Symbolism In Hansl And Gretel And Hansel

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SYMBOLISM IN HANSEL AND GRETEL
A fairy tale is a type of a short fairytale that typically features European folkloric fantasy characters, such as dwarves, elves, witches and usually magic or enchantments . One such fairytale is HANSEL AND GRETEL (German: ' 'Hänsel und Gretel ' '). It was originally written by Giambattista Basile. However, it was later adapted by Brothers Grimm. The fairytale is of German origin and was written for the middle-class readers of the 19th century.
Brothers Grimm 's stories often reflected some of the cultures that existed in those times. Throughout the fairytale, the themes of poverty, fear and helplessness are very prominent. The father constantly fears what is going to happen to his family because they do not have enough to eat. Hansel and Gretel are afraid and they feel helpless when they are lost in the woods and when they are trapped in the witch’s house.
The plot type for Hansel and Gretel seems to be a quest. The fairytale revolves around the children who are trying to find their way back home after being abandoned in the forest by their wicked stepmother. The fairytale is full of interesting symbolism like the forest, the birds, the bread etc. Therefore, the main purpose of this essay is to identify and analyze the symbols used by the author.
The fairytale revolves around two young siblings who are left out in the forest by their parents who can no longer afford to provide for them due to poverty. The children, being unable to