 version. Her findings suggest that children notice traditional, feminine roles. This makes sense, since, as briefly mentioned in former posts, Cinderella’s patience towards her stepmother’s and stepsisters’ cruelty is lauded as a virtue. Children also see women doing all the domestic housework, competing for men, and an emphasis on beauty. Cinderella is the damsel who is rescued from her oppression by the prince’s offer for marriage. Baker-Sperry’s argument can be summarized in her following statement:

“Cinderella is a text that resonates with social messages aimed toward girls (e.g., social rewards for goodness, kindness, and care as well as an emphasis on feminine beauty) and does not problematize a beauty ideal, romantic love, or competition among women for a the attention of men.” (Baker-Sperry 2007)

Recently, as with Snow White, though, the story is changing to reflect more modern views of women and love. The prime example is Ever After: A Cinderella Story directed by Andy Tennant and released in 1998. This story radically changes the original message of “Cinderella,” as clearly implied by Grande Dame’s narration and conversation with the Grimm Brothers, “But I must say, I was terribly disturbed when I read your version of the little cinder girl.” (Tennant 1998). Taken back, the Grimm Brothers then defend the silliness of their original fairy tale version of “Cinderella.” Again at the end of the story, Grande Dame’s narration indicates the radical transformation of the original “Cinderella” story by complaining about the original version not containing the essential meaning, “By then, the truth of the romance had been reduced to a simple fairy tale.” (Tennant 1998).

As with Snow White, Cinderella in Ever After is not submissive, but very strong. For clarification, her name is also actually Danielle in this version. In the very beginning of the story an interesting conversation takes place between little Danielle and her childhood friend Gustave, who is clearly not as brave as she:

Gustave: “You look like a girl!”

Danielle: “That’s what I am, you half-wit.”
Gustave: “Yeah but today you look it.”
Danielle: “Boy or girl, I can still whip you.”

Danielle repeats her last line again at the very end of the story, further showing her sturdiness. When Danielle meets her stepmother and stepsisters for the first time, she is completely covered in mud after having “slaughtered” Gustave. (Tennant 1998). Comparing the early images of Cinderella and her father further evidence this difference in feminine/masculine character.

Danielle continues to evidence her toughness when she directly goes against her stepmother’s commands. The first time she does so is by dressing as a noble woman and faking her identity in order to rescue the servant Maurice. She even stops the horse of the man delivering Maurice to his new owner, and she argues with him, “I demand you shall release him at once.” (Tennant 1998). When the man ignores her, she persists, “He’s not property at all, you tub of guts!” (Tennant 1998). Furthermore, she flirts with Prince Henry behind her stepmother’s and stepsisters’ backs, and she talks back when the stepmother and stepsisters wonder what she has been up to and where breakfast is, “You have two hands. Make it yourself.” (Tennant 1998). When she discovers that her stepsister Marguerite has gotten into her mother’s dress, Danielle punches Marguerite in the face, giving her a black eye, yells that she is going to rip her hair out, and chases her about the house. Then Danielle hides her mother’s dress and absolutely refuses to give it up, “I would rather die a thousand deaths than to see my mother’s dress on that spoiled, selfish cow!” (Tennant 1998).

Interestingly, it is not the prince who rescues the princess, but the other way around; when Prince Henry and Danielle get lost in the wood, it is Danielle who takes off her gown and climbs high up into the tree to get a perspective on where they are. Meanwhile, Prince Henry is defeated by a band of bandits. When they offer Danielle anything she can carry as a compensation for difficulty inflicted upon a ‘noble’ woman, she cleverly picks up Prince Henry, thereby saving his life. Although the slipper traditionally serves as the prince’s means of locating the mysterious princess and rescuing her from abuse, in Ever After the slipper only serves sentimental purposes, for Prince Henry already knows who Danielle is. Then Danielle is sold into servitude for the villain Pierre le Pieu, and Prince Henry sets out to rescue her. Upon finding her he tells her, “I came to rescue you.” (Tennant 1998) but to the viewer’s amusement, she had already grabbed a knife, cut le Pieu across the face, and escaped herself.

