ipl-logo

What Is An Accurate Version Of The Book

1343 Words6 Pages

It is true that the contribution of the Brothers Grimm’s traditional tales to German and World literature is significant. One of the firm part of the folk tale collections is Hansel and Gretel that had several editions between 1812 and 1857. Throughout the text, there are few important modifications that were made to the initial version of the tale that should be highlighted. The size of the folk tale had doubled by adding more descriptions and evaluations of characters and the biological mother substituted by the stepmother. Although the first version of the “Hansel and Gretel” is simple and easy to read, the final edition of the fairy tale reveals characters more rationally based, deeply and thoroughly, so that it became more dramatic and …show more content…

The 1812 version of the tale affirms: “However, God let Gretel know this, so she said, "I don't know how to do that. First show me. You sit on the board, and I will push you inside", whereas 1857 version states: “But Gretel saw what she had in mind, so she said, "I don't know how to do that. How can I get inside?" Therefore, it can be suggested that in the early edition, Gretel needs a spiritual guidance and receiving a help from God to fight with the evil. However, in the last edition, the girl can be concerned as an independent thinker and an individual. This is probably since Grimm’s brothers wanted to have more influence on readers by showing the cleverness of the child. If Hansel was a leader and a hero throughout the tale, Gretel is a person that put an end to the pains of characters. Furthermore, the last edition consists of the part where a white duck carries them across the lake. Again, Gretel is shown as brighter than that of the Gretel in the old version. When Hansel wanted Gretel to sit next to him she replied: “No, that would be too heavy for the duckling. It should take us across one at a time." This also shows that she cares and considers the abilities of others. It can be noticed that, Gretel is wiser and cleverer in the final version than that of the primary one. This can be depended on the authors’ emphasizing of the gender role, …show more content…

The character of the stepmother frequently occurs in the folk tales and are associated with evil and cruelty. The reason for such transformation might be the fact that the birth mother intuitively should not force to suffer her own child. Even though the action of the stepmother is morally unethical, this is not as cruel as the mother’s one. The personages of the stepmother in the final version and the mother in the first version are both villains. In addition, the witch who wanted to eat children is also a representative of the evil. It can be noticed that in the 1857 edition, both the stepmother and the witch use the same phrases and sayings unlike in the first edition. For example, at the beginning of the adventure, the stepmother wakes children by saying: “Get up, you lazybones. We are going into the woods to fetch wood.” Similarly, the witch later wakes them and cries: “Get up, lazybones! Fetch water and cook something good for your brother.” It can be assumed that the stepmother and the witch are metaphorically the same person. Either stepmother or the witch are hypocrites, because both want to appear friendly despite of their willingness to destroy children. The stepmother wants to eradicate Gretel and Hansel from her life by leaving them in the woods, whereas another evil, witch, is a predator who wants to eat them. According to Tatar, there

Show More
Related
864 Words | 4 Pages

The art of falsehood is a constant, reoccurring theme in this novel. In chapter three of Gardner’s novel, readers are introduced to the Shaper; whose songs about life and history cause Grendel to question everything he had ever believed to be true. In this chapter the Shaper tells of the Danish history, including songs about Scyld Shefing the founder of the Danish line. The Shaper sung of greatness and heroism and even to those who witnessed the

Read More
983 Words | 4 Pages

This, according to Nelson changes in the film Cinderella. In Cinderella, the evil stepmother starts to bring forth a more externalized version of evil. Nelson writes “Rather than embellishing the villainy of the principal antagonist, as was the case in Snow White, Disney chooses to soften the Perrault original” (Nelson, 99). While arguing this, Nelson also argues that the use of evil side-kicks helps to

Read More
576 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout John Garder’s novel and the poem Beowolf the reader can tell that Grendel is a complex character that does not relate much to anyone else in the novel or the poem. Grendel in Garder’s novel is also different compared to the Grendel in the poem Beowolf by many different standards. Grendel in Garder’s novel is more a complicated character then the Grendel in Beowolf because the novel is set in first person point of view, the reader can have a deeper understanding of Grendel in the novel, and there is more modern philosophy in Grendel the novel. The novel Grendel is all written in first person which gives a deeper understanding of how Grendel interprets what is happening and how he reacts too many of the conflicts that happen to him.

Read More
817 Words | 4 Pages

This is due to the fact that we, the audience, are reading the novel from the point of view of Grendel, so we see this new perspective of the characters. This means all the character roles are switched around since the story is told from a morally ambiguous character himself. So with that, we must decide what role this woman plays, “good” or “bad”, because she is the one who raised Grendel into what he is.

