Little Red Riding Hood Values

Fairy tales are a source of insight into the contexts of their manifestations, revealing to the reader the values and paradigms reflected within its time. The didactic notions incorporated into these texts represent the changing of values, contexts and audiences of the period, as the texts adjust to shifting cultural normalities. Original fairy tale texts were utilised as a method of reinforcing values considered integral to society, reinforcing messages of caution and education. Contemporary adaptions of these texts however, have challenged hegemonic, patriarchal values in order to perpetuate societal values and expectations within a modern context and reflect social issues of the present. These notions are explored in the 19th Century Brothers

The Brothers Grimm adaptation of the timeless classic Little Red Riding Hood, named ‘Little Red Cap’ displays the cultural and social values and paradigms apparent within Germany and the entirety of Europe throughout the 19th century, placing heavy emphasis on religious elements and values of obedience and virtue. These values are enforced in the imperative ‘take this piece of cake and this bottle of wine’ using the repetition of this instruction to portray the protagonist’s familial obligations, as well as alluding to the socio-economic paradigm. This scenario is reflective of the context within the Brothers Grimm lived and were raised; that of a wealthy society and strict upbringing. The further use of imperative in the line ‘do not stray from the path, or you might fall and break the bottle’ is used to further the notion perpetuated throughout the text that one must project traits of obedience and respect, especially to one’s elders, lest they face dire consequences for their actions. Additionally, this instruction portrays the societal notion of youth incessantly upholding qualities of immaturity and inaptitude, and displays the very need for such didactic tales, in order to protect and educate children of the era. This value of obedience and inaptitude is further propagated towards the end of the text in the repetition of the line ‘Oh grandmother’. The protagonist lacks the aptitude to discern her grandmother from an intruding wolf, masquerading as her family member and almost pays the ultimate price as a direct result. Her upholding of values of obedience can be held partially responsible to this inaptitude, as patriarchal values of loyalty and compliance have been ingrained into not only her, but also the society within which the text’s audience live. As theorist Jack Zipes famously stated