DOCSLIB.ORG

01 Syllabus Fairy Tales S2015

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Fairy Tales – Then and Now (3 credits) Spring 2015 01:470:225:01, crosslisted 01:195:246:01 MW 3:20pm – 4:40pm, Rutgers Cinema 1 Professor Nicola Behrmann German Department 172 College Ave, Room 206 [email protected] Office hours: Wednesdays 12-2pm Course Description: This course analyzes the structure, meaning, and function of fairy tales and their enduring influence on literature and popular culture. While we will concentrate on the German context, and in particular the works of the Brothers Grimm, but will also consider fairy tales drawn from a number of different national traditions and historical periods, including contemporary American pop culture. Various strategies for interpreting fairy tales will be examined, including methodologies derived from structuralism, folklore studies, gender studies, and psychoanalysis. We will explore pedagogical and political uses and abuses of fairy tales. We will investigate the evolution of specific tale types and trace their transformations in various media from oral storytelling through print to film, television, and the stage. Finally, we will consider potential strategies for the reinterpretation and rewriting of fairy tales. Taught in English. No prerequisites. Satisfies SAS Core Curriculum Requirements AHp and WCd with the specific Core learning goals p, p, s-1, t, and v. Arts and Humanities Goal p: Student is able to analyze arts and/or literature in themselves and in relation to specific histories, values, languages, cultures, and/or technologies. Writing and Communication Goal d: Student is able to communicate effectively in modes appropriate to a discipline or area of inquiry. Required readings: The following texts are available for purchases at the Rutgers bookstore: • The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, tr. Jack Zipes, 3rd ed. (Bantam, 2003) ISBN-13: 978- 0553382167 • Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Puffin Classics, 2008) ISBN-13: 978-0-141-321073 • Carlo Collodi, The Adventures of Pinocchio (Puffin Classics, 2011) ISBN-13: 978-0141331645 • Bruno Bettelheim, The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (Vintage, [1976]2010) ISBN-13: 978-0307739636 All other required readings will be made available via Sakai. Recommended readings: Maria Tatar, Off With Their Heads! Fairy Tales and the Culture of Childhood; Marina Warner, Once Upon a Time: A Short History of the Fairy Tale; Jack Zipes, The Irresistible Fairy Tale. Required movies: We will be watching many clips from other movies but discussing the following movies in class: • An Andalusian Dog (Bunuel, 1929)*† • The Wizard of Oz (Taurog/Vidor/Fleming/Cukor, 1939)* • Pinocchio (Disney, 1940) • Beauty and the Beast (Cocteau, 1946)* • The Red Shoes (Powell/Pressburger, 1948)* • Cinderella (Disney, 1950)† • The Little Mermaid (Disney, 1989) • Frozen (Disney, 2013) * Available for purchase/rent as Instant Video on Amazon or for free on Youtube. † In class screening. All other movies will be made available on Movie Reserve. Course requirements and grading: Regular class attendance, careful preparation of assigned readings and viewings, active class participation, and completion of all assignments are required to receive a passing grade in this course. Regular participation in weekly discussion board post is an essential part of the participation grade. Midterm: There will be an in-class midterm exam. Choose 4 out of 6 questions and write a short essay on each. Questions will be related to the lectures in class; in addition you will be asked to read and respond to one fairy tale that we have not studied in class. Discussion Blogs: In five different discussion blog posts you are asked to respond to the question in what way the assigned readings of a traditional fairy tale resonate in contemporary culture, i.e. in regard to content, characters, gender issues, moral values, etc. 250 words/post. Short Essays: Essay assignments are designed to test course content and to develop critical reading and writing skills. There will be three 5-pages essays, the first one is due on February 16, the second is due on March 9, and the third one is due on April 13. Each of your essays needs to respond to a different theme (comparative analysis, topical analysis, creative writing), but you are free to choose the order. For pointer on essay writing see 02_guidelines_short essay on the Sakai resources page. Comparative analysis. Compare a first published version of a fairy tale with two or more later versions of the same tale. Using the techniques and critical lens learned in class, students are to examine and evaluate an element in the stories and come to a conclusion through the examination. Students may use material on the syllabus or other materials upon instructor’s approval. You must locate and apply to your argument at least one secondary, scholarly source (not popular sources or reference works). For a list of scholarly sources please see the document 