In the fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel” written by the Brothers Grimm, a poor woodcutter is unable to provide adequately for his family because of a famine. As the last of their food dwindles, his wife comes up with a plan to send his two children, Hansel and Gretel, deep into the forest to die to decrease the number of mouths to feed. Although the father initially resists his wife’s demand, she does not stop berating him until he eventually submits and allows his children to be led into the woods to perish. The children find their way back home to the relief of the father, but the wife forces her husband to send them into the forest again, even deeper this time. Unable to find their way back, the children stumble upon a house made of candy where an evil witch resides. The witch tries to fatten up and eat Hansel, but fortunately his sister Gretel is able to kill the witch, saving herself and her brother. The two then find their way back home to their father’s open arms, finding that his …show more content…
A reader might initially feel sympathy for the father and absolve him of his responsibility since he feels bad about being forced to send his children into the forest and is happy when they return home. However, no amount of sympathy for his children could counteract the fact that he agrees, not once but twice, to allow Hansel and Gretel to die a cruel death of starvation. The father knows his actions are immoral seeing as he originally refuses his wife’s request. But even though he is undoubtedly upset by the prospect of letting his children die, he gives into the plan anyway -- thus illustrating his culpability in their attempted murder. The father’s villainy seems to beg the question: How is it that a seemingly normal and loving father is able to commit such an a horrendous act towards his