Society Influences the Grimm Fairy Tales
_Society
has always had a great influence on many things, from music, to
movies, and even fairy tales. More specifically, society has
influenced the Grimm fairy tales. Today, the original Grimms' tales
would be considered dark, gruesome, and something to keep children
far, far away from. Because of this, society wanted a change in what
their children were hearing. The tales changed and became as we know them today. Disney is responsible, in part, for the innocent
versions that today's early generations have experienced. It all
began with the Grimm brothers' journey across Germany to study
linguistics; from here, society's influence starts with the creation
of the tales.
The Grimm brothers are well-known story-tellers. Most of those who have seen the classic Disney movies like Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs have experienced an innocent version of the gruesome and dark tales that are the Grimm fairy-tales. In the beginning of their journey, the brothers had no intention of becoming story-tellers. The article “Grimms' Fairy Tales” states that the brothers found that the best way to allow someone to share the sounds of their dialect was to share the stories that had been passed down to them; the brothers kept a record of the stories they heard and had a book published in 1812 called Kinder und Hausmarchen, which translates to “Tales of Children and the Home”. Fairy tales during the brothers' time didn't have the same purpose as the ones today do. Bayer explains that during the Grimms' time, fairy tales were told to teach lessons and to pass on cultural values and wisdom to younger generations, not to entertain them. Because the purpose of these tales wasn't to entertain, the story-tellers weren't concerned about frightening their younger audiences (“Grimms' Fairy Tales”). Norton states that the tales were told around the fire to children and adults alike. Norton also tells us that, because these stories were dark and provocative, society decided that the nature of the tales had to change. Society had to protect their children from the gruesome nature of the Grimm fairy tales.
Society may take the bulk of the blame for the changing tales, but, in the beginning, it was the brothers who began that change. The brothers, before publishing their first collection, censored the gruesome stories to better accommodate the beliefs of their time (“Grimms' Fairy Tales”). Norton says that society began to pay closer attention to the graphic tales when they had moved from the fire-side and into the nurseries. These tales were dark and contained a lot of violence, sexual undertones, and deception, according to “Grimms' Fairy Tales”. Mothers didn't want their children, especially the younger ones, exposed to stories that inspired violence. Abler explains that as society revised the tales time and time again, the sexual undertones and violence against the innocent left, while the violence against wrongdoers stayed and lessons of Christian morality were put into place. According to “Grimms' Fairy Tales,” English adaptations of the tales tried to make them innocent entertainment for children. Norton explains that these changing tales are forms of education, social regulation, and even mirrors of society. As these stories evolve, they are telling us about ourselves and our changing society. Abler explains that today's fairy tales suggest that the biblical values of Western society have been replaced by concepts of independence and morality. In this shift of morality, the deeper meanings and lessons of some of the earlier versions of the stories are quite often forgotten (Abler). One of the most popular names for children's movies remains a prime example of society's influence on the Grimms' tales.
Walt Disney, a name known to many, has created several films loved by most who watch them. Disney knew his audience when he considered revising the dark nature of the Grimm tales; the people of America had not only been through a world war, but had also suffered from an economic depression – all in one generation. Abler tells us that Disney knew to soften the social and political messages these stories contained; he also know to tweak the stories to enhance their entertainment value. In trying to heighten America's spirits, Abler explains that Disney created Snow White and the Seven Drawfs, spending almost 1.5 million dollars. Being in the midst of the Great Depression, this was an immense amount of money. Fortunately, Disney's economic risk turned out to be a huge success; people went without necessities to buy eighty-three minutes of escape (Abler). Disney simplified the Grimm tale by changing the dynamics of a mother-daughter rivalry to a much simpler moral lesson against vanity, according to Abler. In his revisions of these stories, Disney changed the norm for fairy tales; the hero or heroine received a happy ending, while the villain was disposed of by consequence of their own actions to preserve the innocence of the main character (Abler). Disney's revisions avoid the unpleasant realities that other tales hadn't bothered to avoid; the paying public, however, was quite content with the sunny revisions that Disney offered (Abler). As the world began to evolve into a more independent place, so did the fairy tales. Abler says that the tales began to show trends of people not looking to higher authority for guidance, but trying to find answers within themselves. Though we can try to blame Disney for how fairy tales are known today, we can't. Disney only responded to the people. Society asked for a change and that's exactly what they received.
Change, though sometimes unnecessary, was what was asked for by society. The original tales gathered by the Grimm brothers proved to be too dark and depressing for children. Though the audience was supposed to be varied, society regulated the tales by softening the morals and removing the violence. The regulation went even further with the innocent, modern Disney versions of some of the tales. Change is inevitable, and fairy tales are no exception. They will change as society changes. Society will just have to wait and see what the future holds in the way of fairy tales.
