Fairytales?
Recently I've becoming increasingly fascinated by mythology and things of that sort. I find that I can only read either intense thought-provoking literature or the antipode. It is extremely difficult to keep myself interested in a ordinary book. I've written before about my admiration of children's books and how captivating they can be to the reader not to mention their enticing array of colourful illustrations.
My new-found obsession is Greek and Roman literature and plays set in the Victorian era. I have gotten hold of the Iliad, Odyessy, An Ideal Husband, A woman of no importance and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I am currently reading Grimm's fairytales and I love it. I've read parts to my little brother and he loves it just as much as I do so it seems perfectly universal.
It's interesting comparing Grimm's version to the ones that I've heard and known growing up. They are quite sanded down when it comes to Grimm's gruesome edge to his stories, for obvious reasons. My favourite fairytale so far would have to be 'Oh if I could but shiver!'. It is a slightly twisted fairytale with violence. The speaker articulates an event that should be scary to most but is softened by the fact that the character is a fool and unaware that the things he comes in contact with should be perceived as frightening.
I was discussing Jacob Grimm with my Mam and I've come to notice that Grimm seems to be quite a misogynist. In nearly each tale so far that I've read there has been a evil stepmother or a horrid witch of some kind. Take 'The goose girl' for example, her mother was kind however it was the female maid that was the atagonist and in the end it was the male goose keeper and the king who save the day.
I'm really enjoying this new world of literature as I'm not much of a reader it's really wonderful. I love to read them in Posh British accent as they oddly seem to make more sense to me that way. I am glad to finally know the name of sleeping beauty!
What are you reading?
My new-found obsession is Greek and Roman literature and plays set in the Victorian era. I have gotten hold of the Iliad, Odyessy, An Ideal Husband, A woman of no importance and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I am currently reading Grimm's fairytales and I love it. I've read parts to my little brother and he loves it just as much as I do so it seems perfectly universal.
It's interesting comparing Grimm's version to the ones that I've heard and known growing up. They are quite sanded down when it comes to Grimm's gruesome edge to his stories, for obvious reasons. My favourite fairytale so far would have to be 'Oh if I could but shiver!'. It is a slightly twisted fairytale with violence. The speaker articulates an event that should be scary to most but is softened by the fact that the character is a fool and unaware that the things he comes in contact with should be perceived as frightening.
I was discussing Jacob Grimm with my Mam and I've come to notice that Grimm seems to be quite a misogynist. In nearly each tale so far that I've read there has been a evil stepmother or a horrid witch of some kind. Take 'The goose girl' for example, her mother was kind however it was the female maid that was the atagonist and in the end it was the male goose keeper and the king who save the day.
I'm really enjoying this new world of literature as I'm not much of a reader it's really wonderful. I love to read them in Posh British accent as they oddly seem to make more sense to me that way. I am glad to finally know the name of sleeping beauty!
What are you reading?
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