Die englischsprachige Masterarbeit "A Literary and Multi-Medial Analysis of Selected Fairy Tales and Adaptations" befasst sich mit Analysen und Interpretationsansätzen, die über das Märchen in ihrer geschriebenen Fassung hinausgehen.
Hierbei wurden insbesondere zwei Märchen, i.e. Rapunzel und Rotkäppchen, in den Vordergrund gestellt. In dem ersten Kapitel bekommt der Leser einen generellen Einblick über die Entstehung und mögliche Definition des Märchens, sowie über deren Eigenschaften. Im anschließenden Kapitel richtet sich das Augenmerk auf die Kunst der Adaption, wobei zunächst zwischen Roman- und Märchenadaption unterschieden wird. Zahlreiche Beispiele aus der fiktiven Literatur und dem Märchengenre unterstreichen und veranschaulichen den Informationsfluss. Zusätzlich wird in einem Unterkapitel die Film und TV-Adaption näher beleuchtet, da der Schwerpunkt dieser Arbeit auf kontemporäre Märchenverfilmungen liegt. Im dritten und vierten Kapitel werden die vorab erwähnten Märchen Rapunzel und Rotkäppchen intensiv behandelt. Es erfolgen zunächst Interpretationen von ausgewählten Versionen der einzelnen Märchen, wobei auch kulturelle Hintergründe und mögliche Ursprünge mit in Betracht gezogen werden. Anschließend erfolgt eine Analyse aktueller Adaptionen, die hauptsächlich im Bereich des Films liegen.
Mit der Untersuchung der einzelnen Märchen und deren Adaptierungen will belegt werden, dass kontemporäre Adaptionen zur Erhaltung des Märchenguts beitragen. Als kulturelle Weiterverarbeitung beeinflussen diese die Wahrnehmung des Märchens, was das kollektive Gedächtnis aktualisieren bzw. bereichern kann.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Fairy Tale
Origins and Definition
Characteristics
How Fairy Tales Echo throughout the World
The Adaptation
Adapting Literature
Adapting Fairy Tales
Adapting from different Media
Adapting to different Media
Adapting to the Screen
Disney and the re-invented Fairy Tale
Illustrative Adaptations
Rapunzel
A Bed of Greens
Maiden(s) in the Tower
Rapunzel’s early years – and no man in sight
A Fateful Slip of the Tongue
The Duality of all Things
Contemporary Adaptations
Tangled (Nathan Greno, Byron Howard 2010)
Little Red Riding Hood
Spinning the Tale from Myths
Literary Variations & Pre-stories
The Grandmother’s Tale – finding the strength within
Perrault’s Le Petit Chaperon Rouge – sharing the hunger
The Grimm’s Little Red Cap – change awaits
Cultural backgrounds
The wolf - father – seducer and protector
The two mothers – an (un)conscious battle
Contemporary Adaptations
Literary Adaptations
Angela Carter
Cinematic Adaptations
The Company of Wolves (Neil Jordan 1984)
Red Riding Hood (Catherine Hardwicke 2011)
Conclusion
Objectives & Research Topics
This master thesis investigates how contemporary adaptations of classic fairy tales contribute to the genre's ongoing relevance and survival within collective memory. The primary research question addresses whether modern, multi-medial reinterpretations of stories like Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood enrich the traditional storytelling heritage or merely function as derivative products.
- The evolution of fairy tales from oral traditions to diverse modern media.
- The theoretical framework of adaptation, expropriation, and cultural appropriation.
- Comparative analysis of literary and cinematic versions of Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood.
- The role of the 'wolf' figure and mother-daughter conflicts as recurring archetypes.
- The impact of Disney and contemporary cinema on the perception and visualization of classic tales.
Excerpt from the Book
Adapting to the Screen
“A fairy-tale film is any kind of cinematic representation recorded on film, on videotape, or in digital form that employs motifs, characters, and plots generally found in the oral and literary genre of the fairy tale, to re-create a known tale” (Zipes, The Enchanted Screen, 8)
“Film, we are reminded, is a form of writing that borrows from other forms of writing.” (Stam 1).
