Examine the journey that love takes in the following stories. Use at least two in your essay discussion. Hallett and Karasek offer some useful discussion at the beginning of the chapter on love tales. As they note, “animal” characters are often symbolic representations “of a particular aspect of the human character, since the fairy tale is first and foremost about people. The essential quality of an animal is its otherness; the ability to communicate notwithstanding, the animal represents the unknown, a representation of the showdown world of instinct.” (Hallett & Karasek p.126). Keep in mind that at the time these tales were written, people did not often have the opportunity to marry for love. Marriages were matches of convenience and alliance, and husbands were often chosen for young women by their fathers. Therefore, many of the young female characters are often depicted as very naive about love. The male romantic lead is, therefore, often depicted as an animalistic figure–something unknown and to be somewhat feared in terms of sexual union. The idea of love and marriage could be disturbing, and so the journey into sexual maturation is often associated with anxiety and even revulsion (Hallett & Karasek p.126).
TOPIC: In your discussion of these tales, consider the animalistic representation of the male lover and the struggle the female lover must face as she journeys into womanhood.
“Beauty and the Beast” by Madame Leprince de Beaumont p.128
“East of the Sun and West of the Moon” by Asbjornsen and Moe p.138
“The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Anderson p.146
“The Woman of the Sea” by Helen Waddell p.162