04_bibliography on the Sakai resources page. (5 pages). - Topical analysis. Bring together two or three different fairy tales and examine a common element. Students may examine any version of the fairy tales presented in syllabus or other materials upon instructor’s approval. You must locate and apply to your argument at least one secondary, scholarly source (not popular sources or reference works). For a list of scholarly sources please see the document 04_bibliography on the Sakai resources page. (5 pages). - Creative writing. Try your hand at continuing the fairy tale tradition. You may choose to write three poems, a short story, or one or two chapters of a fairy tale novel. You may also (but are not limited to this approach) use the first-person narrative and re-write a fairy tale from the viewpoint of other characters (i.e. the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood). In addition to your creative works you must also write a one-page essay examining how your rewrite is similar to and/or departs from the tale used as inspiration. You will not be graded on creative work, but on the critical examination of how your rewrite fits into the tradition of retelling fairy tales. 3-5 pp. Online Presentation Group (5 students). Select a particular fairy tale that has been illustrated by a number of artists and examine either at least ten different visual interpretations of that work or two different filmic adaptations. Go back to the earliest version of the story you can find so you will be able to see changes over time. For more detailed instructions see 04_guidelines_group project on the Sakai resources page. Course learning goals: Students will acquire an understanding of the structure, meaning, and function of fairy tales and their enduring influence on literature and culture; ground this understanding in historical, cultural, and theoretical contexts; hone analytical skills in written interpretation; be able to propose an argumentative thesis and support it with appropriate evidence. Assessment will be based on evaluation of assigned written work. Grades will be based on the following formula: Class participation and blog posts 25% Online Presentation (group project) 15% Midterm 15% 3 short essays (5 pages each; 10% each) 30% Final exam 15% Grade distribution: A=90-100%; B+=85-89; B=80-84; C+=75-79; C=70-74; D=65-69; F-64 and below. Course Overview Week 1 Wed Jan 21 Introduction Week 2 Mon Jan 26 w Wed Jan 28 Fairy Tale, Fable & Myth To what degree do fairy tales raise timeless and universal issues and to what extent are they specific to a single time and place? During the first week we will study the origins and development of the Grimms’ Tales and consider the special place of fairy tales between the oral and written traditions of narrative. We will also discuss the differences between fairy tales and related genres such as myths, legends, and folktales, and the ways in which 20th century movie industry has adapted and transformed fairy tales. Fairy Tales: Grimm Brothers, “Little Red Cap”; Angela Carter, “The Company of Wolves”; “The Fisherman and the Jinny” (in Arabian Nights). Secondary readings: Bruno Bettelheim, “The Fisherman and the Jinny: Fairy Tale Compared to Fable” and “Fairy Tale versus Myth: Optimism versus Pessimism” (Uses of Enchantment , pp. 28-40); Erich Fromm, “The Nature of Symbolic Language,” (The Forgotten Language, pp. 11-23); Walter Benjamin, “The Storyteller” (Illuminations, pp. 83-110) Week 3 Mon Feb 1 w Wed Feb 4 The Fairy Tale Heroine The typical fairy tale heroine is known as beautiful, vulnerable, helpless, and thoroughly kind, always waiting to be rescued. During this week we will look more closely at some of the most famous (and most passive) fairy tales heroines such as Cinderella and Snow White trying to find out why they continue to enthrall generations of young readers. We will also look at some lesser known fairy tale heroines: “Donkey-Skin” as a story of excessive abuse and limitless goodness, and “The Six Swans” as an example of an active female heroine that comes to the rescue of her six brothers. Fairy Tales: Grimm Brothers, “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” “Rapunzel,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” “The Maiden Without Hands,” “The Six Swans” Movie (in class): Disney, Cinderella (1950) Secondary Reading: Ruth L. Bottigheimer, “Fertility Control and the Birth of the Modern Fairy Tale Heroine” Week 4 Mon Feb 9 w Wed Feb 11 Oh, Mother, Where Art Thou? Innocent female heroines are often accompanied by wicked stepmothers, evil witches, or other figures of female evil. Why is it that older women and mother figures are so often depicted as strong, ruthless, and malevolent in fairy tales? What does the frequent occurrence of the witch mean in fairy tales? In this week we will study the figure of the inaccessible lady as a necessary counterpart to the naïve fairy tale heroine and the absence of the (good) mother.
Recommended publications
  • Queering Kinship in 'The Maiden Who Seeks Her Brothers'

