Bluebeard and His Wives

 

Photo Credit: Bluebeard by: T.E. Lawrence http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/37/bluebeard.jpg/

I love this image because it upholds to the original tale of Bluebeard. I like that it is showing the wife leaving her world to enter into Bluebeard's mysterious and dangerous world where all of his last wives lay dead. It covers everything in this one photo. The wife's shocking and terrifed realization, Bluebeard's evilness, and all of the dead wives before her. It's just twisted and dark as if the story of Bluebeard. 

Nibble, nibble, little mouse, Who is nibbling at my house?

Food plays an enormous role in Hansel & Gretel. Now reading it again as an adult the whole story is completely based around food! First the food plays the role of starvation and emptiness. The family is so far and they cannot provide enough food for themselves and their children. Then when they lure the children away from the home and into the forest, Hansel uses food to set a trail so that they can later find their way back to the house which turns out to be uneventful. Next, when Hansel and Gretel come across a house it is completely made of food and this gives the children hope and happiness. The witch then feeds the children with an adbundance of food, but then threatens to eat them. Therefore this entire story is based entirely around food.

Works Cited: 

Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. (1812 & 1857). Hansel and Gretel.

Jacobs, Joseph. (1898). Molly Whuppie.  

Perrault, Charles. (1889) Little Thumb. 

Man's Inner Wolf Unleashed

The story does become a bit more clear when you look at it as a story of a man's inner animal unleashed. I never thought of LRRH like that but when presented with this information it makes you begin to think and it actually does make sense. How many times have women called men "animals", this would then be true in the story. Perhaps the wolf never a wolf and is always a man and is just portrayed as a wolf because of his actions. This would make sense because why would a little girl be talking to a wolf in the forest in the first place?

Works Cited: 

de France, Marie. "Bisclavret." 1996. Print. 

Is the Wolf suffering from Womb Envy?

After reading Maria Tatar lay out several interpretations of LRRH, I tend to agree with the psychoanalytical version. She states that the wolf is "suffering from womb envy" and that this is the reason why he eats LRRH to cover for his "desire to concieve." The wolf is intimidated by the woman's superiority, that is to bear children.  So in order to be the stronger one, he eats both grandmother and LRRH. In the end it all comes down to jealously and the fact that he will never be able to have children and women can.

Works Cited: 

Tartar, Maria. Introduction: Little Red Riding Hood. 1785. Print. 

Is Little Red Riding Hood to Blame?

I agree with Perrault's and the Grimm's version of LRRH. I'm not necessarily happy with the outcome, but I do agree with it. LRRH is never given an age, but as the story is written it sounds as though she isn't older than 15. Girls are very naive and gullible. There is never any threat of the wolf until he eats the grandmother. As LRRH approaches the wolf the first time there is no danger and she doesn't feel as though she's in any danger. Therefore, her being naive caused her downfall.


Works Cited:


Brother's Grimm. Little Red Cap. 1812. Print. 



Perrault, Charles. Little Red Riding Hood. 1697. Print. 

Who is Little Red Riding Hood?

This picture was taken from werewolves.com. I chose this picture because it depicts Little Red Riding Hood as the heroine rather than the victim. She is strong and powerful and looks like she gets what she wants.  Below I have also attached a picture that I drew myself some time back depicting Little Red Riding Hood as very brave and strong but in the end she eventually needs the help of a huntsman. I just wanted to share this with everyone.

Has Disney Ruined the Fairytale?

According to Jack Zipes, Disney has ruined the fairytale in his essay, "Breaking the Spell." Through the use of technology and its advances Disney has recreated many of the classic fairytales into animated motion pictures. In doing so, he is taking away from people's imaginations. The original fairytales are being transformed into softer stories that are more geared toward children and that people can now relate to. He has made them comical and more realistic. 

I agree with Zipes. Yes, Disney has made them more geared for children, but you are losing a lot but making them animated films. There is a beauty about reading something and imagining your own version of that story. When you watch something now, it's going to change you perspective of the tale entirely and one might not even be interested in reading the original anymore.  


Works Cited: 

Zipes, Jack. “Breaking the Spell.” 332-352. Print.

Womanhood in "Snow White"

Snow White is very naive, passive, and vulnerable. She plays the helpless woman who cannot fend for herself. She needs the aid of the seven dwarfs to take her in and take care of her (as long as she does the womanly chores). She cleans the house for them, cooks dinner, everything that a woman "should" do.  She also needs a man in her life to make her happy. This is where Prince Charming comes in and is the hero. 

This image upholds and subverts expectations regarding the female gender. Today women are still seen as the "care takers." They are seen as the ones to clean and cook for their family, even if this is not always the case. However, woman are stronger and do not rely on men to make them happy. 

The Evil Queen on the other hand is very jealous and superficial. The only thing she cares about is being the most "fairest one of all." Her jealousy drives her so mad that she resorts to violence. However, she also turns to a man to do her "dirty work for her." 

This image again, upholds and subverts expectations regarding the female gender. Woman are very jealous of other women. It always seems like a competition when they are out together. However, they do not resort to violence just because a girl may be prettier than them. On the other hand, they might do it in a verbal way. 


Works Cited: 


Lieberman, Marica R. "Some Day My Prince Will Come: Female Acculturation Through the Fairy Tale." College English 34. 3 (1972): 383-395. JSTOR. Web. 18 Feb. 2010.