Lecture (LEC)

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

• 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 from the Grimms to Today 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 colletors and writers like Hans Christian Andersen, Peter Christen Asbjønsen, Ludwig Bechstein, Hans Fallada, Astrid Lindgren, Charles Perrault, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, or Wilhelm Hauff. 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 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. How This Class Works This is not going to be a standard lecture class where the students mainly listen to the professor and take notes. Instead, a lot of the time you will be discussing the material either in groups or with the whole class. A strong emphasis is placed on participation, and you are expected to come to class prepared to speak, ask questions, voice opinions, and listen to others. Some sessions will include performative techniques and activities from actor training to afford you a deeper and more personalized grasp of the material. Photos might be taken for use in class; permissions for any other use (e.g., as part of a journal publication) must be sought individually. This is a low-technology class. Students are expected to print out the texts for class and take notes by hand (no laptops, tablets or phones). All power points or other materials used in class will be posted on Canvas). Required readings o Cornelia Funke (2021): Reckless ¿ The Petrified Flesh. Pushkin Children's Books. ISBN 978-1782691242 o Selected fairy tales and articles on Canvas.