    Queering Kinship in 'The Maiden Who Seeks Her Brothers'

    Butler University Digital Commons @ Butler University Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS College of Liberal Arts & Sciences 2012 Queering Kinship in ‘The aideM n Who Seeks Her Brothers' Jeana Jorgensen Butler University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/facsch_papers Part of the Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Folklore Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Jorgensen, Jeana, "Queering Kinship in ‘The aideM n Who Seeks Her Brothers'" Transgressive Tales: Queering the Brothers Grimm / (2012): 69-89. Available at http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/facsch_papers/698 This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Digital Commons @ Butler University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Butler University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 3 Queeting KinJtlip in ''Ttle Maiden Wtlo See~J Het BtottletJ_,_, JEANA JORGENSEN Fantasy is not the opposite of reality; it is what reality forecloses, and, as a result, it defines the limits of reality, constituting it as its constitutive outside. The critical promise of fantasy, when and where it exists, is to challenge the contingent limits of >vhat >vill and will not be called reality. Fa ntasy is what allows us to imagine ourselves and others otherwise; it establishes the possible in excess of the real; it points elsewhere, and when it is embodied, it brings the elsewhere home. -Judith Butler, Undoing Gender The fairy tales in the Kinder- und Hausmiirchen, or Children's and Household Tales, compiled by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are among the world's most popular, yet they have also provoked discussion and debate regarding their authenticity, violent imagery, and restrictive gender roles.
  • Grimm's Household Tales

    Grimm's Household Tales

    NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 3 3333 08575 3347 .-. G i U LILY AND 'GRIMMB * HOUSEHOLD eDlTeD'5c*PARTl*Y WITH'.IliUSTRATJOWS ->** < Preface. THERE is no need of many words in introducing the old familiar friends of fairy-land, who never fail of a welcome from those, not yet too old to feel the power of their fascination. The following collection of tales has been made in the assurance that, among the younger readers are for whom they intended, the genuine fairy tale is still without a as a source of interest and amusement rival, ; as a source of instruction alsc, might with truth be added, for, apart from the homely wisdom which underlies most fairy tales, there is in severa- of them a touch of the fable, which, of all forms, is the most acceptable and convincing for the transmittance of moral teaching. The tales from " " the Gammer Grethel series, are given in the " " version, published in the Bohn Library from the admirable translation by Mr Edgar Taylor, which has, vii Vlll PREFACE for its readers the tales many years past, delighted ; " from the "Kinder und Hans-M'archen have been newly translated. As much variety as possible has been put into the choice of tales, selection for the most part falling on those which are known to be universally acknowledged as favourites and as it is the of the ; such, hope Editor, they may continue, under the new garb in which he now presents them to his young friends. EDITOR. Contents PAGE The Golden Goose .... I The Wishing Table, The Gold Ass, and The Cudgel ....
  • Grimm's Fairy Stories

    Grimm's Fairy Stories

    Grimm's Fairy Stories Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm The Project Gutenberg eBook, Grimm's Fairy Stories, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, Illustrated by John B Gruelle and R. Emmett Owen This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Grimm's Fairy Stories Author: Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm Release Date: February 10, 2004 [eBook #11027] Language: English Character set encoding: US-ASCII ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIMM'S FAIRY STORIES*** E-text prepared by Internet Archive, University of Florida, Children, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 11027-h.htm or 11027-h.zip: (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/0/2/11027/11027-h/11027-h.htm) or (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/0/2/11027/11027-h.zip) GRIMM'S FAIRY STORIES Colored Illustrations by JOHN B. GRUELLE Pen and Ink Sketches by R. EMMETT OWEN 1922 CONTENTS THE GOOSE-GIRL THE LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER HANSEL AND GRETHEL OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! DUMMLING AND THE THREE FEATHERS LITTLE SNOW-WHITE CATHERINE AND FREDERICK THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR LITTLE RED-CAP THE GOLDEN GOOSE BEARSKIN CINDERELLA FAITHFUL JOHN THE WATER OF LIFE THUMBLING BRIAR ROSE THE SIX SWANS RAPUNZEL MOTHER HOLLE THE FROG PRINCE THE TRAVELS OF TOM THUMB SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED THE THREE LITTLE MEN IN THE WOOD RUMPELSTILTSKIN LITTLE ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES AND THREE-EYES [Illustration: Grimm's Fairy Stories] THE GOOSE-GIRL An old queen, whose husband had been dead some years, had a beautiful daughter.
  • Snow White’’ Tells How a Parent—The Queen—Gets Destroyed by Jealousy of Her Child Who, in Growing Up, Surpasses Her

