LA 101 (CRN 4644)
Happily Ever After?
The Cultural Impact of the European Fairy Tale
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This course will be a multi-faceted exploration of one of the most popular and influential literary genres: the folk fairy tale. Our goal will be twofold: first we will strive to learn as much as possible about this fascinating form of literature. 0We will therefore read about the complex cultural history of the fairy tale, while also reading different versions of thematically similar fairy tales. The second part of our goal is to reflect on and discuss the different ways that fairy tales have influenced the culture(s) of various time periods including our own. The over-arching question that will guide our explorations is: what do fairy tales tell us about the experience of being human? back to top
First year seminars are discussion and writing-based classes. In this class you will come together with your peers to discuss thoughts, questions, ideas based on the readings you have completed. When you are asked to read a critical text about fairy tales, you will want to take notes and think about the author's standpoint and how he/she is making /constructing her thesis. When reading/viewing primary texts (fairy tales, novellas, movies, TV-shows) you will also want to jot down things you notice, based on your impressions and also based on things you have discovered in the secondary readings. The critical readings should enhance your understanding of the primary texts. You will need to devote a considerable amount of time outside of class to reading, thinking and writing about the materials discussed in class. (I would say on average about 2 hours outside of class, per each class period, i.e. about 6 hours of outside thinking, reading and writing for the three hours of face-to-face discussion). back to top
We will read a wide variety of fairy tales from different countries and time periods. We will also watch a number of movie versions of fairy tales. I am asking you to buy two books for the class: Jack Zipes' The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, W.W. Norton & Company, 2001 and Romantic Fairy Tales, transl. & ed. by Carol Tully, Penguin Books 2000. There is also a collection of texts available to you in the Foreign Language Office. Please stop by there and talk to the Foreign Languages Secretary, MaryBeth Koberna (aka "The Fairy Godmother"). These course packs will cost you $10.00. MaryBeth will give you your course pack when you give her the $10.00. You will need a three-ring binder to put the texts in (you'll get them loose, but with holes ready to be placed into a three-ring binder). back to top
Class participation is the most important component of this seminar. The structure of the class will be built around intellectually stimulating discussions of the readings/viewings. I see my role primarily as that of facilitator, as the person who keeps track of who is saying what, and who occasionally steps in to summarize what has been said. It really is up to you, the students to shape the discussion in a way that is meaningful to you. And remember that you are discussing with and to each other, not simply for the professor. In our discussions with each other we must always be mindful of being tolerant, respectful yet honest towards our fellow class participants. Also a reminder: attendance is of course mandatory and will be crucial to your success in the class: try to miss as few classes as possible! If you miss more than three classes, without a note from health services, your final grade for the class will suffer. back to top
In this class you will work on expressing your thoughts in writing in different formats. The first assignment (due August 28) is simply to succinctly summarize our first reading text. Your next assignment (due September 16) will be to write a comparative paper contrasting the different versions of "beastly" fairy tales. You will be expected to incorporate/assimilate what you have learned from your readings and from the class discussion with your own personal take on things. The third assignment (due October 5) will be to interpret the literary fairy tale Undine, but you are encouraged to reference the other mermaid texts discussed in this section. The fourth assignment (due November 11) will ask you to compare a number of different, especially gruesome fairy tales. Your final assignment is to take what you have learned from your readings and class discussion and apply it to either a different thematic cluster of tales, or additional versions of a theme discussed in class. You will be asked to submit a short annotated bibliography (more about this later), present your insights to your class mates during the final week of class and submit your findings in the form of a fairly brief research paper (5-7 pages) by the end of the semester. back to top
Participation: 25%
Short summary: 5%
Three 4-5 page papers (two comparative, one interpretation): 30%
Research bibliography: 12.5%
Research presentation: 12.5%
Research paper (5-7 pages): 15%
Please read the section in the Albion College Student Handbook about the Guidelines regarding Academic Honesty. All the work you submit must be your own, and you must document all sources. (We'll go over how this is done correctly). Please read this information carefully and be sure to ask questions, if you are not sure what or when to quote. back to top
Monday, August 22nd - General introduction to the course and syllabus.
Wednesday, August 24 - Introduction, The history of fairy tales, I
Zipes, Jack. "Spells of Enchantment." When Dreams Came True: Classical Fairy Tales and Their Tradition: New York, Routledge,1999: 1-15.
Friday, August 26 - Introduction, The history of fairy tales, II
Zipes, Jack. "Spells of Enchantment." When Dreams Came True: Classical Fairy Tales and Their Tradition: New York, Routledge,1999: 16-29.
Introduction to the first thematic cluster: Beastly Bridegrooms - Animal-like humans in fairy tales: possible meanings and functions.
Monday, August 28 - Beastly Bridegrooms
Straparola, Giovanni Francesco. "The Pig Prince." The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 51-56. Assignment deadline: hand in a one to two page outline (bullet points are ok, but not necessary) of the Zipes essay.
