|
Oh, definitely. That's why I started getting into the original fairy tales, and the rewritten ones. Something about "oh, I'm a helpless maiden, but I'm beautiful, so the prince will save me" never really sat right with me. Sure, I loved the singing animals, but even as a kid, my favorite fairy tale was "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," where the maiden saves the prince (okay, it's not perfect, since she caused the trouble in the first place, and of COURSE, he loves her because she's beautiful and doesn't want to marry his stepsister, not because she's his stepsister, but because she's ugly.)
I haven't read The Bloody Chamber, but that's only because I haven't added it to my collection yet. The Fairy Tale Series, created (and I believe edited) by Terri Windling, is awesome... and I also really enjoyed Anne Rice's Beauty trilogy (Sleeping Beauty, only with lots and lots of S&M.) Terri Windling also did a series of books with Ellen Datlow, a collection of short stories by various authors, all with fairy tale themes (a few of the titles: Black Heart, Ivory Bones; Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears; Snow White, Blood Red; and Black Thorn, White Rose.)
This is completely renewing my interest in pursuing a degree in folklore. Hmmm.
__________________
"...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world."
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
|