Episódios
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Discover the origin story to one of the greatest animated characters Dreamworks ever created!
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(The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm (Norton Critical Editions))
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The Little Mermaid finds her legs to walk with the Prince...but will they be enough?
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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The Little Mermaid finds the courage to ask the sea witch for a favor...which will cost her dearly.
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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Did you know how difficult it really was for the little mermaid to transform? Did you know that this really isn't a happily-ever-after story?
Well, settle in, folks because this story is a doozy. Stay tuned for part 2 next week.
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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Bluebeard is one of the most horrific tale types in the fairy tale world. While it does have a happy ending for the final wife, there were many before that suffered his murderous character.
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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This adaptation of Snow White by Anne Sexton is a modern free-form poem that highlights the major issues within the context of the original. From the obsession with beauty to its never-ending cycle of judgment, this poem will show you a new side of the Evil Queen and Snow White.
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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Surprisingly, the original version of Hansel & Gretel had nothing to do with breadcrumbs. It does feature some serious murder, beheading, and some pretty biblical references.
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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We all know the tale of Cinderella...tortured by her horrible step-family, waiting for Prince Charming to fulfill her happy ending. Earlier versions, however, featured a Cinderella much more willing to take charge of her life; running away into the unknown to find herself a new life.
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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This is the story we all think we know thanks to Disney. Yet there's so much more to this tale. Tune in to discover the OG Beauty and the Beast as it was originally told.
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Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
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Peruonto was penned by Giambattista Basile in Neapolitan. The lazy boy archetype is in full force in this tale, as well as the awful mother trope. Join me as we explore this classic, funny, and largely untold fairy tale.
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The theme of this tale falls into a category known as 'The Lazy Boy.' It is an unfortunately labeled theme as, most often, the boy in question is not actually lazy but kind and caring, yet dim-witted, bordering on stupid. Though our title character, Peruonto, is far from intelligent, he is a very sweet boy, and his compassion is rewarded handsomely by forest fairies.
This story was penned by a man named Giambattista Basile in Neopolitan. I'm sure you will notice there are elements to this story based on idioms that would be entirely amusing in their native tongue. Unfortunately, though don't quite turn out as funny or relatable as it should, I promise you, this does not interfere with the integrity of the story or our ability to enjoy it.
For this reason, Basile did not gain as much notoriety as Charles Perrault or the Grimms Brothers. During translations of Basile, no one could quite capture the essence of his stories which are equally absurd, vulgar, foul, beautiful, and always entertaining.
Famed fairy tale expert, Jack Zipes, calls Basile the "most talented and innovative of all the fairy-tale writers in Europe through the present day."
Let's find out why, shall we?
I mean, who knows anyone that likes raisins that much? I suppose If I were stuck in a barrel afloat at sea, I would chow down on some raisins, too. But seriously, if the King didn't have counselors, they would have all been dead long before raisins could become currency.
The King - thankfully - seems incapable of making a decision without the help of his counselors, who test his patience with their suggestions of inactivity. And what an unpaternal father the King was, even saying he felt cuckolded while acting like a spurned lover over his daughter's mysterious pregnancy.
This story is filled with genuinely unadulterated human undertones that simply don't make the cut in the Grimms collections. From the onset, we're meant to perceive Peruonto as a fool barely able to be trusted to fetch wood, yet he does have the wherewithal to build a shelter for strangers simply because they were in need.
We see him grow and transform from essentially the village idiot that children throw broccoli and lemons into a much higher, grander social plane and finally into a handsome, well-behaved prince, all because he was kind to strangers.
Every girl's dream, really...except the having twins without getting laid part.
The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm (Norton Critical Editions)
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Or rather the OG Little Red Riding Hood. The origins of this tale are surprisingly different than the version I'm sure you're aware of...you know, the one where it's all Red's fault and she must be saved.
Here, you'll find a true heroine.
Here, I hope to change your perception of the LRRH.
Because she deserves better.
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Did you know that the original LRRH was seductive, creative, the heroine and savior of her own fate?
A trickster figure deserving of the halls of Loki, Odysseus and Br’er Rabbit. She did not ask to be twisted into the cautionary feminine literary tale that warns little girls against hungry wolves and predatory men.
The Story of Grandmother is one of the earliest known versions of the tale and features a much different LRRH than we've known. Gone is the little girl wandered astray with tones of weakness, indiscretion, guilt, and not so subtle 'asking for it vibes'. In this classic oral version of the tale, whose origin dates back to 1400, was later recorded by Paul Delarue in 1885, features a very racy tale meant to entertain all ages, and not simply teach little girls a lesson.
I can just picture this tale delighting drunkards in a tavern as she strips off her clothing piece by piece Inanna style as they cheer on her shrewd resourcefulness to escape the clutches of a werewolf.
This story is about a witty heroine who liberates herself using her mind, body, and bodily functions. You may also notice that there are no references to the color red in this story. Her red hood, or cap were later additions weighted with Christian values where red was the color of sexuality, sin, and the devil.
“Surreal violence of the original was converted into a frightening punishment for a relatively mild infraction.” -Maria Tatar
I'd be willing to bet you've never heard that one before. It's vulgar, isn't it? There's cannabilism, the casual acceptance of someone pooping in the bed while they're still in it, and a bit of a strip tease. Three things you wouldn't normally associate with one another, but, hey, it was a very different time.
BUT as you can probably see, that version of the story did not conform to the lessons and morals Charles Perault or the Grimms' used to indoctrinate...I mean, interpret the tale for their later versions. There are plenty of versions of Little Red Riding Hood, and the Story of Grandmother is only my second favorite...stick around to listen to my favorite version of the tale.
Tatar, Maria ed. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.
