The folk tale of Hansel and Gretel revolves around the contant fear of starvation experienced by peasants at the time of this story's creation. This story conforms with the social problem of famine and the self-centered attitude of Hansel and Gretel's parents. Wilhelm Grimm changed the maternal presence to a stepmother because he couldn't bear to pen a story where a biological mother would sacrifice her own children so that she could survive. Most of the variations allow the father to be rehabilitated, while his maternal counterpart retains her sense of selfishness and cruelty.
Hansel and Gretel and The Juniper Tree (aka My Mother Slew Me; My Father Ate Me) "give us high melodrama - abandonment, treachery, betrayal, and joyous reunions" Mollie Whuppie and Tom Thumb "offer comic relief in the form of spunky adventurers who use their wits to turn the tables on adversaries with daunting powers." (pg. 183) I loved the story of Little Thumbling because it allowed the weakest, most sickly child to overcome his disabilities and save the remaining six children. The main character used his brains to outwit the Ogre, who inadvertently kills HIS daughters rather than the boys.
Now, to the readings that described the various "Posts". It did clarify "Postmodernism" and made "Postcolonialism" easy to understand, yet I am still confused on "Poststructuralism". According to "The Bedford Glossary", the goal of poststructuralist theorists "is to understand what controls interpretation and meaning in all possible systems of signification." (pg. 402) What exactly does that mean? And how does it differ from Structuralism?
Anyway, I really enjoyed learning about Postcolonialism and how it developed.
Hi Cathy, Thanks for the two posts. You are right on with the 1850s reflection. Life for women 150 years ago was hard, and women generally had little connection to the world beyond their domestic spheres. Death in childbirth and life expectancy are two important issues to keep in mind. Good reflection on the "posts." I would not worry so much about poststructuralism; it's basically a catch-all name for any critical perspective that developed after deconstruction. dw
ReplyDeleteDesperate times call for desperate measures. That is what can be said about famine and how it is portrayed in the tale of Hansel and Gretel. Food is or can be associated with family, friends, money, status, time, and culture. This just further proves why it was such a useful tool in propelling fairy tales, and that’s exactly what it did in the tale of Hansel and Gretel. I really love the points you made about the various versions of the story and also how the experiences the Grimm brothers faced in their lives influenced their diverse versions. I do think it’s interesting that Wilhelm refused to make a biological mother responsible for committing the horrible crime of sacrificing her children. It’s also interesting that to account for this problem he faced, he was quick to bring in the iconic stepmother. The stepmother, a constant figure in Grimm fairy tales, was just as evil and wicked in Hansel and Gretel as in the other tales. I really did like the Little Thumbling version as well. First off because it was a different version then the one I am familiar with, involving new characters and monsters. Secondly, because, like you said, the underdog (the youngest, weakest child) saved all the other children. It is always nice when the unexpected character can save the day and just simply by using his wits and cleverness. In regards to the “posts”, I have to say that in order to define what the post concept was the author first defined what the actual concept was and how it came about. What I find interesting about posts is what defines when the actual concept becomes a post, how long does a concept have to exist and how much change does it have to undergo before it becomes a post?
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