Personification In The Frog Prince

“The Frog Prince” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm uses the personification of a frog to explore several ideological frameworks that permeated 19th-century society. The Grimm brothers utilized fantasy to distance the reader from the social relevance, concerning the Victorian Era. This fairy tale is a social critique regarding royalty and nobility’s values, beliefs and practices, and by extension parallel modern day ideologies about the importance of wealth, social distinction and beauty. “The Frog Prince” portrays the frog to be grotesque to highlight the importance of social respectability and the problems that can arise when one endeavors to transcend their social status within society. “The Frog Prince” incorporates fantastical literary elements, such as personification, the …show more content…
The deliberate representation of the frog permitted the author to incorporate many ideological frameworks that would be uncomfortable for readers if they were reading this as non-fiction over fictional literature. Another important element of this fairy tale illustrates the predominance of transactional relationships specifically regarding royalty. For example, the frog states, “I not want your pearls and jewels and fine clothes; but if you love me and let me live with you, and eat from your golden plate, and sleep upon your little bed, I will bring you your ball again’ and what nonsense she thought. However, she postulated that he may, in fact, get her the ball and promised him what he has asked (Opie, 241). The frog uses his leverage; the girl’s longing for her golden ball to permit him access to the castle. The frog transcends his position in society through a social contract, a promise, even the King said to the Princess, “as you have made a promise you must keep it” which highlights the value verbal agreements held in society (Opie,