Rapunzel and The Abuse it Represents Children all over the world are experiencing child abuse, whether it is mental or physical, and the effects that it holds. Many young adolescents look to fairy tales and stories to help obliterate their everyday struggles, but stories such as “Rapunzel” represent abuse itself. As children, we tend to connect ourselves with what we want to aspire, for example a princess, but some fairytales could be quite morbid. The original story has been previously revised due to the fact that it was inappropriate for children, which is ironic because in 1812, when it was written, it was presented in a fairytale. There are many symbol’s in this fairytale, but the most significant would be the physical and emotional abuse …show more content…
that Rapunzel had to push through from a very young age. “Rapunzel” has been a known story throughout the years, and many readers might view this as another happy ending, but as one looks closer, there are perplexing details that many readers have not noticed. To begin with, “Rapunzel” was written in 1812 by the Grimm brothers, and this troubling story is about a young girl who was traded by her parents to an enchantress who kept Rapunzel isolated. Isolation has been a recurring theme in the Grimm Brothers story. The term isolated means to be separated from people and things or complete solitude (Dictionary.com np). Isolation does have many long term effects on people emotionally and physically. “Feeling free to move and act tends to affect you psychologically, making you feel free in an existential sense too” ( Abuse and Isolation np). Rapunzel being restricted in her tower, affects her mental health heavily which can cause problems with social interactions and self preservation. Being able to roam freely, relieves pressure off people rather than spending all their time alone, which could lead to self hatred and loneliness. So essentially when Mother Gothel isolates Rapunzel's, she is actually depriving her of living a healthy life. Moving on, the sense of loneliness restricts Rapunzel’s social interaction to a minimum. For example when Rapunzel first saw the prince, she was essentially afraid of him because she has never seen another human besides her mother before, especially a person of a different gender. This further expresses the fact that being isolated can relate to social anxiety, and intense nervousness, which Rapunzel shows here. Also the fact that Rapunzel does not have much outside relations, she could easily be manipulated by her mother and the prince. For example, her mother acts as a superior, controlling everything Rapunzel does and does not allow her to experience anything for herself. The relationship with her mother could determine her future relationships with a partner or even a friend. Because of the neglectance, young children who experience this kind of abuse can lead to finding love in the wrong place(Aha parenting np). Furthermore this leads to my next point, because of rapunzel’s neglectance from her mother, she falls in love with the first person she meets, which happens to be the prince. One could say that the prince took advantage of rapunzel’s loneliness and innocence, due to the fact that she has made herself believe she is in love with this man whom she barely knows. “Then rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him for her husband, and she saw that he was young and handsome, she thought, he will love me more than old dame gothel does.” (Grimm Brothers np) As one can see, Rapunzel does not wish to marry the prince because she loves him, but because she is lonely and desperate for love and attention, which she rarely receives. After meeting the prince, he tells her how much he loves her and this is all new to Rapunzel, so instead of resisting loving the feeling of being wanted she embraces it and continues on with it. The effects of isolation could also lead to the loss of self identity, which in this case has been presented early on. Next, along with the feeling of isolation, the loss of identity has been presented throughout the story as well.
From the very beginning of the book, Mother Gothel destroys Rapunzel’s true identity by naming her after her own misfortune. Rapunzel’s biological parents exchanged their first born child, Rapunzel, for rampion that her mother so desperately craved for. The scientific name for rampion is Campanula rapunculus, hence the name Rapunzel. This in turn shows that Rapunzel's identity was solely derived from the tragic events that were forced upon her, taking away from her sense of self. Self identity is the recognition of one’s potential and qualities as an individual, especially in relation to social context (Oxford Dictionary np). Not only is self identity expressed here, but also when the prince enters their lives. Mother Gothel does not approve of Rapunzel’s daily encounters with the prince because it poses as a threat to their identity. Gothel has shaped Rapunzel into the women she wants her to be, so when the prince spends time with rapunzel, he is interfering with her costly …show more content…
desires. Furthermore, as one can see Mother Gothel is the sole abuser in this text.
