“[A]s it says [we] lived happily ever after. We did, but not with our husbands” (SC 48). By this surprising statement, the twelve dancing princesses introduce themselves in Jeanette Winterson’s novel Sexing the Cherry. The main character Jordon, willing to discover the mysterious world of women, gets to know the individual story of every princess and is confronted with their different destinies. Unlike traditional fairy tales, these princesses have decided against life with their royal husbands, but freed themselves from patriarchal restrictions.
In this term paper I want to discuss the rewriting of The Twelve Dancing Princesses in Sexing the Cherry. Special attention will be paid on the princesses’ individual development after marriage. I am going to support my thesis that the rewriting of the fairy tale describes a process of emancipation from stereotypical passive female roles towards female self-determination. This process includes the use of violence and a questioning of heterosexuality as well as an explicit turn towards different types of sexuality, e.g. homosexuality/lesbianism.
I will not only focus on Winterson’s novel, but also on the original Grimm’s tale, that will be looked at from a feminist point of view. A comparison of the fairy tale and Winterson’s version prefaces the analysis of the rewriting from the two important aspects of violence and homosexuality.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses
- An (unsuccessful) attempt at emancipation from patriarchy
- The original and Winterson's rewriting
- The princesses' emancipation in Sexing the Cherry
- The role of violence
- From heterosexuality to lesbian love
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes Jeanette Winterson's rewriting of the fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" in her novel Sexing the Cherry, focusing on the princesses' emancipation from patriarchal constraints. The analysis examines how Winterson's version departs from the original Grimm's tale and explores the themes of female self-determination, the role of violence in achieving emancipation, and the questioning of traditional heterosexuality in favor of diverse sexualities.
- Female emancipation from patriarchal structures
- The role of violence in achieving self-determination
- The subversion of heteronormativity and exploration of lesbian love
- Comparison of the original fairy tale and Winterson's rewriting
- Analysis of individual princess' development after marriage
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the central argument of the paper: that Winterson's Sexing the Cherry presents a rewriting of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" that depicts a process of female emancipation. It outlines the approach, focusing on the princesses' post-marital development and examining the use of violence and the questioning of heterosexuality in this process. The introduction also highlights the comparison between the original Grimm's tale and Winterson's version.
The story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses: This chapter summarizes the original Grimm's fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," highlighting its depiction of stereotypical female roles and the king's patriarchal control over his daughters. It analyzes the princesses' nightly escapes to an underground castle as a possible representation of their repressed desire for sexual self-determination, ultimately leading to their discovery and subsequent return to patriarchal subjugation. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the tale's moral: female defiance will be punished.
The princesses' emancipation in Sexing the Cherry: This chapter analyzes how Winterson rewrites the story of the twelve princesses. It discusses the significant differences between the original fairy tale and Winterson's adaptation, focusing on how Winterson allows each princess to have an individual post-marital life. The chapter also delves into the symbolism of flight as a metaphor for escaping patriarchal constraints and explores how Winterson removes the dependence on male companionship for the princesses' happiness.
Keywords
Jeanette Winterson, Sexing the Cherry, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, feminist rewriting, fairy tale, patriarchal structures, female emancipation, violence, heterosexuality, lesbianism, self-determination, Grimm's fairy tales.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Jeanette Winterson's "Sexing the Cherry" and the Grimm's "Twelve Dancing Princesses"
What is the main focus of this analysis?
This analysis focuses on Jeanette Winterson's rewriting of the fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" in her novel Sexing the Cherry. It examines how Winterson's version departs from the original Grimm's tale and explores themes of female self-determination, the role of violence in achieving emancipation, and the questioning of traditional heterosexuality.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
The key themes include female emancipation from patriarchal structures, the role of violence in achieving self-determination, the subversion of heteronormativity and exploration of lesbian love, a comparison of the original fairy tale and Winterson's rewriting, and an analysis of the individual princess' development after marriage.
How does the analysis compare the original fairy tale and Winterson's adaptation?
The analysis contrasts the stereotypical female roles and patriarchal control depicted in the original Grimm's tale with Winterson's adaptation. It highlights how Winterson allows each princess to have an individual post-marital life, removing the dependence on male companionship for their happiness and reinterpreting the princesses' escapes as acts of self-determination rather than mere rebellion.
What is the significance of violence in Winterson's version?
The analysis examines the role of violence in the princesses' emancipation. While the original tale punishes female defiance, Winterson's version explores a more complex relationship with violence as a potential, albeit problematic, tool in the pursuit of self-determination.
How does Winterson's version address sexuality and heteronormativity?
Winterson's rewriting challenges traditional heterosexuality by exploring lesbian love and other diverse sexualities. The analysis investigates how this subversion of heteronormativity contributes to the overall theme of female emancipation.
What is the overall argument of the analysis?
The central argument is that Winterson's Sexing the Cherry presents a feminist rewriting of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," depicting a process of female emancipation through individual agency and a challenging of patriarchal norms and expectations.
What are the chapter summaries included in the analysis?
The analysis provides summaries of an introduction outlining the central argument and methodology, a summary of the original Grimm's tale highlighting its patriarchal constraints, and an in-depth analysis of Winterson's adaptation focusing on the individual princesses’ post-marital development and their rejection of traditional female roles. A conclusion summarizes the key findings.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include Jeanette Winterson, Sexing the Cherry, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, feminist rewriting, fairy tale, patriarchal structures, female emancipation, violence, heterosexuality, lesbianism, self-determination, and Grimm's fairy tales.
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- Mandy Busse (Autor:in), 2007, The Princesses’ Emancipation – Jeanette Winterson’s Rewriting of The Twelve Dancing Princesses in Sexing the Cherry, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/82769
