German 232

Professor Mary Beth Stein

Once Upon a Time

Office: Leighton 415

Winter 1997

Phone: 646-4240

MW 12:30-1:40

Hours: MW 2:30-3:30, T
F 1:10-2:10 1:00-2:00 and by appt.

Once Upon a Time: A Critical Look at the Fairytale

For centuries folktales and fairy tales have fueled the
popular imagination of children and adults alike. As an art form and communicative practice, however, they have undergone radical transformations in form and meaning over the past centuries. The forces underlying these changes, the reasons for their enduring popularity, and the voices in the controversies relating to the function and value of fairy tales will be explored throughout the term. In analyzing the historical and social development of fairytales as a genre of folk narrative, students will be introduced to methods of literary analysis and cultural criticism.
Beginning with the work of eighteenth and nineteenth century
European folktale collectors and editors and concluding with the writings of twentieth century critics and authors of original and adpated tales, this course focuses on the form, style, structure and meaning of the fairytale in its traditional contexts as well as in its modern transformations and critical interpretations. The course is divided into three parts: 1) literary and historical contexts, 2) methods of folktale analysis, and 3) modern transformations and critical readings.

 

Required texts:

Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment. New York: Random House. Bottigheimer, Ruth. Grimms' Bad Girls and Bold Boys: The Moral andSocial Vision of the Tales. New Haven: Yale University Press,1987.
Ellis, John. One Fairy Story Too Many. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1983.
Propp, Vladimir. The Morphology of the Folktale. Austin:
University of Texas Press, 1968.
Yolen, Jane. Briar Rose. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1992.
Zipes, Jack (translator and editor) . The Complete Fairy Tales of
the Brothers Grimm (vol. 1 and 2). New York: Bantam Books,
1988. Zipes, Jack. Creative Storytelling: Building Community, Changing
Lives. New York: Routledge, 1995.
Jack Zipes, Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood. New
York: Routledge, 1993

Additional readings are on Reserve in the Library. Reserve readings are indicated by an * on the syllabus.

 
Requirements for the course:
Midterm exam: 25%
Short papers: 20%
Group Project: 20%
Participation: 10%
Final Exam: 25%
To pass this class, students must successfully complete all of the above requirements. The format for the midterm and final will be take-home exams combining short answer and essay questions. Each student will also present an oral report to the class, based on the reading of an article or essay relating to the topic of that day. Several short written exercises, ranging from a creative writing assignment in which you write your own fairy tale to book and film reviews and applications of folktale theories/methods, will also be part of the course requirements. Finally, students will work in groups of four on a computer-based critical annotation of a particular fairy tale. There will be occasional evening film showings and two field trips.

Policies on Attendance, Homework and Exams:

The format of each class session will vary, but in general will consist of a combination of lecture, group work and discussion. Because this course is designed as a seminar, students are expected to read the assigned readings bv class time and be prepared to take an active part in class discussions. After more than two unexcused absences, your grade will be lowered. Homework assignments are to be turned in by class time on the date due.

Schedule of Readings

I. Literary and Historical Contexts
1/6 Introduction and Overview of Course
Creative Writing Exercise: Write a fairy tale of 5 pages in
length for Friday.

1/8 Johann Gottfried Herder and Folk Poetry

 
* 1. Kamenetsky, Christa. "The German Folklore Revival in
the Eighteenth Century: Herder's Theory of Naturpoesie,
In: Journal of Popular Culture 6 (1972/73):836-848.
* 2. Wilson, Willim. "Herder, Folklore and Romantic
Nationalism," In: Journal of Popular Culture 6 (1972/73' 819-833.

1/10 The Brothers Grimm as Folktale Collectors and Scholars

 

1. Zipes, J. "Once There Were Two Brothers Named Grimm: A

Reintroduction," The Complete Fairy Tales, pp. xi-xxviii


From the Grimm Collection:

1. A Tale about the Boy who went Forth to Learn what
Fear Was (Grimm #4)
2. Faithful Johannes (Grimm #6)
3. Brother and Sister (Grimm #11)
4. The Fisherman and His Wife (Grimm #19)
5. The Brave Little Tailor (Grimm #20)
6. Mother Holle (Grimm #24)
7. The Bremen Town Musicians (Grimm #27)
8. The Singing Bone (Grimm #28)
9. The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs (Grimm #29)
10. Clever Else (Grimm #34)
11. The Juniper Tree (Grimm #47)
12. Lucky Hans (Grimm #83)
13. Hans My Hedgehog (Grimm #108)
14. The Bright Sun Will Bring it to Light (Grimm #115)
15. The Star Coins (Grimm #153)
Report: 1) Zipes, Jack. "Dreams of a Better Life: The
Psycho- Social Origins of the Tales," The Brothers
Grimm: From Enchanted Forests to Modern World,
pp. 28-43.

 

1/13 The Folktale: A Problem of Definition

Exercise: Develop a one-page working definition of a folktale based on your analysis of the similarities and differences found in the above tales.