Wednesday, August 30 - Beastly Bridegrooms
D'Aulnoy, Marie Catherine. "The Wild Boar." The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 57-81.
Friday, September 01 -Beastly Bridegrooms
Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. "Hans My Hedgehog." The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 96-99.
Wednesday, September 07: Beastly Bridegrooms
De Beaumont, Jeanne-Marie Leprince. "Beauty and the Beast." The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001:805-813.
Friday, September 09: viewing of No Such Thing. Dir. Hal Hartley. 2002
Monday, September 12: Finish watching No Such Thing.
Wednesday, September 14: Wrap-up discussion of the "Beastly Bridegrooms" theme. Introduction of new theme: Watery Women: The Enduring Popularity of Mermaids in Fairy Tales and Beyond.
Friday, September 16: Discussion of the Impact of Disney on Fairy Tales.
Monday, September 19: Assignment deadline: first comparative paper is due in class. Andersen, Hans Christian. "The Little Mermaid" in Fairy Tales, ed. Jackie Wullschlager, transl. Tiina Nunnally. New York: Viking, 2004: 67-87.
Wednesday, September 21: Discussion of (German) Romanticism and Fairy Tales: Kunstmärchen.
Read the first two chapters of Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué in Romantic Fairy Tales, ed. Carol Tully. London: Penguin Books, 2000: 55-64
Friday, September 23: Read chapters 3-10 of Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué in Romantic Fairy Tales, ed. Carol Tully. London: Penguin Books, 2000: 64-90.
Monday, September 26: Finish Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué in Romantic Fairy Tales, ed. Carol Tully. London: Penguin Books, 2000: 90-125.
Wednesday, September 28 : Begin watching The Little Mermaid. Dir. Ron Clements, John Musker. Disney 1989.
Friday, September 30: Finish watching The Little Mermaid. Dir. Ron Clements, John Musker. Disney 1989.
Monday, October 3: Final discussion of this theme (and the movie).
Wednesday, October 5: Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. "Cinderella" in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001.
Friday, October 7: The Story behind the Stories: The Grimm Brothers and Fairy Tales. Zipes, Jack. "Once There Were Two Brothers Named Grimm" in When Dreams Came True: Classical Fairy Tales and Their Tradition: New York, Routledge,1999: 61- 79.
Monday, October 9: Fall Break! Have a good one!
Wednesday, October 12: New topic: All in the Family? Dysfunctional Family Dynamics in Fairy Tales. Basile, Giambattista. "Ninnillo and Nennella" in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 700-704.Friday, October 14: Assignment deadline: interpretation of Undine is due. Perrault, Charles. "Little Thumbling" in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 704-711.
Monday, October 17: Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. "Hansel and Gretel" in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 711-716.
Wednesday, October 19: Viewing of "Gingerbread." Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Friday, October 21: Discussion of this theme and the final research paper.
Monday, October 24 - Friday, October 28: Academic Advising, no class this week, but I’ll see you all individually in my office for about an hour, to discuss your Spring 2006 schedules and your research topic ideas.
Monday, October 31: Introduction to the new theme: Whats for dinner? Very violent fairy tales. Tartar, Marie. The first chapter of her book The Hard Fact's of Grimm's Fairy Tales
Wednesday November 2: Perrault, Charles. "Bluebeard" and Grimm, Jacob & Wilhelm. "Bluebeard" in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 732-738.
Friday, November 4: Grimm, Jacob & Wilhelm. The Robber Bridegroom and Fitcher's Bird in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 738-743.
Monday, November 7: Grimm, Jacob & Wilhelm. Juniper Tree. (in your reader).
Wednesday, November 9: Discuss this theme.
Friday, November 11: Discussion of final papers and presentations. Assignment deadline: comparative paper on a selection of stories (at least 3?) from the last two themes: dysfunctional families or very violent fairy tales.
Monday, November 14: Introduction of new theme: Little Red Riding Hood
Wednesday, November 16: Perrault, Charles. Little Red Riding Hood and Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm "Little Red Cap" in The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, ed. & trans. Jack Zipes. New York, W.W.Norton, 2001: 745-750.
Friday, November 18: Garner, James Finn: "Little Red Riding Hood" from Politically Correct Bedtime Stories (in your reader) and Tim Seibles "What Bugs Bunny Said to Red Riding Hood" from Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Claudia Carlson, eds. the Poets Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm Fairy Tales (in your reader).
Monday, November 21: Study day before presentations: no class. (But you have the option to come to my office to discuss your papers).
Wednesday, November 23 & Friday, November 25: Thanksgiving Holiday: Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 28: Study day before presentations: no class. (But you have the option to come to my office to discuss your papers).
Wednesday, November 30: Student presentations
Friday, December 2: Student presentations
Monday, December 5: Evaluations and presentations
Wednesday, December 7: Student presentations
Tuesday, December 13: Final papers due by 10am.