The Grimm brothers are well-known story-tellers. Most of those who have seen the classic Disney movies like Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs have experienced an innocent version of the gruesome and dark tales that are the Grimm fairy-tales. In the beginning of their journey, the brothers had no intention of becoming story-tellers. The article “Grimms' Fairy Tales” states that the brothers found that the best way to allow someone to share the sounds of their dialect was to share the stories that had been passed down to them; the brothers kept a record of the stories they heard and had a book published in 1812 called Kinder und Hausmarchen, which translates to “Tales of Children and the Home”. Fairy tales during the brothers' time didn't have the same purpose as the ones today do. Bayer explains that during the Grimms' time, fairy tales were told to teach lessons and to pass on cultural values and wisdom to younger generations, not to entertain them. Because the purpose of these tales wasn't to entertain, the story-tellers weren't concerned about frightening their younger audiences (“Grimms' Fairy Tales”). Norton states that the tales were told around the fire to children and adults alike. Norton also tells us that, because these stories were dark and provocative, society decided that the nature of the tales had to change. Society had to protect their children from the gruesome nature of the Grimm fairy tales.
Society may take the bulk of the blame for the changing tales, but, in the beginning, it was the brothers who began that change. The brothers, before publishing their first collection, censored the gruesome stories to better accommodate the beliefs of their time (“Grimms' Fairy Tales”). Norton says that society began to pay closer attention to the graphic tales when they had moved from the fire-side and into the nurseries. These tales were dark and contained a lot of violence, sexual undertones, and deception, according to “Grimms' Fairy Tales”. Mothers didn't want their children, especially the younger ones, exposed to stories that inspired violence. Abler explains that as society revised the tales time and time again, the sexual undertones and violence against the innocent left, while the violence against wrongdoers stayed and lessons of Christian morality were put into place. According to “Grimms' Fairy Tales,” English adaptations of the tales tried to make them innocent entertainment for children. Norton explains that these changing tales are forms of education, social regulation, and even mirrors of society. As these stories evolve, they are telling us about ourselves and our changing society. Abler explains that today's fairy tales suggest that the biblical values of Western society have been replaced by concepts of independence and morality. In this shift of morality, the deeper meanings and lessons of some of the earlier versions of the stories are quite often forgotten (Abler). One of the most popular names for children's movies remains a prime example of society's influence on the Grimms' tales.
Walt Disney, a name known to many, has created several films loved by most who watch them. Disney knew his audience when he considered revising the dark nature of the Grimm tales; the people of America had not only been through a world war, but had also suffered from an economic depression – all in one generation. Abler tells us that Disney knew to soften the social and political messages these stories contained; he also know to tweak the stories to enhance their entertainment value. In trying to heighten America's spirits, Abler explains that Disney created Snow White and the Seven Drawfs, spending almost 1.5 million dollars. Being in the midst of the Great Depression, this was an immense amount of money. Fortunately, Disney's economic risk turned out to be a huge success; people went without necessities to buy eighty-three minutes of escape (Abler). Disney simplified the Grimm tale by changing the dynamics of a mother-daughter rivalry to a much simpler moral lesson against vanity, according to Abler. In his revisions of these stories, Disney changed the norm for fairy tales; the hero or heroine received a happy ending, while the villain was disposed of by consequence of their own actions to preserve the innocence of the main character (Abler). Disney's revisions avoid the unpleasant realities that other tales hadn't bothered to avoid; the paying public, however, was quite content with the sunny revisions that Disney offered (Abler). As the world began to evolve into a more independent place, so did the fairy tales. Abler says that the tales began to show trends of people not looking to higher authority for guidance, but trying to find answers within themselves. Though we can try to blame Disney for how fairy tales are known today, we can't. Disney only responded to the people. Society asked for a change and that's exactly what they received.
Change, though sometimes unnecessary, was what was asked for by society. The original tales gathered by the Grimm brothers proved to be too dark and depressing for children. Though the audience was supposed to be varied, society regulated the tales by softening the morals and removing the violence. The regulation went even further with the innocent, modern Disney versions of some of the tales. Change is inevitable, and fairy tales are no exception. They will change as society changes. Society will just have to wait and see what the future holds in the way of fairy tales.
Works Cited
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- Abler, Alice. "The Moral of the Story." Vision (2008). Vision. Vision.org, Mar.-Apr. 2008. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. <http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/article.aspx?id=153>.
- Bayer, Lindsay. "The Grimm Brothers' Influence on Literature | EHow.com." EHow. EHow.com, 28 July 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/info_10004914_grimm-brothers-influence-literature.html>.
- "Grimms’ Fairy Tales - Candlelight Stories." Candlelight Stories - Fiction, Movies, Games, Audio, Books and News for All Ages. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. <http://www.candlelightstories.com/storybooks/grimms-fairy-tales/>.
- "Norton Publishes Classic Fairy Tales, Unsanitized; a Willa Cather Draft Reveals a Meta-Novel." The Chronicle of Higher Education 49.06 (2002). Gale Biography In Context. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.
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“If you
want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy
tales.
If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
– Albert Einstein
If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
– Albert Einstein