Lecture (LEC)

• IUB GenEd World Culture credit
• COLL (CASE) Global Civ & Cultr
• COLL (CASE) A&H Breadth of Inq

• Topic: Fairy Tales in Old and New Clothing
• IUB GenEd World Culture credit
• COLL (CASE) A&H Breadth of Inquiry credit
• COLL (CASE) Global Civ & Culture credit

Fairy tales are a part of all cultures. They can be defined as traditional stories written for children, with imaginary creatures, magic, and a happy ending. At first glance this seems to be true, especially when we consider well-known fairy tales by the Grimm Brothers, like Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, or Cinderella. However, not all fairy tales feature magical beings, not all end happily ever after. And even though they are nowadays intended for children, this has not always been the case. The German writer Cornelia Funke has captured the imagination of a wide audience with her Reckless series that weaves into a fantastical framework a darker side of fairy tales. We will investigate the main fairy tales that are featured in the first book of her trilogy and examine other, lesser-known fairy tales by the Grimm Brothers and other authors, like Wilhelm Hauff, Hans Christian Andersen, Hans Fallada, and Charles Perrault. By the end of this course, we will have read and examined various fairy tales as well as their interpretations and adaptations to different contexts and media. You should have developed an understanding of intertextuality and acquired knowledge about the historical conditions that led to the collection and dissemination of fairy tales in German-speaking countries. Furthermore, you should have gained a wider awareness of German fairy tales as well as other fairy tales that have originated elsewhere yet have become a staple in German cultures. Required readings - Cornelia Funke (2021): Reckless ¿ The Petrified Flesh. Pushkin Children's Books. ISBN 978-1782691242 - Selected fairy tales and articles on Canvas.