Little Red Cap: Gender Roles In Fairy Tales
Little Red Cap
All too often we see fairy tales depicting one-dimensional characters put in difficult situations. This creates an almost eerie continuity between all fairy tales as we see similar situations played out again and again by even more similar characters. Little Red Cap is no exception, especially when looking at gender roles. Sexually innocent and unknowing of the world, Little Red Cap can be unsuitably titled our heroine of the story. Throughout the tale, what seems to be a primarily female driven storyline turns out to be dominated by the more intelligent, resourceful, stronger male characters. The tale teaches that young women should be cautious of smooth talking men when given some freedom of their own because they are vulnerable …show more content…
Two things are evident in this statement. First, the carnal appetite of the wolf (juicy morsel) is shown again in another suggestive remark. Secondly it shows the girl is an unthinking puppet at the direction of first her mother, then the wolf, who is capable of rational thought and devious logic. "Little Red Cap," he said, "just look at the beautiful flowers that are growing all around you! Why don 't you look around?" (748). Once Red Cap is trapped by desire, it eludes her, and leads her further from the path. Even though her mother told her not to stray from the path she listens to the wolf and goes further and further into the woods off the path to pick flowers. The further she goes off the path, the more she is giving in to her temptation. In this case it is flowers, which are symbolic for sex. And the further she goes, the closer she is to …show more content…
Luckily for them, a nearby huntsman decides to check on the old woman and with scissors he cuts the wolf 's belly open and out pop Red Cap and her grandmother! "Oh how frightened I was!" exclaims a grateful Red Cap (750). The huntsman is shown as intuitive and clever by deciding to investigate the old woman 's home as well as strong by being able to rescue the woman from certain death.
This illustrates a movement from a primarily female identified tale to a story ending with an insertion of male power. The huntsman gives new life to the two women who were both foolish enough to be swindled by the wolf 's scheme through a symbolic male birth. When he cuts open the wolf 's belly, he is actually taking over an otherwise female power and making it his own. This is appropriate, seeing as the stereotypical male character in a fairy tale usually saves the day and also shows the emphasis the authour put on presenting the male characters with all the
All too often we see fairy tales depicting one-dimensional characters put in difficult situations. This creates an almost eerie continuity between all fairy tales as we see similar situations played out again and again by even more similar characters. Little Red Cap is no exception, especially when looking at gender roles. Sexually innocent and unknowing of the world, Little Red Cap can be unsuitably titled our heroine of the story. Throughout the tale, what seems to be a primarily female driven storyline turns out to be dominated by the more intelligent, resourceful, stronger male characters. The tale teaches that young women should be cautious of smooth talking men when given some freedom of their own because they are vulnerable …show more content…
Two things are evident in this statement. First, the carnal appetite of the wolf (juicy morsel) is shown again in another suggestive remark. Secondly it shows the girl is an unthinking puppet at the direction of first her mother, then the wolf, who is capable of rational thought and devious logic. "Little Red Cap," he said, "just look at the beautiful flowers that are growing all around you! Why don 't you look around?" (748). Once Red Cap is trapped by desire, it eludes her, and leads her further from the path. Even though her mother told her not to stray from the path she listens to the wolf and goes further and further into the woods off the path to pick flowers. The further she goes off the path, the more she is giving in to her temptation. In this case it is flowers, which are symbolic for sex. And the further she goes, the closer she is to …show more content…
Luckily for them, a nearby huntsman decides to check on the old woman and with scissors he cuts the wolf 's belly open and out pop Red Cap and her grandmother! "Oh how frightened I was!" exclaims a grateful Red Cap (750). The huntsman is shown as intuitive and clever by deciding to investigate the old woman 's home as well as strong by being able to rescue the woman from certain death.
This illustrates a movement from a primarily female identified tale to a story ending with an insertion of male power. The huntsman gives new life to the two women who were both foolish enough to be swindled by the wolf 's scheme through a symbolic male birth. When he cuts open the wolf 's belly, he is actually taking over an otherwise female power and making it his own. This is appropriate, seeing as the stereotypical male character in a fairy tale usually saves the day and also shows the emphasis the authour put on presenting the male characters with all the