Nearly everyone has heard, if not read for themselves, the story of “Hansel and Gretel”. The story of two young kids lost in the woods, who get captured by a witch, and ultimately escape. It is a classic story. In fact, the story follows Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey”, which provides a guide that most fairy tales follow, almost verbatim. In this book, Campbell suggest that certain elements are common throughout all stories. “The Hero’s Journey” is a brief summary of how the hero acts in most fairy tales. “The Hero’s Journey” maps out the journey the hero takes to achieve their goal and restore order to their world. However, in “Hansel and Gretel”, only one character follows the path of the hero. That character is Gretel. Hansel’s is
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Gretel’s maturation is the focal point of the story.
While both Hansel and Gretel are both present throughout the story, only Gretel follows the hero’s journey. A hero, according to Campbell, who lives in an ordinary world, has an adventure he or she must embark upon. He or she can choose to accept or refuse this quest, however most come to accept. With the aid from the supernatural and helpers, the hero matures, overcomes ordeals, and ultimately restores piece. “Hansel and Gretel” follows a similar plot structure. The Grimm’s brothers establish the ordinary world of “Hansel and Gretel” by writing “Next to a great forest there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children’’ (142). Both children are present for this part of the journey, and for the call to adventure. Hansel and Gretel are both sent off into the woods because their parents cannot afford to keep them. Also, both children are present for the refusal of the quest. The children return home together, twice. Finally, the children are thrusted into the unknown without a way home. At this point in the story, the children come to their first ordeal. They discover the witch’s home. This …show more content…
In this part of the story, Hansel is captured and Gretel is left to fend for herself. Gretel is confronted by the witch and is ready to eat her and Hansel. Campbell describes this as the supreme ordeal. He suggest “All the heroes’ training and toil comes into play now. The journey has hardened them, and it’s time for them to show their prowess. Once this obstacle is overcome, the tension will be relieved. The worst is passed, and the quest, while not officially over, has succeeded” (The Hero’s Journey 3). This encounter is the focal point of the story. Every challenge the hero has faced was meant to prepare him or her for this moment. In the case of “Hansel and Gretel”, being left in the woods, finding the witches house, and surviving her cruel punishment has led to the moment where the witch is ready to kill the children. However, Hansel is left out of this climax. This is Gretel’s obstacle to overcome. The Grimm’s brother show how mature Gretel has become in the way they write how she over comes the witch. They write “Once Gretel was inside, she intended to close the oven, and bake her, and eat her as well. But Gretel saw what she had in mind, so she said, ‘I don 't know
Gretel’s maturation is the focal point of the story.
While both Hansel and Gretel are both present throughout the story, only Gretel follows the hero’s journey. A hero, according to Campbell, who lives in an ordinary world, has an adventure he or she must embark upon. He or she can choose to accept or refuse this quest, however most come to accept. With the aid from the supernatural and helpers, the hero matures, overcomes ordeals, and ultimately restores piece. “Hansel and Gretel” follows a similar plot structure. The Grimm’s brothers establish the ordinary world of “Hansel and Gretel” by writing “Next to a great forest there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children’’ (142). Both children are present for this part of the journey, and for the call to adventure. Hansel and Gretel are both sent off into the woods because their parents cannot afford to keep them. Also, both children are present for the refusal of the quest. The children return home together, twice. Finally, the children are thrusted into the unknown without a way home. At this point in the story, the children come to their first ordeal. They discover the witch’s home. This …show more content…
In this part of the story, Hansel is captured and Gretel is left to fend for herself. Gretel is confronted by the witch and is ready to eat her and Hansel. Campbell describes this as the supreme ordeal. He suggest “All the heroes’ training and toil comes into play now. The journey has hardened them, and it’s time for them to show their prowess. Once this obstacle is overcome, the tension will be relieved. The worst is passed, and the quest, while not officially over, has succeeded” (The Hero’s Journey 3). This encounter is the focal point of the story. Every challenge the hero has faced was meant to prepare him or her for this moment. In the case of “Hansel and Gretel”, being left in the woods, finding the witches house, and surviving her cruel punishment has led to the moment where the witch is ready to kill the children. However, Hansel is left out of this climax. This is Gretel’s obstacle to overcome. The Grimm’s brother show how mature Gretel has become in the way they write how she over comes the witch. They write “Once Gretel was inside, she intended to close the oven, and bake her, and eat her as well. But Gretel saw what she had in mind, so she said, ‘I don 't know