For our last reading of Grimms' Fairy Tales, I want you to pick any FOUR tales that we haven't yet read for class. Read all four of these tales and then answer the following question:
Anthropology is the study of humans and human culture from the past to the present, usually focusing on what humans have left behind: bones, buildings, artwork, literature, etc. So having reading these tales, I want you to study them as an anthropologist might study the remains of a temple, or an old Viking burial ground. How can we read these stories and understand, more or less, some of the following ideas:
a. What kind of person wrote these stories (their sex, their opinions, their stereotypes, their beliefs)
b. Some of the rules/value systems of their culture; what did this culture take for granted about the world, or believe could/should happen?
c. What the author (or the culture) considered a happy ending: what needed to happen for justice or stability to take place?
d. What the story says about 'humanity' that is still relevant today? How can we study these stories and find ourselves in them, despite the historical distance?
For example, in class today (Friday), we discussed some of the cultural beliefs of the story Rumpel-Stilts-Kin, which seemed to suggest two important ideas: one, that an oath, once given, has to be honored no matter how unfair it is or if it was made under duress; and two, that a person's name is one of their most valuable possessions, since it tells about their history, family, and status. Because of this, when the young girl pledges her first-born child to the elf, she is forced to honor it even though most readers would forgive her if she didn't. Yet she is given an "out" if she can discover his name, which is the key to his status and identity--it breaks the spell of his identity. Naming him, in a sense, takes away his power, especially since it's a pretty comic name, and he no longer seems as terrible and powerful once we call him "Rumple-Stilts-Kin." So this story dramatizes both of these beliefs in a way that could teach children subconsciously the power of an oath and the importance of naming.
Srijita Ghosh
ReplyDeleteThe stories I read were - Old Sultan, The Goose Girl, Mother Holle & Rapunzel .
I believe that the person who wrote these stories belongs to the lower class (probably a peasant or something similar). I choose to believe so because the story is high on moral content and shows vengeance towards those in power.
Old Sultan, the faithful dog is seen to be less powerful that his master or the wolf. However he is loyal and smart as well. He is loyal to his master even though he opted to kill him since he was old and useless, and he was smart to do away with the wolf who tried to take revenge on him for not letting him eat one of the master's sheep. We see how loyalty is a very important aspect during that period and also how those who are powerful tend to be selfish, disloyal & greedy.
The Goose Girl is one of the few stories which show the royalty in a good role. The person who wrote this story is surely a wise and experienced person who has seen a lot in life so he refuses to generalize that all people in royaly are bad. The gentle and meek princess, the wise old king in contrast to the wicked waiting-maid is a different scenario in comparision to many other fairy tales where it is the absolute opposite. It gives us the message that even those who are in power may be good sometimes. One more important part of this story is that it teaches us the lesson that goodness will eventually get victory.
Mother Holle is a fairy tale which follows the basic format of a fairy tale ; a moral lesson, clear distinction between good and bad and a happy ending. Family relationships are brought up in this story, a wicked stepmother who favours her own daughter over her good step daughter and an absent father. This shows the weak family bonding during that period and the unability of a stranger to adapt into the family and make it a happy one. In order for justice to take place we see that the good daughter does her work honestly and sincerely and also is not greedy, however the lazy and ugly daughter only thinks about the gold and lazes through her work. This idea is still prevelant today ; if you work hard honestly and without thinking about the results, the results will automatically come to you.
Greediness is a sin ; this is an important message we get from the famous story of Raupanzel. The end result of the wife eating the forbidden rampion is that she must give up that for which she originally longed: the child. The forbidden pleasure cost her the real pleasure which was the child. The author clearly potrays the beliefs of the society at that period of time that problems are caused due to the foolisheness of women. It is a sexist message that has been portrayed.At the very beginning the trouble starts with the greediness of the wife, her foolish desire to wish for such a thing, secondly the enchantress is so wicked as to prison a beautiful young girl for life and finally Raupanzel behaves stupid by telling the enchantress about the prince and ruining her own good luck. The story has a happy ending, but the story itself provides a dark background on society's stereotyped attitude towards women.
Excellent responses as always! Very detailed and interesting: you might be able to use this again on Exam #2.
ReplyDelete