The Princess and the Patriarchy: An Analysis on the Portrayal of Female Characters in Grimm’s Fairy Tales and its Reflection of Early Nineteenth-Century Society

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyse the presentation of female characters in fairy tales, and to illustrate how this presentation reflects early nineteenth-century society. This thesis will demonstrate that fairy tales exhibit and encourage nineteenth-century patriarchal expectations of women, by providing examples from three fairy tales from Grimm’s collection: Sweetheart Roland, The Three Sisters, and The White Bride and the Black Bride. These three fairy tales will illustrate that early nineteenth century fairy tales instruct women to be beautiful, behave in accordance with patriarchal gender roles, and be dependent on male saviours, while being wary of other women. By rewarding adherence to the presented beauty standard, gender role, and presented dynamic with others, fairy tales encourage women to adhere to the patriarchal standard. Not adhering to the patriarchal standard is out of the question, seeing as the fairy tales portray deviance from the standard as villainous.