WLL-198: Fairy Tales Across Cultures and Time - FA21

In this course we will read fairy tales from a wide range of cultures and time periods. Works by cultural critics, psychoanalysts, historians and sociologists will help us understand the cultural and historical context of these tales’ production, as well as explain their enduring relevance. We will study how various artists have kept these tales alive by re-appropriating them for their own cultural contexts. We will look at traditional works of art from different cultures and historical periods, as well as examples from today’s popular culture. We will ask: What is the relevance of each tale and its re-writing for its particular cultural context and historical period? What aspects of the tales do the different renderings emphasize? Is there something about these tales that transcends the particular time and place in which they were created? And if so, what are they telling us about our common humanity?