    Snow White’’ Tells How a Parent—The Queen—Gets Destroyed by Jealousy of Her Child Who, in Growing Up, Surpasses Her

    WARNING Concerning Copyright Restrictions The copyright law of the United States (Title 1.7, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or reproduction. One of three specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research. If electronic transmission of reserve material is used for purposes in excess of what constitutes “fair use”, that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This policy is in effect for the following document: Fear of Fantasy 117 people. They do not realize that fairy tales do not try to describe the external world and “reality.” Nor do they recognize that no sane child ever believes that these tales describe the world realistically. Some parents fear that by telling their children about the fantastic events found in fairy tales, they are “lying” to them. Their concern is fed by the child’s asking, “Is it true?” Many fairy tales offer an answer even before the question can be asked—namely, at the very beginning of the story. For example, “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” starts: “In days of yore and times and tides long gone. .” The Brothers Grimm’s story “The Frog King, or Iron Henry” opens: “In olden times when wishing still helped one. .” Such beginnings make it amply clear that the stories take place on a very different level from everyday “reality.” Some fairy tales do begin quite realistically: “There once was a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child.” But the child who is familiar with fairy stories always extends the times of yore in his mind to mean the same as “In fantasy land .
  • The Junior Classics, Volume 1

    The Junior Classics, Volume 1

    The Junior Classics, Volume 1 Willam Patten The Junior Classics, Volume 1 Table of Contents The Junior Classics, Volume 1.................................................................................................................................1 Willam Patten.................................................................................................................................................2 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................5 PREFACE......................................................................................................................................................7 MANABOZHO, THE MISCHIEF−MAKER................................................................................................9 WHY THE WOODPECKER HAS RED HEAD FEATHERS...................................................................12 WHY THE DIVER DUCK HAS SO FEW TAIL FEATHERS..................................................................14 MANAIBOZHO IS CHANGED INTO A WOLF......................................................................................15 MANABOZHO IS ROBBED BY THE WOLVES.....................................................................................17 MANABOZHO AND THE WOODPECKERS..........................................................................................18 THE BOY AND THE WOLVES................................................................................................................20
  • Download (568Kb)

    Download (568Kb)

    ABSTRACT New Zealand author Juliet Marillier’s 1999 debut novel Daughter of the Forest elaborates on the framework of the Brothers Grimm short stories “The Six Swans,” “The Seven Ravens,” and “The Twelve Brothers,” which appear in the Grimms’ collection Kinder- und Hausmärchen, first published in 1821. These three short stories fit into the Aarne-Thompson categorization system in Tale Type 451, often called “Brothers Turned into Birds” or “Sister Seeks Her Brothers.” In using the scaffolding of the old stories, Marillier gives vivid life to the tale by changing a few aspects, such as introducing additional important characters, and more importantly by subtly asserting a feminist slant through several ideas by discussing feminine silence, women treated as property, use of first-person voice and narration, reversal of marriage roles, and, most importantly, sexual assault and its position within the tale. By exploring the intricacies of Tale Type 451 in Chapter 1, the reader gains a working knowledge of how the tale functions. Chapter 2 focuses on the differences between Marillier’s version of the Type 451 tale compared to the Grimms’ tales. Chapter 3 explores the feminist additions and interpretations that Marillier incorporates into Tale Type 451, and it investigates the implications of how Marillier has re-written the tale. Her use of the main character’s voice narrating the entire story, the addition of a graphic rape scene, exploration of silence, and her interpretation of roles in marriage assert Marillier’s voice as a contemporary fantasy fiction writer whose approach incorporates feminist ideals. i Claire Elizabeth Hall, M.A.
  • Writing 100: Fairy Tales and Feminism Spring 2008

