‘Romp’ may be too colloquial and odd a word to use in a title of work which aims to engage critically with Scottish fairy tale literature in relation to desire, however it sums up quite nicely what this dissertation is, it is a brief ‘romp’ through Scotland’s Fairyland. ‘Romp’, according to OEDO, is defined as ‘play roughly and energetically’ and ‘[e]ngage in sexual activity, especially illicitly’. This piece seeks to energetically engage with sexual activity, and by that I mean sexual culture, in relation to Scottish fairy tales. Themes of desire are discussed in relation to dominant ideologies, such as religious doctrine, however my approach seeks to not only engage with ideology, but also practice. In his anecdotal account, Rude
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However, what is agreed upon is the element of wonder, the magical in order to evoke the reader into imaging about ‘what if’s and ‘why’ (Zipes Dreams 5; Tatar 4). I agree with Tatar’s statement that the ‘wonder tale’ is a much more appropriate title to give the genre (5). Yet, what accounts for inducing wonder in the reader? Tolkien argues that talking beasts do not contribute to the fairy tale, and instead should be considered as a separate set of tales (19). However, Carter includes talking beasts and the supernatural in her definition of the fairy tale (xi). And what of the fairy tale as a child’s genre? The fairy tale only becomes a genre aimed at children the Romantic Era, giving it the function of socializing children (Sky 363). Zipes further points out that the fairy tale for children ‘remained suspect until the 1820s’ (‘Function’ 20). However, this anxiety of the fairy tale can be seen in articles such as ‘Have You Read a Fairy Tale Lately?’ and ‘Defending Children Against Fairy Tales’, which convey the problematic nature of fairy tales in relation to the socialization process as they convey dangerous stereotypes and attitudes from the past that could very well influence and replicate in those children reading fairy tales today (Fordiani 118; Lewis 404). Yet it should not be fairy tales of the past that need to be worried about. Disney films, as I will go on to discuss near towards the end, also act as educating agents for
However, what is agreed upon is the element of wonder, the magical in order to evoke the reader into imaging about ‘what if’s and ‘why’ (Zipes Dreams 5; Tatar 4). I agree with Tatar’s statement that the ‘wonder tale’ is a much more appropriate title to give the genre (5). Yet, what accounts for inducing wonder in the reader? Tolkien argues that talking beasts do not contribute to the fairy tale, and instead should be considered as a separate set of tales (19). However, Carter includes talking beasts and the supernatural in her definition of the fairy tale (xi). And what of the fairy tale as a child’s genre? The fairy tale only becomes a genre aimed at children the Romantic Era, giving it the function of socializing children (Sky 363). Zipes further points out that the fairy tale for children ‘remained suspect until the 1820s’ (‘Function’ 20). However, this anxiety of the fairy tale can be seen in articles such as ‘Have You Read a Fairy Tale Lately?’ and ‘Defending Children Against Fairy Tales’, which convey the problematic nature of fairy tales in relation to the socialization process as they convey dangerous stereotypes and attitudes from the past that could very well influence and replicate in those children reading fairy tales today (Fordiani 118; Lewis 404). Yet it should not be fairy tales of the past that need to be worried about. Disney films, as I will go on to discuss near towards the end, also act as educating agents for