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This week saw the new, live-action version of The Little Mermaid splash down in cinemas across the world. Adapted from the Disney animated version of 1989, which was itself inspired by the famous fairy tale created by that great Dane, Hans Christian Andersen, first published in 1837, the new release has excited kids young & old alike. But where does this fishy tale fit into the fairy tale canon?
The term “fairy tale” is believed to have been coined by a woman, Madame d'Aulnoy, who popularised the term through the retelling of traditional folkloric tales in a conversational style in the literary salons of 17th century France. In this she probably followed in a long line of other women who had also orally transmitted such tales, normally to younger girls during the domestic activities historically occupied by women, such as spinning, sewing or childcare. In these settings, women would share oral narratives, including fairy tales, as a means of entertainment, education and cultural transmission within their communities. These were the tales subsequently collected, codified and made famous by male folklorists, archivists & writers such as Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, Alexander Afanasyev and Andrew Lang.
To celebrate the essential role women have played in the history and evolution of the fairy tale, and the new film version of The Little Mermaid, we have selected some of our favourite fairy tale classics featuring female protagonists from our shelves, for further consideration.
Unlike many of the tales here, this one has a known originator, Hans Christian Andersen. Whilst Andersen probably drew inspiration from tales such as Undine by De la Motte Fouqué and Melusine by Goethe, his tale is decidely distinct, and in its original form distressingly bleak! It is believed he wrote the tale after his patron, a man he loved, decided to marry a woman. Like the Little Mermaid, Andersen was unable to express his love openly and experienced heartbreak as a result. The tale was provisionally titled 'The Daughters of the Air', a reference to the fate of the Little Mermaid after her attempt to win the heart of the prince she had saved from a watery grave fails. The tale is harrowing for the various sacrifices the Little Mermaid makes, losing her voice, her tail, her own royal position & family and eventually her physical form completely. Thankfully, much of this is eschewed in the version here! But do follow the link below for more faithful renditions.
The Princess and the Frog is a fairy tale that has, appropriately, undergone various transformations throughout history. The version best known today is from the Brothers Grimm, who embroidered the earlier tale, with its more explicitly conjugal connotations, considerably to reflect the social mores of the time. The tale can be seen as a metaphor for personal growth and self-discovery, the princess's initial hesitation to interact with the frog representing perhaps a fear of the unknown or a reluctance to embrace change, overcome through a leap of faith, underlining the potential for inner transformation and the importance of looking beyond appearances!
With a pedigree that stretches back potentially millenia, the tale of Beauty and the Beast is today best known via the version composed by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740. The story is possibly one of the most analysed of all the famous fairy tales, with many seeing in it a sort of Freudian insight into the necessity of relinquishing childish fears of "beastliness" and becoming a grown-up woman, able to embark on adult relationships. Others, naturally, see in it a reiteration of male hegemony and the socialistation of women into a more repressed role... Either way, it makes for a cracking tale! And a great source for film, musical and ice-show adaptations.
A charming edition of one of Japan's most famous fairy tales, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Taketori Monogatari). Dating back to the 10th century, this tale tells of a beautiful female child found in a bamboo stalk by an old bamboo cutter, seemingly answering the prayers of the old man and his wife who had long wished for a child. The child, Kaguya-hime, turns out to be a celestial being, and represents an intriguing contradiction to the traditional role of women during the Heian period in Japan (794 to 1185), as she has agency, particularly in regard to being married, even when wooed by the Emperor of Japan, defying the patriarchal norms of that time. However, her ultimate fate — being forced to return to the moon and leave her life on Earth — can also be interpreted as a tragic consequence of defying these norms. In the end, despite her resistance, she is unable to fully escape the societal (and cosmic) forces that govern her fate.
Another much-loved fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty has endured as many reboots as it has analyses over the years! The version we most know today largely comes from a blend of Perrault's version, La Belle au bois dormant, and the Brothers Grimm's Little Briar Rose (Dornröschen). Whether you view it as a study of feminine passivity, the superficiality of beauty as a woman's worth, awakening womanhood vs consent and male entitlement, or just a jolly good read, this famous edition illustrated by Golden Age illustrator Edmund Dulac represents one of the most remarkable renderings in book-form of the story.
A richly fertile playground for the amateur psychologist or sociologist, Snow White offers a plethora of interesting interpretations for those looking to dig a bit deeper. Jungian individuation and the Electra complex, the Freudian Oedipal complex, postmodern feminism and even Marxism have all tried to take a bite out of Snow White's apple over the years. Disney's version remains a wonderful exemplar of animation, and the Fairy Tale remains a perennial favourite here at Country House Library.
The original "rags to riches" story, and another perpetually popular fairy tale female protagonist who has benefitted from the animated attention of Disney Studios. Cinderella has, much like the titular character, enjoyed considerable transformation over time. Perrault's version sees the heroine dependant on external agency to reward her industrious diligence with the tools to escape a life of servitude, but the older versions from the more matriarchal tradition feature a more spirited and rebellious Cinderella, who proactively seeks aid from her dead mother to break free.
What fairy tale could better complete such a list than Little Red Riding Hood... Another folk tale that has passed down over millenia potentially, featuring a variety of endings that range from the shiver-inducing to the stomach-turning. Anyone familiar with Angela Carter's short story The Company of Wolves, or the Neil Jordan film of the same name that it spawned, will be aware of some of the subtexts that underscore this famous tale. Red Riding Hood continues to serve as a cautionary tale to this day, and remains a popular seller here at Country House Library.
Fairy Tales are unquestionably more than simply bedtime stories:
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