 
* 1. Luthi, Max. "The Dragon Slayer: The Style of the Fairy
Tale," In Once Upon a Time: On the Nature of Fairy Tales,
pp. 47-57.

 

1/15 Sources of the Grimm Tales

 
* 1. Tatar, Maria. "Prefaces to the First and Second Editions,"
In: The Hard Facts of the Grimms' Fairy Tales, pp. 203222.
2. Ellis, John. One Fairv Story Too Many, pp. 13-71.

Report: 1) Kamenetsky, Christa. "The Sources of the
Collection," In: The Brothers Grimm and
Critics, pp. 113-50.
1/17 Editorial License: The Olenberg Manuscript and editions of the KHM

1. Ellis, John. One Fairy Story Too Many, pp. 72-93
2. "The Frog King" In: John Ellis, One Fairy Storv Too Manv:
The Brothers Grimm and Their Tales, pp. 125-134
3."Hansel and Gretel," In: John Ellis, One Fairy Story Too
Many, pp. 176-194.
Report: 1)Kamenetsky, Christa. "The Methods of Collection,"
In:The Brothers Grimm and Their Critics, pp.
151-177.
2) Ward,Donald. "New Misconceptions about Old
Folktales: The Brothers Grimm," In: The Brothers
Grimm and Folktale, pp. 91-100 and Wolfgang
Mieder, "Ever Eager to Incorporate Folk
Proverbs," In: The Brothers Grimm and Folktale,
pp. 112-132.
1/20 "The Omitted Tales": A Question of Audience and Values
1. Zipes, Jack. The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers
Grimm, pp. 308-396.
* 2. Tatar, Maria. "Teaching Them Lessons: The Pedagogy of
Fear in Fairy Tales," In: Off With Their Heads, pp.22-50
Report: 1) Tatar, Maria. "Just Desserts: Reward and
Punishment Tales," In: Off With Their Heads!,
pp.51- 69
 
II.Methods of Folktale Analysis
1/22 Historic-Geographic Method: Tale Type 510A
1. Cinderella (Grimm #21)
2. All Fur (Grimm #65)
3. Perrault, Charles. "Cinderella"
4.Thompson, Stith. "Theories of the Folktale," In: The
Folktale, pp. 367-90.
Report: 1) Taylor, Archer. "The Study of the Cinderella
Cycle," In: Cinderella: A Casebook, pp. 115-128,
ed. Alan Dundes.
1/24 Non-European Traditions
1. Thompson, Stith. "Trickster Tales," In: Tales of the North
American Indians, pp. 53-77.
2. Abrahams, Roger. "Tales of Trickster and Other Ridiculous
Creatures," In: African Folktales: Traditional Stories of
the Black World, pp. 155-189.
Paper #1: Compare two non-European versions (from the
Folktales of the World series on Reserve) with the
Grimm version of the same tale type using the
Type Index and Motif Index.
1/27 The Structure of Folktales
 
* 1. Propp, Vladimir. The Morphology of the Folktale, p. 3-65,
and 92-117.
2. The Twelve Brothers (Grimm #9)
3. The Seven Ravens (Grimm #25)
4. The Six Swans (Grimm #49)
>Exercise: Structuralist Analysis
1/29 The Search for Meaning
* 1. Freud, Sigmund. " The Occurrence in Dreams of Material
from Fairy Tales," In: The Standard Edition of the >
Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud (vol. XII),
pp. 281-87
* 2. Roheim, Geza. "Fairy Tale and Dream" In: Dundes, Little
Red Riding Hood: A Casebook, pp. 159-67.
3. Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment, pp.
* 4. Luthi, Max. "The Meaning and Form of Fairy Tales," In:
Once Upon a Time: On the Nature of Fairv Tales, pp. 21-34
Report: 1)Jager, Hans-Wolf. "Is Little Red Riding Hood
Wearing a Liberty Cap?" In: Little Red Riding
Hood: A Casebook, pp. 89-120, ed. Alan Dundes

1/31 Who's Afraid of Bruno Bettelheim?

1. Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment, pp.
2. Zipes, Jack. "On the Use and Abuse of Folk and Fairy Tales
with Children: Bettelheim's Moralistic Magic Wand, H In:
Breakinq the Magic Spell, pp. 160-182.
Report: 1) Bettelheim, Bruno. "Hansel and Gretel,"
In: The Uses of Enchantment
2) Bettelheim, Bruno. "The Animal-Groom Cycle of
Fairy Tales," In: The Uses of Enchantment

 

2/3 Little Red Riding Hood I

1.Zipes, Jack. The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red
Ridinq Hood, pp. 1-138
Report: 1) Bettelheim, Bruno. "Little Red Riding Hood, H
In: The Uses of Enchantment, pp. 166-183
2) Dundes, Alan. "Interpreting Little Red Riding
Hood Psychoanalytically," In: The Brothers
Grimm and Folktale, pp. 16-51, ed. J.McGlathery.