Syd Field further claims that the trick of adapting original work is not to be true to the original. In the past, many a film adaptation shattered under the heavy weight of a story that tried to be too faithful to its source, presented in a different medium that includes every subplot or secondary character (cf. Field 97). Fellow screenwriter Christopher Keane advises to omit the term original work completely and to regard the latter only as research material for the adaptation that has now become the original work (cf. Keane 198). In the end, however, the former original work always sets the standards for or against the altered and adapted version in the eyes of the critics.
Raised interest in visual entertainment and art eventually included the genre of fairy tales in this art of transformation, even though said genre takes a different position. According to Liptay, a cinematic fairy tale adaptation is not automatically a fairy tale movie. The designation can only be applied when the link to the traditional material or roots become perceptible (cf. Liptay 130). The required sources are technically speaking often oral ones, so it becomes necessary to state that most fairy tale adaptations do not share the classic rules of adaptation. However, fairy tales do not only provide recognisable archetypes, but also themes and stories which principally address the inner fears of human beings, which may turn out as basic key constellations for film scripts. During the attempt to create something new, instead of simply doing a remake, the focus lies on extracting the meaning and the symbolic value of certain elements and functions of the fairy tale.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: The author outlines the thesis that contemporary adaptations are vital for the survival and continued evolution of traditional fairy tales within modern culture.
The Fairy Tale: This chapter establishes a theoretical foundation by discussing the origins, definitions, and defining characteristics of the fairy tale genre across different cultures and eras.
The Adaptation: This section explores the mechanics of transforming literary texts into new media, focusing on the tension between original fidelity and modern creative interpretation.
Rapunzel: This chapter provides a detailed analysis of various Rapunzel adaptations, examining themes of maturation, mother-daughter dynamics, and the significance of the tower as a symbol.
Little Red Riding Hood: The chapter explores the evolution of this tale, investigating the archetype of the wolf and how different versions address sexual awareness and female maturation.
Conclusion: The author reflects on the symbiosis between film and literature, arguing that modern media successfully keep the fairy tale tradition alive and relevant for new generations.
Keywords
Fairy Tales, Adaptation, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinematic Representation, Collective Memory, Archetypes, Oral Tradition, Folklore, Angela Carter, Disney, Transformation, Symbolism, Narrative Evolution, Psychoanalysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work examines how contemporary film and literary adaptations of classic fairy tales engage with their source material to preserve and evolve the tradition of storytelling.
Which specific tales are analyzed in detail?
The study focuses extensively on the tales of Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood, comparing their classic written versions with various modern, particularly cinematic, interpretations.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The objective is to argue that modern adaptations do not diminish the original fairy tales but rather contribute positively to their continued survival in the collective memory of society.
Which theoretical and scientific methods are applied?
The author employs a literary analysis approach, drawing on structuralist and psychoanalytical theories, as well as adaptation studies to examine the "horizontal" relationships between literature and film.
What themes are central to the analysis of Rapunzel?
Central themes include the maiden’s transition to maturity, the symbolic power of hair, the duality of mother-daughter figures, and the transition from childhood to womanhood.
What is the role of the wolf in the analysis of Little Red Riding Hood?
The wolf is interpreted not just as an animal antagonist, but as a multi-layered archetype representing male seduction, patriarchal danger, or a symbol for the protagonist's own burgeoning sexuality.
How does the author view the Disney adaptations of these tales?
The author recognizes Disney's significant role in reshaping fairy tales for modern audiences, often critiquing their simplification while acknowledging their effectiveness in restoring these stories to popular culture.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the "rivalry" between film and literature?
The author concludes that literature and film are in an essential symbiotic relationship, where film acts as a new dimension of storytelling that can revitalize the literary source material.
- Arbeit zitieren
- M. A. Conny Eisfeld (Autor:in), 2012, A Literary and Multi-Medial Analysis of Selected Fairy Tales and Adaptations, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/208851
