From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers in Into the Forest

Aug 19, 2015 Margaret rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, fairytale-myth-inspired

A powerful history of Western fairytale storytellers (for the most part, it focuses exclusively on the Western fairytale tradition). The first half traces the history of the storytellers—from French literary tellers like L'Heritier and d'Aulnoy to the Grimm brother's mainly female sources; to how the image of Mother Goose and old women storytellers developed (a combination of goose symbology, Saint Anne, the sibyls, and the social attitude toward older women). The second half examines specific t A powerful history of Western fairytale storytellers (for the most part, it focuses exclusively on the Western fairytale tradition). The first half traces the history of the storytellers—from French literary tellers like L'Heritier and d'Aulnoy to the Grimm brother's mainly female sources; to how the image of Mother Goose and old women storytellers developed (a combination of goose symbology, Saint Anne, the sibyls, and the social attitude toward older women). The second half examines specific tales within their historical context, and what those tales would’ve meant to the tellers and listeners. For instance, Bluebeard tales (which have women marrying a rich stranger and discovering in a secret room that he’s been murdering his past wives) reflect the historical reality of an early death due to childbirth (in 1800, the average lifespan for a woman in Burgundy was 25!!!). Many widowers remarried, and their past wives would of course been a source of fear for the new bride, and the marriage bed threatening. Bluebeard tales serve as both warning and catharsis for teller and listener.

In her conclusion, she gives both a warning and a call to action for current fairytale tellers and researchers, saying:

"as individual women's voices have become absorbed into the corporate body of male-dominated decision-makers, the misogyny present in many fairy stories--the wicked stepmothers, bad fairies, ogresses, spoiled princesses, ugly sisters and so forth--has lost its connections to the particular web of tensions in which women were enmeshed and come to look dangerously like the way things are. The historical context of the stories has been sheared away, and figures like the wicked stepmother have grown into archetypes of the human psyche, hallowed, inevitable symbols, while figures like the Beast bridegroom have been granted even more positive status . . . The danger of women has become more and more part of the story, and correspondingly, the danger of men has receded: Cinderella's and Snow White's wicked stepmothers teach children to face life's little difficulties, it is argued, but films about a Bluebeard or a child murderer, as in 'Tom Thumb', are rated Adults Only."

While modern subversive retellings are prevalent, the dominating storyteller is still that of Disney, and with the surge of live action remakes, Disney's versions are set to instill a new generation with their versions. But I feel that fairytale retellings will still thrive, and that storytellers will find ways of using them to push boundaries and question social norms. And perhaps this new enthrallment with Disney's versions will push a new generation to seek out more--and find writers like Angela Carter, Cathrynne M. Valente, Italo Calvino, Charles De Lint, and so many more.

From the Beast to the Blonde is not a light read. It’s a densely packed history rich with insight, and something I know I can return to and always find something new and challenging.

And here's another quote from the conclusion: “Who tells the story, who recasts the characters and changes the tone becomes very important: no story is ever the same as its source or model, the chemistry of narrator and audience changes it.”
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Sep 05, 2012 Leah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: into-the-forest-2015

Fairy tales feel out the rules: the forbidden door opens on to terra nova where different rules apply. Curiosity, so closely linked to speech, runs live electricity through many of the stories, and though the questor...is often punished for not abiding by the rules, the story also runs against its own grain by rewarding her just the same (p. 415).

From the Beast to the Blonde took me a couple months to work my way through, but the good kind of "work" that's fun; plus, I learned A LOT. Already add ...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Jennifer rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fic, fantasy, folklore, literary-criticism

While this is an interesting read, it is a dense one and can feel somewhat dry at times. It is the type of book that is probably better for using for research work than a casual read.

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