She is constantly putting Rapunzel down and creates an unhealthy relationship between mother and daughter. Parental abuse consists of two sub topics, which include emotional and physical abuse. Although physical abuse is somewhat presented in the text, emotional abuse is the main evidence. Emotional abuse is the injuring of a child's self-esteem or emotional well being, such as regularly belittling or berating a child (Mayo clinic np). Not only is there parental abuse from Mother Gothel but, also from Rapunzel’s biological parents where they give Rapunzel away for their own financial security. Her mother craved rampion so badly, they traded their own child in exchange for their own good. Rapunzel has not had good parenting from the start, which confirms the previous statement of being abused. An example of an effect of emotional abuse is that the child could repel against her
mother. In Conclusion, although many people view the story of “Rapunzel” as a children’s tale, there are many perplexing details that are quite morbid for the youth. This version involves abuse forced upon Rapunzel as a young child, and with that comes isolation and the loss of identity. Written in 1812, the Grimm Brothers story “Rapunzel” has been a controversial story involving parental abuse and the effects that it holds. Many young adolescents look to fairytales to overlook their everyday battles, but do not know that they promote negative connotations. Emotional parental abuse has been a struggling problem today and even in the 1800’s.
In “The Classic Fairy Tales” by Maria Tator and “Mad Shadows” by Marie-Claire Blais, both texts deal with the idea that suffering and understanding are deeply connected. The authors aim to prove that suffering and understanding go hand in hand in order for change to occur. In “The Classic Fairy Tales”, Beauty and the beast, Snow White and Cinderella, will explore the relation between understanding suffering via transformation, desire, and physical injuries, when compared and contrasted with Mad Shadows.
From the beginning, she was set up for an unfulfilling childhood. Gothel loathed her job as a mother because she only sought to use Rapunzel for her own gain. As demonstrated through Gothel’s continued put-downs and self-absorbed comments, Rapunzel would have developed an attachment style based on fear and obedience to Gothel. Commonly referred to as an “insecure attachment,” Rapunzel would have grown up to be introverted, anxious and avoidant of large social situations. In addition, Rapunzel spent most of her days alone in the tower. These extended periods of isolation would have halted the growth of Rapunzel’s emotional intelligence, if they hadn’t driven her mad. Not being able to talk to anyone would have increased Rapunzel’s antisocial personality traits and left her incapable of effectively communicating. This drastically contrasts from the girl who readily sang with a group of ruffians at a bar, or danced freely in the plaza of the
Fairy tales are a part of childhood. They go back through time depicting magical images of happy children, love stories, beauty, wealth and perfection. Authors, movie and film creators, artists and more draw beautiful images for people to remember and pass on through time. Many times the ugliness of the villains and the horrors that come into play throughout a fairy tale are often not as advertised. However, after careful analysis it is very clear that both authors of the original “Rapunzel” and its retell “The Root of The Matter” by Gregory Frost do not shy away from these evil aspects through their tales, while still capturing the magical moments that make a fairy tale memorable. The Root of the Matter fits the Rapunzel tradition with both
Throughout the ages myths, legends and fairytales have been used to teach people basic moral and educational lessons. For example, mothers and fathers use the childhood story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" to teach their children that stealing and snooping is wrong. In the end, Goldilocks was either eaten or she ran away, depending on your bloodthirsty nature. By using this comparison between myths and reality the Romans were able to "control" their women, and to discourage them from vain, romantic and adulterous actions. Women themselves had a very low place in Roman society, and could be bought and sold like cattle or slaves. Despite their low legal status, women had immense power and influence over their fathers, brothers and husbands. These myths and legends were society's guidebook, which provided women with a manual about correct conduct.
In the middle of the story, Rapunzel has no idea that the witch will soon show her true color. Before the witch notices Rapunzel’s physical changes, the prince finally gets to see her by climbing her hair, in other words, touching her hair. This symbol, someone is touching the hair indicates“desire for sexual adventure” (Dream Dictionary). Thus even if they are just met each other, prince was might thinking to have a sexual relationship with her in such a short period of time. As time goes by, when the witch gets mad about her pregnancy, Rapunzel looses the most attractive feature; the unbelievably and unrealistically long hair by the witch. Being cut her hair by someone symbolizes “feeling weakened or brought down by someone”, which what she
Gothel, who kidnapped Rapunzel for her own selfish needs demonstrates bad parenting persistently through the movie, Gothel demonstrates narcissistic behavior toward Rapunzel. When they are both standing in front of the mirror Gothel says, “Look in that mirror. I see a strong confidant young lady. Oh and look, you’re here too!” Gothel tends to her own wants and needs, neglecting the wants of Rapunzel. The adolescent stage of life is a period of time where teenagers need to find a personal identity and sense of self. Receiving positive reinforcement and encouragement from parents allows an adolescent to be able to find out who they want to be in life and gives them a sense of direction. According to Erik Erikson’s theory of development this is important to the process of forming a strong identity. (Kroger, 2006) Rapunzel is given no sense of self when is she is constantly being put down by what she thinks is her “mother”. She often receives more criticisms then she does compliments.