Ever After does not only emphasize woman’s independence, but that love is more than romance. Early in the film Henry greatly struggles with his arranged marriage. One can see this by taking a look at his parents’ conversation:

King Francis: “I signed a marriage treaty with the king of Spain and that boy will obey me, or there’ll be hell to pay.”

Queen Marie: “But he does not love her my lord.”

King Francis: “It’s not about love!”

Henry also makes a comment to his parents that further enforces the message of the film, “Forgive me, Mother, but marriage to a complete stranger never made anyone in this room very happy.” (Tennant 1998). He frets with Leonardo da Vinci about the struggle to find his single sole mate as well, and his dates with stepsister Marguerite proceed awfully.

The Ever After story is much more focused on a developed love rather than a ball or wedding. For one thing, Prince Henry and Danielle actually get to know each other fairly well before their marriage. They meet very early in the story when Danielle rescues the servant Maurice. Throughout the story Prince Henry is constantly inspired by Danielle’s passion. On different occasions she inspires him to make education available for everyone, invite commoners to the ball, and prevent people from being forced to travel to the Americas without compensation. Prince Henry says about Danielle, “In all my years of study not one tutor ever demonstrated the passion you have shown me in the last two days.” (Tennant 1998). Before the story is half over and before the ball, everyone is already talking about the mysterious Comtesse who has caught the attention of Prince Henry. Unlike Disney’s Cinderella, Cinderella’s and the prince’s first kiss does not occur at the ball, but in the woods after their adventure with the Gypsies. The viewer never even sees Danielle’s and Prince Henry’s wedding, but is simply told later than Danielle is Henry’s wife.

Danielle’s and Prince Henry’s love is not only developed before their marriage, but it is challenged. Danielle initially despises Prince’s Henry’s arrogance, which he eventually overcomes when he begs her forgiveness for leaving her. The couple must also overcome the stepmother’s lies about Danielle’s engagement. Furthermore, Prince Henry is royalty while Danielle is secretly a servant and not fit to marry a prince. In the original “Cinderella” this conflict in social status presents no problem, but in Ever After Prince Henry actually discovers this secret and consequently dumps Danielle at the ball, an event now transformed from the peak of the prince’s and the princess’ love to the pit of their struggles.

Disney’s new, live version of Cinderella released in 2015 and directed by Kenneth Branagh presents the same message on love as Ever After, but the traditional role of women is maintained. Cinderella still does all the housework with no resistance. The theme of the movie is expressed in Cinderella’s mother’s words, “Have courage and be kind.” (Branagh 2015). By this message, Cinderella’s mother tells Cinderella to endure her sufferings patiently, which she does so beautifully. She always bears her stepmother’s and stepsisters harsh words, and she does not resist when her stepmother moves her bedroom into the cold attic. When her new family prevents her from eating breakfast at the table with them for the reason that servants do not eat at the table, she complies quietly. At one scene Ella believes the third dress the stepmother requests is for her, but the stepmother cruelly corrects her that the third dress is for the stepmother, leaving a last comment in French. Cinderella does reply in French to show her intelligence, but otherwise she does not retaliate. When the stepmother and stepsisters tear her mother’s dress which she diligently worked to repair, her strongest response is, “How could you?” (Branagh 2015). In fact, probably the strongest thing she ever said was, “Why are you so cruel?” (Branagh 2015). Even while her stepmother and stepsisters try on her glass slipper in a final attempt to win a marriage with the prince, Cinderella sits at the window of the attic singing peacefully. Near the ending, the captain discovers her and the stepmother argues that she is no one, and Cinderella waits for the captain to take action towards freeing her.

Like Ever After and the modern versions of Snow White formerly discussed, Disney’s 2015 Cinderella continues to vaguely preach the message of love as an essential ingredient to a happy marriage. Once again, the prince, Prince Henry, is conflicted with his arranged marriage. He asks his father, “If I must marry, could I not wed, say, a good honest country girl?” (Branagh 2015). A conversation between Prince Henry and Cinderella further expresses Branagh’s disagreement with marriage between two strangers:

Prince Henry: “I’m expected to marry for advantage.”

