Wk 2 - Exploring Wickedness

Erika Pinter
Professor Watley
ENG/260
December 9, 2019
Week 2 - Exploring Wickedness
Comparison of Fairytale Wickedness and real-world wickedness
Fairytale wickedness has notable differences from real-world evil in numerous ways. Notably, most of the episodes in fairytales are different from the scenarios in the real-world. However, some of the scenes in narratives might occur in the real-world. Narrators claim that some episodes are likely to emerge in both descriptions and reality. Rumpelstiltskin and Hansel and Gretel are ideal examples of fairytales that reveal instances of wickedness. The respective narrators’ demonstrate the dissimilarities of real-world evil and in fairytales. Fairytale narrators utilize wickedness to caution people about the present dangers in the world.
Real-life wickedness is parallel to fairytale evil that is prevalent in various literary works. Greed is one of the ideal examples that is evident in both works of literature and real-world scenarios. In the Rumpelstiltskin narrative, the king demands the firstborn of Miller’s daughter in exchange for turning straw into gold (Tatar 54). The plot reveals the greed, which exists in society. Although Rumpelstiltskin believed in giving people whatever they wanted, he demanded a price in return. Arguably, real-life desire is more wicked because people can even kill for what they want.
Hansel and Gretel’s fairytale reveals different forms of wickedness. The narrator portrays an egocentric stepmother, who dislikes her children out of greed. She abandons the kids in the woods, which exhibits her general voracity. Besides, the stepmother is reluctant to feed her stepchildren. She divides food among only two children rather than four in anticipation of surviving famine. As the story develops, Gretel and Hansel encounter an evil witch, who is malicious and mean. The outlook and demeanor of the stepmother coincide with that of a witch. Accordingly, the readers of the fairytale are likely to develop a negative attitude towards stepmothers. The narrator of Hansel and Gretel portrays the stepmother as self-centered and evil.
Reasons for Representations of Fairytales
Rumpelstiltskin and Hansel and Gretel are traditional fairytales that reveal different forms of wickedness that exist in society. Teachers and parents alike utilize narratives in teaching children reasons to deter bad behavior. The narrators in the two tales reveal the unacceptab...