An Analysis of Rapunzel by the Grimm Brothers (original) (raw)

Today’s well-known fairy tales date back to the 19th century. At the beginning, they were both for adults and children but nowadays fairy tales are written for children only. These tales have had an important role in societies; storytelling has helped communities form common moral codes and values. These morals and values were based on traditional gender roles developed under patriarchy which were passed on down generations through fairy tales and other means of social elements. The characters in tales represents these traditional roles and they have shaped people’s understanding of their place in the society. Thus, all fairy tales are problematic in terms of gender relations because they promote patriarchal values from which only cisgender heterosexual males gain benefits. Grimms’ Rapunzel, for instance, is only one of the examples. It is one of the most popular tale parents tell their children. However, from a gender perspective, it is binary, has corrupted power relations, and do not depict genders in any way equal.