Cinderella: “Oh. Well, whose advantage?”

Prince Henry: “That is a good question.”

Cinderella: “Well, surely you have a right to your own heart.”

In the end, the King asks Prince Henry if he will marry the Princess Chelina if he had commanded him to do so, but Prince Henry respectfully refuses. To this, the King shows his change of heart, “You’ve become your own man. Good… You must not marry for advantage. You must marry for love.” (Branagh 2015). To further support the idea of a developed relationship before marriage, Disney’s 2015 Cinderella includes another interesting conversation between Cinderella and her stepsister Anastasia.

Cinderella: “What will he be like, I wonder?”

Anastasia: (laughter) “What does it matter what he’s like? He’s rich beyond reason.”

Cinderella: “Wouldn’t you like to know a bit about him before you marry him?”

Anastasia: “Certainly not. It might change my mind.”

In this scene Anastasia’s view, as coming from one of the villains of the story, is clearly looked down upon. Through this conversation Cinderella encourages one to get to know his or her partner before seriously considering marriage. Consequently, in this version Cinderella again develops a relationship with Prince Henry in the wood before the ball occurs, although less than Danielle does with Prince Henry in Ever After. She persuades him not to hurt a stag which he hunts, and like Danielle, her passion inspires him. When asked why he spared the stag, Prince Henry repeats Cinderella’s message that one should not perform an action simply because that is what others do.

Not only do Cinderella and Prince Henry develop a relationship before the ball, but they express loyalty during the trials they face afterwards. After the ball and Cinderella’s disappearance, a general tries to convince Prince Henry to marry someone else for the sake of the kingdom’s security. However, Prince Henry persists in his difficult search for Cinderella, who is trapped in a tower by her stepmother. Likewise, Cinderella’s stepmother offers to give her up to the prince, so long as Cinderella makes the stepmother the head of the household. Knowing this condition would bring harm upon Prince Henry and the rest of the kingdom, Cinderella absolutely refuses and allows herself to be locked away. In the end, their true love is summed up by their acceptance of each other for who they are:

Cinderella: “I don’t even know if that slipper will fit, but if it does, will you take me as I am? An honest country girl who loves you?”
Prince Henry: “Of course I will. But only if you will take me as I am. An apprentice still his learning his trade.”

As demonstrated, the message of the traditional “Cinderella” story as told by Charles Perrault and by Disney in 1950 has taken a dramatic turn. Although Disney’s 2015 Cinderella still holds the traditional roles of a submissive woman, Ever After: A Cinderella Story continues in the revolution of the role of woman as independent and tough. Both stories also transform the message of “love at first sight” into a more mature message of love, teaching that love is developed, tried, and of utmost importance to a happy marriage. It is no wonder, then, that the students Lori Baker-Sperry met during her study repeat the same messages. One can only imagine how this continuing transformation of themes in films will influence children’s view of marriage in the future.

References:

Baker-Sperry, Lori. "The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt Disney's Cinderella." Sex Roles 56.11-12 (2007): 717-27. ProQuest. Web. 13 May 2016.

Cinderella. Dir. Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson. Perf. Ilene Woods Eleanor Audley Verna Felton, Rhoda Williams, James MacDonald, Luis Van Rooten, Don Barclay, Mike Douglas, Lucille Bliss. Walt Disney Productions, 1950. DVD.

Cinderella. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perf. Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi, Helena Bonham Carte. Walt Disney Pictures, 2015. Amazon.

Ever After: A Cinderella Story. Dir. Andy Tennant. Perf. Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott. Flower Films, 1998. DVD.

Perrault, Charles, and Betts, Christopher. Complete Fairy Tales. Oxford, GB: Oxford University Press, 2009. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 26 April 2016.

