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Author
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Comment
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Zack
Registered User
(1/4/04 1:19 pm)
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Revisionist literature
Hi,
I have to prepare a lesson about revisionist literature in English. I'm thinking of making use of Margaret Atwood's rewrites of fairy tales, particularly novels. Could someone tell me which one would be the most appropriate?
Thanks,
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Terri
Registered User
(1/6/04 9:23 am)
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Re: Revisionist literature
Though Margaret Atwood certainly makes fascinating use of fairy tale themes in her work, I don't think of her as a "revisionist" in the sense of altering the tales themselves or altering the ways we read them -- as writers like Angela Carter and Emma Donoghue do, for example. But perhaps I'm wrong about this? I'm interested to hear other opinions.
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janeyolen
Registered User
(1/7/04 7:37 am)
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Re: Revisionist literature
I am with you, Terri. Carter, Donohue, Vivian Vande Velde, Gail Carson, the fairy tale novels you have edited, my stories (especially as seen in SISTER EMILY'S LIGHTSHIP), the fairy tale story collections you edited--all seem to strike me immediately as better fodder than Atwood for revisionist literature.
But then I am not fond of Atwood's prose and, after teaching with her, the woman herself.
Jane
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wrightales
Registered User
(1/7/04 10:26 am)
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Re: Revisionist literature
The Sevenwaters trilogy by Juliet Marillier (starting with Daughter of the Forest) would be a good choice, too.
Though I would have to say, the most revisionist of all is the infamous Disney.
Lisa
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Zack
(1/7/04 9:00 pm)
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Anne Sexton
Thank you all. I think Atwood isn't perhaps revisionist as far as fairy tales are concerned. She also uses elements from other sources, such as science fiction and the Bible.
What do you think about Anne Sexton in poetry?
Zack
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Zack
(1/7/04 9:06 pm)
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Angela Carter
By the way, what book(s) by Angela Carter would you suggest?
Zack
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Helen
Registered User
(1/7/04 10:12 pm)
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Re: Angela Carter
I think that this discussion hits upon an important difference between two types of approaches to ... updating... fairy tales, for lack of a better word: that between authors who retell fairy tales, modernizing their details, perhaps adding bits and pieces of information that lend depth to the originals, and those who revise them, who approach the stories in ways that completely reimagine the events of the originals.
Atwood's "Bluebeard's Egg," in the collection of the same title, is a very good example of the former - while she sets her version in a contemporary landscape, the conception itself is close to the original. She adds unexpected depth in the obvious unreliability of the narrater, but there remains a lingering sense that her Sally (could be getting the name wrong here, as it's been a while since I've read it, and it represents one of those inexplicable gaps in my collection that ought soon to be rectified) is detecting an honest possibility of betrayal in her spouse's actions.
Carter, and Donoghue, and Sexton, and all of the other marvelous authors listed above do *more* than that ... they reinvent the stories in ways that make you wonder how you could ever have missed the one-sided tellings of the tales, the potential that they have for alternate perspectives and unexpected motivations. In Carter's case, rather than recommending a single novel, personally speaking, I'd go with her marvelous collection _The Bloody Chamber_, and from that collection I'd have to say that my personal favorites would be the titular story, "The Tiger's Bride," and "The Company of Wolves." I'd also strongly recommend Donoghue's _Kissing the Witch_ in its entirety (it's a wonderful, near-seamless example of the internal continuity of the fairy tale tradition, and yet, despite that, I'd see how any of the tales could be taught seperately). Sexton's wonderful: in her case I'd ask which age group you're planning for, as I would with some of the stunning pieces from Jane and Terri's collections ("Allerleirauh," which you can find in _Sister Emily's Lightship_, and "Masterpiece," in _Ruby Slippers, Golden Tear's_, are two examples: this is not to say that there aren't wonderful tales in both which are appropriate for all ages, those just happen to be two of my personal choices as being exceptionally powerful, which happen to contain adult themes).
And, previously unmentioned in this thread, but on my mind because of the one concerning LRRH, I'd also say that you might want to take a look at Tanith Lee's work, and particularly at her collection of tales, _Red as Blood: Tales from the Sisters Grimmer_, as well as her gorgeous (and disturbing) novel from the Fairy Tale series, _White as Snow_.
*pant*
All I can think of for the moment ...
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janeyolen
Registered User
(1/8/04 6:40 am)
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Re: Tanith Lee
How COULD I have forgotten Lee, whose wonderfulo OTT corruscating prose absolutely enfolds the reader.
Jane
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swood
Registered User
(1/8/04 8:38 am)
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Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue
When I think "revisionist fairytales" I immediately think of Emma Donoghue's KISSING THE WITCH, which explores lesbian implications of the relationships between female characters in fairytales. Each story works on its own, if you need a short example, but the book is woven together in a way that suggests the sexual awakening of one individual.
Also, I hated it, but you might like Donald Barthelme's SNOW WHITE, which has a late-sixties, lit-crit thing happening, with psychotropic drugs and revolutionaries.
Zack, are you in high school or college?
Sarah
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Nalo
Registered User
(1/8/04 12:35 pm)
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Re: Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue
I saw in Toronto a play made from _Kissing the Witch,_ acted by three women as witches. Some of it was ironic, some farcical, but what I remember most strongly is the final scene, in which the witches tenderly pass a kiss from mouth to mouth amongst them. I think that Donoghue is living in Canada now?
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RymRytr1
Registered User
(1/8/04 12:42 pm)
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Re: Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue
I'm sure my opinion is out-modded, one-sided and small-minded, but...
I can't see anyone re-painting the Mona Lisa into a
modern construction. I despise the re-make of a classic
black and white movies and the "modernization" of a
classic movie (black and white or not) into something
containing kissing akin to trying to suck 8 layers of
cosmetics of the face of the other person.
When it comes to Books, I old them in such respect
that I'd rather see something happen to a dozen humans
than to one ancient and irreplaceable manuscript lost.
Re-writing is offensive to me, but using the same story
plot and/or individuals to create something new is
acceptable.
Anyhow, don't lynch me! I'm just a seriously opinionated
old curmudgeon; a mis-placed member of Grumpy-old-Men part III;
askance, askew and 2 degrees off Plumb.
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Zack
(1/10/04 12:56 pm)
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Angela Carter
Thank you all again. Helen, I think the distinction you've made (and which underlies most of the comments) sheds some new light on the issue. I'm an undergraduate student, so that's the intended audience. But I think I'll stick to Carter's The Bloody Chamber and Sexton's poetry.
Thanks,
Zack
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Zack
(1/11/04 7:36 am)
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Revisionist literature again
According to your comments, I can guess that Margaret Atwood's literature couldn't be considered revisionist. But then revisionist literature isn't to do with fairy tales only. Am I right? I've heard about another author, Jean Rhys, who does a reworking of Chalotte Brontė's Jane Eyre in Wide Sargasso Sea. Is it revisionist literature? So, how can it be defined? Or where can I find definitions for it? I think Adrienne Rich's On Lies, Secrets and Silences could have the answer, but I'm not sure.
I know this topic strays a little from this site's main subject, but perhaps you can help me (even by suggesting a more general literature discussion forum). Anyway I'll be glad to keep on discussing these issues with you.
Thanks,
Zack
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