The familiar story of Rapunzel, as told by the brothers Jacob Ludwig Carl and Wilhelm Carl Grimm, takes on new meaning with a psychoanalytic interpretation. It is a complex tale about desire, achievement, and loss. The trio of husband, wife, and witch function as the ego, id, and superego respectively to govern behavior regarding a beautiful object of desire, especially when a prince discovers this object.
Fairy tales portray wonderful, elaborate, and colorful worlds as well as chilling, frightening, dark worlds in which ugly beasts are transformed into princes and evil persons are turned to stones and good persons back to flesh (Guroian). Fairytales have long been a part of our world and have taken several forms ranging from simple bedtime stories to intricate plays, musicals, and movies. However, these seemingly simple stories are about much more than pixie dust and poisoned apples. One could compare fairytales to the new Chef Boyardee; Chef Boyardee hides vegetables in its ravioli while fairytales hide society’s morals and many life lessons in these outwardly simple children stories. Because of this fairytales have long been instruments used to instruct children on the morals of their culture. They use stories to teach children that the rude and cruel do not succeed in life in the long run. They teach children that they should strive to be kind, caring, and giving like the longsuffering protagonists of the fairytale stories. Also, they teach that good does ultimately defeat evil. Fairy tales are not just simple bedtime stories; they have long been introducing cultural moral values into young children.
In the year 2015, approximately 683,000 children became victims of child abuse. Of those 683,000 children, approximately 1,670 children died from child abuse (National Statistics). Child abuse is defined as “when a parent or caregiver, whether through action or failing to act, causes injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child” (What is Child Abuse). There are many different kinds of child abuse: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation and emotional abuse. The purpose of this paper is to enlighten the readers to the fact that throughout the story the parents and caregivers abused their children. In The Glass Castle, Jeannette talks about the many memories that she had with her parents, but it is clear that even
The enchantress, Rapunzel’s archetypally evil caregiver, uses her magically endowed capabilities to integrate herself into the domestic sphere. The enchantress’ first action is asking the aforementioned husband to donate his first-born child in return for access to her garden’s rampion. With a child, the enchantress finally domesticates herself, accepts the role society has placed upon her as a woman. The enchantress’ second action is her constructing a home for Rapunzel, a domestic place in which the beautiful young girl is constrained. Not only is the enchantress’ life a life of domestication, but she also insures that her inherited daughter’s life will be a domestic one by constructing her a dwelling. The magical enchantress’ power is used only for domestic purposes. Furthermore, when the enchantress learns that her daughter is deceiving her, the enchantress’ action is not to kill, beat, or curse Rapunzel; she banishes her from her domestic abode: “She was so pitiless that she took poor Rapunzel into a desert where she had to live in great grief and misery” (The Brothers Grimm). Again, the enchantress uses her power to manipulate the domestic setting, and the “all-powerful” enchantress seems to only have power over the domestic. Her power is used to achieve domesticity, insure domesticity, and to deprive domesticity, but it is used in no way
Most modern fairytales are expected to have happy endings and be appropriate for children, nonetheless, in past centuries most were gruesome. Consequently, fairytales have been modified throughout time. The stories “Beauty and the Beast” by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont and “The Summer and Winter Garden” by Jacob and Wilherm Grimm share similarities and differences. The two stories are distinct because of the peculiar year they have been written in. LePrince de Beaumont’s story is written in London of 1783 and Grimm’s in Germany of 1812. At the time, wealthy people in London, were educated and had nannies who would read to their children; whereas, in Germany, the Grimm brothers created their own interpretation into a short story. Because many high class parents in 18th century London would not be able to spend time with their children, nannies would read “Beauty and the Beast” to them since they were intended for children and considered appropriate. In “The Summer and Winter Garden,” the Grimm’s’ story was mostly based to entertain misbehaved children and teach them the valuable lesson that everyone should be treated with kindness. The Grimm brothers’ goal in rewriting this short story is to better children’s behavior which worked quite well. Since these stories have been re-written for children, it would be safe to say the reason why parents expose the two stories to their children is because they both portray the same moral: good things happen to good people. The two interpretations of “Beauty and the Beast,” although written in separate countries, share important similarities and differences even though the authors have different interpretations and came from different cultures.
