|
Author
|
Comment
|
mariecfowler
Unregistered User
(12/11/05 12:38 pm)
|
Role of male in B&B, Sleeping Beauty, & Snow White
What is the male role in:
Beauty & the Beast, Sleeping Beauty & Snow White?
Also, the expectations of the male in these fairy tales?
There are several opinions of the female roll but not male.
Thanking you sincerely for your imput. . .
mcf
|
midori
snyder
Registered
User
(12/11/05 2:32 pm)
ezSupporter
|
Re: Role of male in B&B, Sleeping Beauty, & Snow Whi
Hmmm...this seems like another one of those homework questions....
Since I expect you know the stories (and you might consider looking at several variants...and check out the numerous articles on Endicott Studio for Mythic Arts
(in the Reading Room) on these narratives for ideas.) I expect you already have some idea, but perhaps aren't sure if they make sense. Why not share with us what you think so far and maybe we can suggest other ways to either support your idea or to reconsider this question...
|
mariecfowler
Unregistered User
(12/11/05 2:41 pm)
|
reply
Thank you for your suggestion. . .
I will let you know what I found on the site you
recommended.
Thank you kindly,
mcf
|
mariecfowler
Unregistered User
(12/11/05 3:02 pm)
|
Men's roll in. . .
I believe I am stuck with no thoughts coming through on my research.
So far some my thoughts on:
Snow White:
The role of the father was subservient to the step-mother.
The dwarves were all men constantly working, telling SW she could stay with them as long as she cleaned, cooked, etc.
The prince was attracted to SW beauty, being in a glass coffin, kissing her. . .
Beauty & The Beast:
The beast is a father-figure.
He has inner beauty, even tho the outside is a "monster."
Reminds me of marriage; a man does not want to feel vulnerable to his emotions, so therefore, he behaves like a beast, when truly inside he is sensitive and kind.
Sleeping Beauty:
The prince is drawn to beauty.
He is tempted to kiss the princess and wake her even though he has to go through the thorn's. Is this something like, temptation "Adam & Eve"?
Sooooo far this is where I am at. . .
Regards,
mcf
|
midori
snyder
Registered
User
(12/11/05 6:15 pm)
ezSupporter
|
Re: Men's role in. . .
not a bad start. I suggest considering the two groups of men separately at first: the fathers and the prospective bridegrooms. Since the stories you have selected are more about a young woman undergoing a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, her relationship to these two groups of men and what they mean to her identity as she changes from daughter to bride is probably important.
So what might be the role of a man in a fairly patriarchial society? If he is an ideal figure (a hero perhaps or a father) shouldn't he be virtuous? brave? a support? one who protects? What happens when they fail to live up to these ideals?
Here it might also be useful to think about marriage for young women too. In the European cultures of these tales, marriage is an exogamous event...this means that young women leave home to become members of their husband's household (unlike sons, who traditionally returned home, bringing their brides into the house.) So think of how difficult a journey that it is...how dangerous it can be. In many folktales about young women, story tellers often evoke this necessary separation by making life at home impossible for the young girl...she is forced to go out into the world and find her new life (and new identity as an adult) out there, at the home of her soon to be husband.
In many of these tales, the fathers are pretty awful. Sometimes weak and ruled by a dark magical stepmother, sometimes foolishly "giving away" a daughter without a thought, sometimes even violent and potentially incestuous.
So why might a storyteller want to create these darker versions of fathers? (and by their negative example what do they say about what "ought" to be the role of the father toward his daughter?) How might the disasterous father be used to create narrative momentum?
Often times in these stories both the young woman and the future groom are struggling to assert their adult identities...both are on a journey. And often, both find themselves in that magical place of the "woods" where they have to struggle to assert themselves. So how does the Beast, and the two Princes reveal what is important in the aspiring man/husband?
Here's my article on Sleeping Beauty
where I talk a lot about this dual relationship between the lovers (and how their identites change as the pair interact). Some of the older versions are pretty interesting.
Here's Terri Windling's article
on Beauty and the Beast and here's Snow White
Edited by: midori snyder at: 12/11/05 6:19 pm
|
mariecfowler
Unregistered User
(12/11/05 6:45 pm)
|
men's role
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for taking your time and sending a response.
I appreciate your thoughts so much.
Regards,
Marie Fowler
Nevada City, CA
|
|