2/5 Little Red Riding Hood 2

1. Zipes, Jack. The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red
Ridinq Hood, pp. 204-206, 228-229, 241-250, 282-291
Report: 1) Shavit, Zohar. "The Concept of Childhood and
Children's Folktales, H In: Little Red Ridinq
Hood: A Casebook, pp. 129-58, ed. Alan Dundes.
MOVIE: The Company of Wolves
2/7 Little Red Riding Hood 3
1. Zipes, Jack. The Trials and Tribulations of Little
Red Ridinq Hood, pp. 295-323, 343-383

2/12 The Many Transformations of Snow White

1. Snow White (Grimm #53)
2. Stone, Kay. "The Three Transformations of Snow White,"
In: The Brothers Grimm and Folktale, pp. 52-65, ed. James
McGlathery.
Report: 1) Jones, Steven. "The Structure of Snow White, H In:
Fairv Tales and Societv, pp. 165-86, ed. Ruth B.
Bottigheimer
MOVIE: Disney's Snow White
MidTerm Exam due

III. Critical Readings and Modern Transformations


2/14 The Image of Women in Folktales

1. Brier Rose (Grimm #50)
2. Rapunzel (Grimm #12)
3. Bottigheimer, Ruth. Grimms' Bad Girls and Bold Boys, pp.
24- 50, 101-122.
Report: 1) Tatar, Maria. "Beauties vs. Beasts in the Grimms'
Nursery and Household Tales," In: The Brothers
Grimm and Folktale, pp. 133-45
2) Tatar, Maria. "From Nags to Witches: Stepmothers
and Other Ogres," and "Getting Even," In: The
Hard Facts of the Grimm's Fairy Tales, pp. 137-
55,179-192.

2/17 Women's Speech, Behavior and Punishments

1. The Virgin Mary's Child (Grimm #3)
2. Brother Lustig (Grimm #81)
3. The Maiden Without Hands (Grimm #31)
4. Bottigheimer, Ruth. Grimms' Bad Girls and Bold Bovs, pp.
51-100, 167-72.
Report: 1)Tatar, Maria. "Daughters of Eve:Fairy-Tale
Heroines and Their Seven Sins, H In: Off With
Their Heads, pp.94-119.

2/19 Feminist Readings

1.Liebermann, Marcia. "Some Day My Prince Will Come: Female
Acculturation through the Fairy Tale," In: Don't Bet on
the Prince, pp. 185-200.
2.Rowe, Karen. "Feminism and Fairy Tales," In: Don't Bet, pp.
209-226.
Report: 1) "The Misuses of Enchantment: Controversies on the
Significance of Fairy Tales," In: Women's
Folklore, Women's Culture, pp. 125- 45,ed. Susan
Kalcik and Rosan Jordan

2/21 Feminist and Poetic Transformations

1. Desy, Jeanne. "The Princess Who Stood on Her Own Two
Feet," In: Don't Bet, pp. 39-47.
2. Atwood, Margaret. "Bluebeard's Egg," In:Don't Bet, pp.
160- 182.
3.Sexton, Anne. Transformations, pp. 3-10, 53-58, 73-80,
107-112.
Paper #2: Write a two-page review of one of these tales or poems, using some of the feminist arguments from 2/19.

2/24 Contemporary American Fairy Tales
1. Yolen, Jane. Briar Rose.
Report: 1) Zipes, Jack. "The Contemporary American Fairy
Tale," In: Fairy Tales as Myth/Myth as Fairv Tale, pp.
139- 161.

2/26 Commercial Adaptations

* 1. Adorno, Theodor. "The Culture Industry Revisited," In:
Critical Theory and Society, pp. 128-35
2. Zipes, Jack. "The Instrumentalization of Fantasy: Fairy
Tales, the Culture Industry and Mass Media," In: Breaking
the Magic Spell, pp. 93-128.
Report: 1) Yolen, Jane. "America's Cinderella," In:
Cinderella: A Case Book, pp. 294-306, ed. Alan
Dundes; Hearne, Betsy. "Booking the Brothers
Grimm: Art, Adaptations, and Economics," In:
The Brothers Grimm and Folktale, pp. 220-233.

2/28 Filmic Transformations: Disney Adaptations of Folktales

* 1. Stone, Kay. "Things Walt Disney Never Told Us," In:
Journal of American Folklore 88 (1975):42-50
* 2. Zipes, Jack. "Breaking the Disney Spell," In: Fairy Tale
as Mvth, pp. 72-95.
VIDEO: Disney's Cinderella
Paper #3: Compare a Disney film with its textual source
3/3 Contemporary Storytelling 1
1. Zipes, Jack. Creative Storytelling: Building Community,
Changing Lives, pp. 1-136

3/5 Contemporary Storytelling 2

FIELD TRIP with Guest Speaker: Jack Zipes, University of Minnesota
RECEPTION for Jack Zipes at Professor Stein's hou
3/7 No class at regular time
EVENING FIELD TRIP: Seward Cafe, Minneapolis
3/10 Group Presentations of Computer-based Annotations
3/12 Group Presentations of Computer-based Annotations