In the story Rapunzel, by Grimms’ Fairy Tales, many events lead up to the tragic, yet happy, ending. The wife, who had a baby on the way, craved some of the enchantress’s herbs to eat. Every day, her craving got stronger until she could not take it anymore, and sent her husband over to steal some. The enchantress noticed the husband and got very angry. She decided to be nice and make a deal with the husband. The enchantress would spare his life if the child that his wife bare would be given to her. When the baby girl, Rapunzel, was born, she was handed over to enchantress. At the age of twelve she was locked away in a tower. There were no stairs leading to the castle, so no one could get in our out. The enchantress would climb up Rapunzel’s hair to get in. The King’s son heard Rapunzel singing and went to go see her. Rapunzel and the King’s son fell in love and decided to get married. Rapunzel told him to bring a piece of cloth every night so she could make a ladder to descend from. The enchantress found out about Rapunzel’s plan, so she cut all of her hair off and dumped Rapunzel in the desert. When the King’s son came by, the enchantress let down Rapunzel’s hair. The King’s son was so frightened by the enchantress that he jumped out of the tower, piercing his eyes on thorns. He wandered the forest until he came upon Rapunzel and his twins. Rapunzel’s tears cleared up the King’s son’s eyes, and they lived happily ever after in the kingdom. In the end, they lived happily ever after because, the wife craved the herbs, the King’s son found Rapunzel, and the enchantress discovered the King’s son.
...lassic fairy tales is not the problem here, it’s the parents who try and raise their children in a perfect world. Children should be told the truth so they can be prepared for the real world before they grow up. I’m no parent, but I have been around children who do not know how to act in public places because their parents seclude them from the world. The violence in the classic fairy tales can be explained why it happen and ways children can learn what to do and what not to do. Parents can elaborate that not all step mothers are evil and that when hard times come they will not abandon them. The reality if the world would not be misleading if parents took the time to explain to their kids how things work in the real world. The classic fairy tales are nothing but entertain stories and they should not be taken so seriously by parents.
In the original Cinderella, the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet so they can fit inside the shoe, golden not glass, and at the end pigeons peck out their eyes until they 're blind. In Rapunzel, when old lady Gothel found out about the prince visting Rapunzel she cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and sends her into the dessert to live alone and trunks the prince to climb the hair un the tower and tells him that she 's dead which leads him to jump out the tower’s window. It’s clear to see that Grimm’s tales are graphic and most parents now wouldn’t want their kids reading or hearing those stories. Even though the brothers just copied the stories as they were told the stories are a far stretch from reality, Maria Tatar says “These tales are not politically correct. They are full of sex and violence.” While the Grimm brothers did well on preserving the stories exactly as they were told, in today’s time there are a lot better books aimed towards children unlike the brothers’ tales were. Young children shouldn’t be allowed to read the harsh original versions of the stories they love; they should be able to keep their minds as innocent as they can for as long as they can. If kids were to read the original Grimm’s fairy tales, it could scare their little minds
I am writing this paper because I was assigned to write it as a class project. Along the way I realized the importance of sharing the real meanings of all these stories. Stories are important because in the society we live in things are constantly changing. Fairytales change but the base of the story always remain the same no matter how many times it has been retold. It’s important to reveal the true meanings of these stories, even with its dark characteristics, because the world is dark .Children need to know that there are people that have told stories relatable to what they are going through. Fairytales help the development of children; it helps their maturity as they confront someone else’s tough situations, instilling hope of a more positive ou...