Analysis Of The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales

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The Brothers Grimm are often associated with our beloved Disney princesses. However, examining the original tales reveals a darker side to the stories. The disturbing elements within Grimm fairy tales are struggles women still face today, especially in developing countries. Throughout history, it has generally held that women hold a lesser place in society. While many nations have reached close to equality between the sexes, women in developing countries continue to be at a disadvantage and face much violence. Developing countries tend to have little legal protection for women and girls, which allows many injustices to occur. These challenges faced by women in developing nations includes child marriage, rape, and domestic abuse. Child Marriage …show more content…

One of the most explicit examples of rape in the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales is Sleeping Beauty. In the original version the prince has sex with the sleeping princess, who subsequently bears children while still under the enchanted sleep. Rape not only has a negative impact on a woman’s emotional and psychological wellbeing, but may result in physical injury. Additionally, this violent act may result in pregnancy, which can cause additional stress to the woman. Sadly, “around 120 million girls worldwide (slightly more than 1 in 10) have experienced forced intercourse or other forced sexual acts at some point in their lives,” ("Facts and figures: Ending violence against women" 2017). This type of violence is particularly difficult to cope with, especially for women in developing countries due to minimal or unenforced rape laws and strong cultural stigma. Another inhibitor to women finding justice after rape is that “the most common perpetrators of sexual violence against girls are current or former husbands, partners or boyfriends,” ("Facts and figures: Ending violence against women" 2017). This makes it even more difficult and stigmatizing to report and be taken

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