    Writing 100: Fairy Tales and Feminism Spring 2008

    Writing 100: Fairy Tales and Feminism Spring 2008 Professor Lisa Fischler Office: Comenius 104 Email: [email protected] Office Ph.: 610-861-1418 Class: M W (5b and 6b) Office Hours: Th 1:00-4:00 pm and other times by appointment. Course Description Even though they depict a supernatural world of enchantment, fairy tales have functioned for centuries to pass on norms, values, and gender roles. This course will explore elements of the fairy tale genre--such as narrative structure, myths, cultural symbols, gender, sexuality, constructions of class and ethnicity--and uses to which fairy tales have been put. Special attention will be given to the long-lost women narrators of fairy tales who motivated the Brothers Grimm and what these tales reveal about women’s and men’s lives in historical, social, and contemporary context. Goals and Objectives The general goals and objectives for this course are outlined in the Writing 100 Guidelines, but the following are the more particular course objectives for Writing 100A & C. By the end of the semester, you should be able to: A) Understand writing as a way of thinking, as a process that constructs knowledge, and as a form with different styles, formats, and audiences. B) Recognize a variety of writing styles; use interpretative, evaluative, and creative genres well, and coherently employ grammar, language, style, citations, tone, and theme. C) Efficiently use information technology for writing and research, critically evaluate credible sources, analyze the value of diverse resources, and cohesively present research results. D) Engage effectively in critical thinking, in analysis, in reading, and in the synthesis and discussion of ideas.
  • Fairytales in the German Tradition

    Fairytales in the German Tradition

    German/LACS 233: Fairytales in the German Tradition Tuesday/Thursday 1:30-2:45 Seabury Hall S205 Julia Goesser Assaiante Seabury Hall 102 860-297-4221 Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 9-11, or by appointment Course description: Welcome! In this seminar we will be investigating fairytales, their popular mythos and their longevity across various cultural and historical spectrums. At the end of the semester you will have command over the origins of many popular fairytales and be able to discuss them critically in regard to their role in our society today. Our work this semester will be inter-disciplinary, with literary, sociological- historical, psychoanalytic, folklorist, structuralist and feminist approaches informing our encounter with fairytales. While we will focus primarily on the German fairytale tradition, in particular, the fairytales collected by the Brothers Grimm, we will also read fairytales from other cultural and historical contexts, including contemporary North America. Course requirements and grading: in order to receive a passing grade in this course you must have regular class attendance, regular and thoughtful class participation, and turn in all assignments on time. This is a seminar, not a lecture-course, which means that we will all be working together on the material. There will be a total of three unannounced (but open note) quizzes throughout the semester, one in-class midterm exam, two five-page essays and one eight-page final essay assignment. With these essays I hope to gauge your critical engagement with the material, as well as helping you hone your critical writing skills. Your final grade breaks down as follows: Quizzes 15% Midterm 15% 2- 5 page essays (15% each) 30% 1 8 page essay 20% Participation 20% House Rules: ~Class attendance is mandatory.
  • Translations of Fairy Tales Between National Mobilization and Commodification German Children’S Literature in Nineteenth-Century Croatia

    Translations of Fairy Tales Between National Mobilization and Commodification German Children’S Literature in Nineteenth-Century Croatia

    Przekładaniec. A Journal of Literary Translation 22–23 (2009/2010): 117–132 doi:10.4467/16891864ePC.13.005.0859 MARIJANA HAMeršak TRANSLATIONS OF FAIRY TALES BETWEEN NATIONAL MOBILIZATION AND COMMODIFICATION German Children’s Literature in Nineteenth-century Croatia Abstract: A brief overview of translation within folklore studies and children’s literature studies leads to the focal point of this article: nineteenth-century Croatian versions of German fairy tales. The analysis concentrates on the textual and paratextual features of the Croatian texts, their relationship to the source texts and their involvement in national integration. Moreover, they are examined as part of empirical research in the history of reading: children’s reception of German children’s books in nineteenth- century Croatia. Finally, they are discussed from the book history perspective: adoption of German children’s literature genres and publishing strategies in the field of nineteenth- century Croatian children’s literature. The discussion of these three aspects indicates that the appropriation of German fairy tales in nineteenth-century Croatian society followed various (oral, written, German-language, Croatian-language) routes and had different outcomes. The complexity of these processes reminds us that literature is not only a symbolic (written, textual), but also a material (reading, editing, publishing) enterprise. It also reminds us that children’s literature is entangled not only in concepts of childhood and literature, but also in other cultural concepts such as nation and class. Keywords: fairy tales, Croatian children’s literature, German children’s literature, translation, appropriation, nineteenth century, material book culture, nation, class Fairy tale scholarship has been interested in translations for a long time.
  • Making Connections Through the Use of Fairy Tales