Read More
408 Words | 2 Pages

Once again employing the “childish” tactics expressed by her strategic title, she states throughout her story that the mother continually reads from a fairytale book, given to them by the “wicked witch,” to her

Read More
503 Words | 3 Pages

Grendel has changed from a impressionable and inquisitive cynical monster in the beginning, to a grieving child of Cain, longing for purpose. From this, he then transitions into a very aggressive monster, attacking ruthlessly but not without thought. After Grendel meets Beowulf, another character that his once again influenced his thought killing him, he slowly dies and finally understands everything he’s gone through. His last lines “Poor Grendel's had an accident," (He) whispers. " So may you all.”

Read More
817 Words | 4 Pages

Complexity was added to Grendel’s character in the film due to the fact that, in Beowulf, the writer uses simplistic duality throughout the epic poem. The film modifies the simplistic duality used in the epic poem by adding a backstory to Grendel’s character. Instead of being seen as a monster committing senseless murders, he can be seen as compassionate, caring, and knowledgeable of his actions. The film shows his compassionate and caring side through his connection to the witch. In the film, the viewer can see that Grendel protects the witch from people who try to hurt her,

Read More
349 Words | 2 Pages

With the loss of his father, Grendel can be seen as a very childish character in the film. However, in the epic the reader is really given no information on how Grendel behaves

Read More
261 Words | 2 Pages

Hansel and Gretel have absolutely no motive in attacking Mrs, Crueller. They are barely surviving on their own, why would they go out of their way to hurt a total stranger? Mrs. Crueller’s false side of the story just doesn't

Read More
922 Words | 4 Pages

Elisabeth Panttaja uses her article, “Cinderella: Not So Morally Superior,” in order to demonstrate that Cinderella is not the moral hero she is made out to be in modern versions of the ancient fairy tale. She accredits the majority of Cinderella’s triumphs to her recently dead mother in the form of supernatural gifts and assistance rather than Cinderella’s perseverance against a cruel step-family showing how she is craftier, willing to employ powerful magic to defeat the forces arrayed against her. Her argument is somewhat successful in dismantling the moral high ground built around modern day Cinderella, but Panttaja tends to interpret information to only support her argument and does not add in any

Read More
790 Words | 4 Pages

Cinderella’s stepmother constantly gives her stepdaughter hard work to do, but Cinderella perseveres, which fuels her determination to attend the ball and become the prince’s bride. Although the task is unreasonable, for Cinderella’s embarrassment and suffering only, Cinderella does not give up. Her menial task only pushes Cinderella to want her opportunity to be with the prince more, proving her determination and the benefit of being allowed to go with her stepsisters, shown by, “Then you may go with us”. Cinderella is tired of the life she lives and desperately wants a new one. This is why the benefit of being able to attend the festival makes Cinderella determined to clean up her stepmother’s

Read More
1880 Words | 8 Pages

Similarly, Disney’s Cinderella presents a cruel and ambitious stepmother who attempts to arrange marriages for her ugly, foolish, and somewhat comical daughters. In the film, we see their miserable attempt to sing opera, (supposedly in order to appear more feminine) as the mother proudly oversees. In one of the last scenes, she desperately urges them to make the glass slipper fit, and while she doesn’t downright tell them to cut off their toes or heels as in the original (Grimm 119), the comic scene in itself seems to have a subtle layer of tragedy. While these examples prove that female ugliness in fairy tales and their adaptations corresponds to wickedness, and the latter is equivalent to ill-temper, the question of female independence still

Read More
753 Words | 4 Pages

(145). In many ways the witch is similar to the children’s mother in terms of her greediness and want to benefit herself. The mother deserts the children so she can no longer starve, and in doing this shows no grief, while the witch plans to eat the children and in preparing for this also fails to show angst. Temptation, in all three stories has a negative connotation attached to

Read More
973 Words | 4 Pages

Imagine, you have a dream of a better, new life. You pursue that dream; but the only way of accomplishing that is going to a different country. When you get to that country, you decide to continue to speak only English in, perhaps, in a country that only speaks Portuguese. You have strong beliefs that your life is so much better now; but it is now a nuisance that you cannot speak the country’s native language. It is clear to see in the United States, especially Colorado, that this is an actual issue that almost everyone has to deal with on a daily basis.

Read More
752 Words | 4 Pages

Grendel in both stories is described as a vicious "Monster", but is viewed differently. The character of Grendel, in the novel by John Gardner, portrays a different visualization than that of Grendel in the epic poem Beowulf. In the novel the story is told in first person point of view which gives Grendel human qualities while Grendel in Beowulf is told in third person point of view not giving Grendel his standpoint. In both works, the authors give two different perspectives of Grendel. Grendel in the novel is not seen as a "Monster", but as a human that has emotions and is very sympathetic about everything that comes his way.

Read More

More about What Is An Accurate Version Of The Book

Related Topics

Open Document