The Portrayal of the Maturation Process of Girl Figures in Selected Tales of the Brothers Grimm

by Diann Rusch-Feja

An analysis of the motif of the girl in various stages of maturity ranging from puberty-transition to marriage reveals distinctive cultural, sociological, pedagogical, and psychological dimensions of German and other European fairy and folktales. The portrayal of the heroine in these tales and her particular process of maturation is characterized by the constellation of characters in the initial family situation and her antagonists, as well as her final state at the end of the tale (return to home, marriage, etc.). Textual changes by the Grimm Brothers served to solidify stereotypical aspects of the heroine (as well as those of the negative mother figure) in these tales and also serve to camouflage or even eliminate allusions to incestual relationships and the sexual maturation of the heroine. Tales which portray various aspects of the feminine maturation process correspond to certain puberty rites to prepare girls for marriage and thus depict an important function in the oral tradition.

288 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 1995