    Making Connections Through the Use of Fairy Tales

    California State University, San Bernardino CSUSB ScholarWorks Theses Digitization Project John M. Pfau Library 1994 Making connections through the use of fairy tales Suzanne Robbins Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project Part of the Education Commons, and the Reading and Language Commons Recommended Citation Robbins, Suzanne, "Making connections through the use of fairy tales" (1994). Theses Digitization Project. 914. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/914 This Project is brought to you for free and open access by the John M. Pfau Library at CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses Digitization Project by an authorized administrator of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MAKING CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE USE OF FAIRY TALES A Project Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino In Partial Fulfillment of the Requireinents for the Degree Mastet of Arts in Education: Reading Option by Suzanne Robbins September 1994 MAKING CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE USE OF FAIRY TALES A Project Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino by Suzanne Robbins September 1994 Approved by; fph W. Gray/'^First Reader Date Dr. T. Patrick Mullen, Second Reader ^ Abstract ■ Learning is a process of making meaningful connections. Students often have difficulty making these important connections. The purpose of this project was to develop a handbook for teachers to help students make connections by using fairy tales. The research supporting this project focused on two main areas: making connections and fairy tales. Research indicated that successful readers make connections between reading and writing (Heller, 1991), between background knowledge and text (P.
  • Fairy Tales in European Context Gen Ed Course Submission: for Inquiry – Humanitites

    Fairy Tales in European Context Gen Ed Course Submission: for Inquiry – Humanitites

    GER 103: Fairy Tales in European Context Gen Ed Course Submission: for Inquiry – Humanitites 2 lectures PLUS 1 discussion section: Professor Linda Kraus Worley 1063 Patterson Office Tower Phone: 257 1198 E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: Wednesdays 10 - 12; Fridays 10 – 12 and by appointment FOLKTALES AND FAIRY TALES entertain and teach their audiences about culture. They designate taboos, write out life scripts for ideal behaviors, and demonstrate the punishments for violating the collective and its prescribed social roles. Tales pass on key cultural and social histories all in a metaphoric language. In this course, we will examine a variety of classical and contemporary fairy and folktale texts from German and other European cultures, learn about approaches to folklore materials and fairy tale texts, and look at our own culture with a critical-historical perspective. We will highlight key issues, values, and anxieties of European (and U.S.) culture as they evolve from 1400 to the present. These aspects of human life include arranged marriage, infanticide, incest, economic struggles, boundaries between the animal and human, gender roles, and class antagonisms. Among the tales we will read and learn to analyze using various interpretive methods are tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, by the Italians Basile and Straparola, by seventeenth- and eighteenth-century French writers such as D‘Aulnoy, de Beaumont, and Perrault, by Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde. We will also read 20th century re-workings of classical fairy tale motifs. The course is organized around clusters of Aarne, Thompson and Uther‘s ―tale types‖ such as the Cinderella, Bluebeard, and the Hansel-and-Gretel tales.
  • THE BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR Educator Supplement

    THE BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR Educator Supplement

    THE BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR Educator Supplement ABOUT THE PLAY The play is an adaptation by Brian Guering from the folk tale by The Brothers Grimm. SYNOPSIS Bullied and meek, a young tailor manages to kill seven flies in one blow while day- dreaming of slaying dragons. When exaggerated rumors of his skill spread throughout the village, the tailor is brought before the cowardly king and given the tasks of battling not only two troublesome giants, but also a fierce dragon. Only time will tell if he can summon the courage to prove to himself that one need not be big to be strong. CHARACTERS LITTLE TAILOR, a dreamer who thinks he is too small to achieve anything MA, his overprotective mother KING, a cowardly ruler of the kingdom PRINCESS, the King’s good-hearted and positive daughter JESTER, a court jester who narrates the story MASTER TAILOR, the Little Tailor’s overbearing boss BAKER’S WIFE, an overbearing woman BAKER, her shy husband JAM SELLER, A pushy and poor salesperson GIANTS, two big bullies DRAGON a huge dragon that is a threat to the kingdom. BEFORE THE PLAY Read a version of “The Brave Little Tailor” with your class. How do you think reading the book is different from watching the play? How might things from the book, such as the forest, the Tailor’s shop, and the great big giant, come to life onstage? Have students think of a time when they were in a situation that was very challenging for them. Did it challenge them in a positive way or a negative way? How did they handle it? What was the outcome? ATTENDING THE PLAY Theatre requires a large team of really talented people to create a show.