The Fairy Tale Genre

The Fairy Tale Genre has existed for centuries.

fairy tale;
n
               1. A fanciful tale of legendary deeds and creatures, usually intended for children. 
               2. A fictitious, highly fanciful story or explanation.

Originally these stories were not classed as a standout genre on their own. The German term "Märchen" stems from the old German word "Mär", which means story or tale. The word "Märchen" is the diminutive of the word "Mär", therefore it means a "little story". Together with the common beginning "once upon a time" it means a fairy tale or a märchen was originally a little story from long time ago, when the world was still magic. 

Some folklorists prefer to use the German term Marchen or "wonder tale". 

It moves in an unreal world without definate locality or definate creatures and is filled with the marvellouse. In this never never land, humble heroes kill adversaries, succeed kingdoms and marry princesses. 
  

Illustration by - de ma mère l'Oye, par Gustave Doré - Mother Goose (non dated)

In the early 17th and 18th century folk had become dependent on the passing of tales as an oral language, these stories would be passed orally through townships, villages and families. The Fairy Tale genre quickly transpired into its literary format that we know it to be today through the work and goals to preserve these stories as a literary format. The Brothers Grimm were pioneers through their studies and dedication to the literacy. These are the literary fairy tales that helped craft the way the genre is today. The early composition of fairy tales and literary texts (much similar to the Brother Grimms tales) were intended originally for a more adult audience. In the then modern era such tales were altered and re written so as they could be read and thus became more appealing to children. The Brothers Grimms tales focused at times on not only the gore and elements of suffering and death but also sexuality. It was perceived that children s tales should be more of a wonder and fantasy where by they take their minds on a journey that allows them to not only explore their creativity but too that of imagination.

One example of this is Rapunzle and the first writing by the Brothers Grimm, revealed was the posed question by the prince as to why her clothing had become so tight, as to imply that the character was in fact pregnant. In subsequent later editions it was later re written as to deduce that it was simply much easier to pull the prince to the tower as opposed to the witch. Alternative it must be noted that the increase in violence in texts did not vanquish entirely, the addition of more physical violence towards villains was becoming more and more prominent, however it was overlooked in a way as it was not unwarranted nor targeted violence in a sense that it had an unjust purpose. Villains were necessary for the stories and thus as the elements of a hero grew stronger and stronger over time so did the need for the hero of the text to have a purpose and a conquest.    

Other later revisions saw a necessity to cut the violence as some had no purpose other than to add context to the text, J.R.R Tolkin noted that described the scene in the text the cannibalistic stew would often be removed from later versions.   

In cultures where such villains such as witches and demons are perceived as real these such Fairy Tales may over time become myths and merge into legends. 

Much repetition is evident in so many Fairy Tales, we touched on before the elements of a Hero, The Viliain and the desire to persure a conquest. If we look at almost all of the modern adaptive Fairy Tales we can see these exact repetition of elements, in fact characters themselves often depict the same traits and characteristics as each other regardless of the story line and even then there are plots that show signs of literary repetition. 

When we think of a Fairy Tale we think of the Hero, a selfless character who has no justifiable connection to their desire to save those innocent and at the hands of evil and suffering. The Hero character is the hope and driving force behind the seemingless never ending conquest between good and evil. Then there is the Villian, misunderstood, rejected by society and individuals. They have a dark and negative deminer and it seems they are hopelessly engulfed in ensuring that the suffering they have undergone will be felt by those of society or a higher member of, eg Kings, Queen or Princess. The Princess, the character which almost all of our adaptive Fairy Tales surround, they are the love interest, the passionate and the anchor for the story line. They are often helpless altough many become entangled in thier despire out of spite of a family member, the conflict between a mother and a daughter.

Story line elements in contrast often derive from these characters characteristics and throught cutures and over time these have very rarely changed. This is what makes the Genre stand out from others, its that repetitive nature, with love and wonder for the innate possibilities that the story can hold, its magic and how they are limitless only by the imagination of the writer and the desire of the reader.