Fairy tales seem to be a centuries-old staple of childhood. Many of us have fond memories of hearing fairy tales when we were young. The romance and adventure of fairy tales—and of course the happy endings—have stayed with us throughout our lives. The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen are names that became well-known to many of us in our early years; they are perhaps the first "authors" we were able to name.
"Rapunzel" is one of the Grimms’ fairy tales. However, while the Grimms collected and even edited many of the fairy tales we know today, Sheldon Cashan alerts us to the fact that "Wilhelm and Jacob never actually wrote any of the tales included in their volumes. They merely compiled them, relying on friends and relatives to supply them with stories that had been circulating throughout central Europe for centuries." 1 In fact, the brothers "saw themselves as scholars and patriots bent on preserving their Germanic culture" 2 and "sensed that they were doing monumental research about tales, legends, customs, proverbs, and expressions stemming from the people." 3 Instead of thinking of the Grimm Brothers as scholars and patriots, however, most of us "remember Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm for something they hadn't planned on becoming: storytellers for children." 4
Not only did the Grimms not set out to tell stories to children, they did not initially set out to collect children’s stories per se. In looking at earlier versions of different fairy tales, we see bawdy humor, crude references, and issues such as rape and incest. Many of our beloved favorites have been cleaned up from such sordid beginnings, and children are none the wiser; a large number of other fairy tales never even made it into the canon. Why? Cashan explains that "fairy tales were never meant for children. Originally conceived as adult entertainment, fairy tales were told at social gatherings, in spinning rooms, in the fields, and in other settings where adults congregated—not in the nursery." While the Grimms did not actually write the tales, they ultimately did work to make these tales "more suitable for young readers," partly due to "Wilhelm’s puritanical leanings," but also perhaps because there was much to be gained commercially by doing so. Cashan writes, "The children’s market for fairy tales, fueled by a growing recognition that children had their own unique interests, was growing tremendously, and publishers were more willing to invest money in books that parents found acceptable." 5
Fairy tales are all the richer for possessing this dichotomy of an adult-oriented history and a child-oriented currency. Our reading of these tales throughout our lives—as both children and adults—can provide us with different insights upon each read. Heidi E. Y. Stemple, editor of Mirror, Mirror: Forty Folktales for Mothers and Daughters to Share, specifically discusses "Rapunzel" as she says: "I think the Rapunzel stories appeal to women differently during different stages of life. First, for children, 'Rapunzel' has all the elements of an adventure story: a beautiful princess, a terrific villain, rescue by Prince Charming, and a happily-ever-after…. Then, in the teen and early adult years, it is a story of love won at all costs from an overprotective (read evil) parent. That's the way I remembered it…. But for me now, as a mother—especially the mother of an adopted teenager—the witch is the hero. I see the prince as a villain, a young and horny man who sneaks in (and then out) to sully the virginal beauty of the mother’s young innocent daughter. In 'Rapunzel,' he actually gets her pregnant. With twins! Putting his eyes out should be the least of his punishment." 6
I hope this paper allows you to slip back into your childhood, to revisit and remember the wonderful story of "Rapunzel." At the same time, I hope you are able to enjoy new insights and discoveries that make you think, make you wonder, and make you reflect on the broadening perspectives adulthood has given you.