Brave: Filial Love and a Feisty Princess

Directors Brenda Chapman’s and Mark Andrews’ 2012 Brave tells the story of a courageous princess who defies tradition by buying a spell from a witch, and then fights to undo the terrible curse. This is yet another story involved in the revolution of the traditional fairy tale messages on women and love. Princess Merida is one of the most masculine and independent Disney princesses, as noticed by her crazy, fiery red hair and possession of a weapon. Furthermore, the love story is not romantic at all, but between a mother and daughter. 

http://pixar.wikia.com/wiki/File:Brave_merida_card.jpg 

Merida’s defiant behavior is her main characteristic and crucial to the plot of the story. As already mentioned, her strong spirit is indicated by her huge, fiery, curly hair and her skill with the bow and arrow. The story encourages viewers, including women, to possess a combat skill, as indicated in a conversation between King Fergus and Queen Elinor:

Queen Elinor: “A princess should not have weapons in my opinion.”
King Fergus: “Leave her be. Princess or not learning to fight is essential.”

Daily Merida fights her royal treatment. She does not pay attention to lessons, rolls her eyes, sighs and groans, and throws herself onto her bed complaining. When her mother tucks her hair curl back into her veil, she rips it back out with a scowl. In her narration she tells the viewer that she lives for the day that she does not have to be a princess, and then she sets out to ride her enormous horse Angus, shoot her bow and arrow, and climb a cliff and drink from a waterfall. As these scenes take place, a song plays in the background:

Touch the Sky

When the cold wind's a a-calling

And the sky is clear and bright

Misty mountains sing and beckon,

Lead me out into the light

I will ride, I will fly

Chase the wind and touch the sky

I will fly

Chase the wind and touch the sky

Where dark woods hide secrets

And mountains are fierce and bold

Deep waters hold reflections

Of times lost long ago

I will hear their every story

Take hold of my own dream

Be as strong as the seas are stormy

And proud as an eagle's scream

I will ride, I will fly

Chase the wind and touch the sky

I will fly

Chase the wind and touch the sky

And touch the sky

Chase the wind, chase the wind

Touch the sky

One should pay close attention to “Take hold of my own dream” (Chapman 2012) for that is closely related to the theme of the story. The point of the story is that Merida bravely tries to take control of her own fate, rather than leaving it to a prince. When, according to Queen Elinor’s wishes, three suitors compete in a challenge over Merida’s hand in marriage, she chooses archery to be the challenge and enters it herself saying, “And I’ll be shooting for my own hand.” (Chapman 2012). Her mother forbids her, but she tears her tight dress, releases her arrow, and gives her mother an angry glare.

The other significance of Brave is that the love story is not between two romantic lovers, but a struggling mother and daughter. Elinor and Merida constantly bicker and refuse to listen to each other. Then Merida asks a witch for a spell, “…to change my mum” (Chapman 2012) but is horrified to find that the spell has transformed her mom into a bear. The only way to undo the spell is by mending the tapestry Merida had torn while arguing with her mom. The tapestry contains a picture of the whole family, but Merida has torn a hole between herself and her mother. As the story progresses, Merida and Elinor, who is now a bear, rebuild their relationship by their fishing expedition, by helping each other escape an evil bear, and by sneaking back into the castle together. Towards the end of the story, it is only by embracing her bear mother underneath the repaired tapestry that she is able to break the spell. When the story ends, the viewer sees the two women riding horses happily together across the fields.

The rising action of the plot occurs when Merida refuses to follow her mother's bidding of complying with the arranged marriage for the reason that she is not ready, implying that Pixar disagrees with immature marriage. That is why Merida fights for her own hand at the archery challenge. In the end, Elinor changes her mind entirely on the issue of the arranged marriage, as shown when Merida interprets Elinor’s message, “My mother, the queen, feels in her heart that I… that we be free to write our own story, follow our hearts, and find love in our own time.” (Chapman 2012). All of the princes and clans agree to allow their children to marry for love, so Merida is victorious.

Therefore Pixar’s Brave is yet another story that transforms the traditional message of woman’s submissive role and love being solely romantic. Merida is yet one of the most feisty princesses in modern fairy tales. The filial love between her and her mother is also what drives the story. Lastly, the arranged marriage is discouraged and Merida wins the right to marry for love when she feels ready, and the revolution of modern fairy tales continues.

References:

Brave. Dir. Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman. Perf. Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson. Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios, 2012. DVD.