The Fairy Tales and Anne Sexton’s Transformation with Reference to Female Protagonists in Cinderella
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/lark.Vol2.Iss50.3144Keywords:
Keywords: Fairy Tales, Sexton, Transformation, Female Protagonists, Cinderella.Abstract
Literature encompasses a wide range of genres, and fairy tales hold a significant position, particularly in children's literature, as they serve as an important avenue for children to explore and familiarize themselves with the English language and culture. Anne Sexton, a renowned writer known for her introspective style, has been a subject of both acclaim and controversy. However, Sexton's poetry is deeply influenced by European culture, especially the realm of fairy tales, where she undertakes the task of reimagining well-known tales with a specific emphasis on female protagonists. This article employs a methodological approach to examine Sexton's reinterpretation of these canonical narratives, providing valuable insights into the genre itself. Sexton's collection, "Transformations," serves as a valuable resource for understanding the fairy tale genre. According to Jack Zipes, a prominent scholar in fairy tale studies, fairy tales are fictional narratives that convey moral lessons and aid in language acquisition among children. It is essential to adapt fairy tales to suit the needs of children, as they contribute to enhancing their communication skills. However, when poetry, character development, and reality intersect, a captivating juxtaposition emerges. Sexton's pessimistic perspective alters the emotional landscape of the tales, thereby transforming the moral messages conveyed in her poems. Consequently, this adaptation brings to the forefront the clash between traditional, male-centric beliefs and feminism. To provide a comprehensive assessment of the issues under scrutiny, this study thoroughly examines and analyzes the recurring tales, their archetypal elements, specific structures employed in the poems, the portrayal of fictional characters, references to folklore, and characteristic attributes present in Sexton's works. By delving into these aspects, we gain a deeper understanding of the thematic and stylistic choices made by Sexton and their implications in the context of the fairy tale genre.
References
, G. (2000). Fairytale in the ancient world. Psychology Press.
Ashliman, D. L. (2004). Folk and Fairy Tales: A Handbook: A Handbook. ABC-CLIO.
Bailey, K. E. (2008). Jesus through Middle Eastern eyes: Cultural studies in the gospels. InterVarsity Press.
Cucinella, C. (Ed.). (2002). Contemporary American women poets: An A-to-Z guide. Greenwood Publishing Group.
Cuddon, J. A. (2012). A dictionary of literary terms and literary theory. John Wiley & Sons.
Dictionary, D. I. O. (1998). London & Oxford: Dorling Kindersley & Oxford Univ.
Forbes, D., & Forbes, D. (2009). Sincerity's Shadow: Self-consciousness in British Romantic and mid-twentieth-century American Poetry. Harvard University Press.
Haase, D. (Ed.). (2007). The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales [3 Volumes]. Greenwood Publishing Group.
Hallett, M., & Karasek, B. (Eds.). (2018). Folk and fairy tales. Broadview Press.
Ju-Hsin Wang,” (2005). Embodying Voice: Women Writers and Fairy Tales” Master’s Thesis (National Taiwan Normal University, 2005).
Kready, L. F. (1916). A study of fairy tales. Houghton Mifflin.
Kumin, Maxine. (2001). “How It Was”, an introduction to Anne Sexton’s Complete Poems. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Lazar, G. (1993). Literature and language teaching: A guide for teachers and trainers. Cambridge University Press.
McClelland, D. (1998). Blackface to Blacklist: Al Jolson, Larry Parks, and The Jolson Story. Scarecrow Press.
Middlebrook, D. W. (1992). Anne Sexton: A Biography. 1991. New York: Vintage, pp.336-337.
Middlebrook, D. W. (1992). Anne Sexton: A Biography. 1991. New York: Vintage.
Phillips, R. (1973). The confessional poets. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. pp.90-91.
Purkiss, D. (2013). The Witch in History: early modern and twentieth-century Representations. Routledge.
Sexton, A. (1972). Rapunzel. Transformations, Oxford University Press, London.
Simpson, J., & Roud, S. (2000). A Dictionary of English folklore. Oxford University Press, USA.
Snodgrass, M. E. (2014). Encyclopedia of feminist literature. Infobase Publishing. p.482.
Stack, S., & Lester, D. (2009). Suicide and the creative arts (p. 113). New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers, p.264.
Tatar, M. (2019). The Hard Facts of the Grimms' Fairy Tales: Expanded Edition. Princeton University Press. p.164.
VanGundy, A. B. (2008). 101 activities for teaching creativity and problem-solving. John Wiley & Sons.
Zipes, J. (2013). Relentless progress: The reconfiguration of children's literature, fairy tales, and storytelling. Routledge, p.126.
Zipes, J. (2013). When dreams came true: Classical fairy tales and their tradition. Routledge.
Zipes, J. (Ed.). (2015). The Oxford companion to fairy tales. Oxford Companions.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Ass. Lect Wenas Sheiyal Yaber Al-Badri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.