ENGC28H3

The Fairy Tale

A study of fairy tales in English since the eighteenth century. Fairy tales have been a staple of children’s literature for three centuries, though they were originally created for adults. In this course, we will look at some of the best-known tales that exist in multiple versions, and represent shifting views of gender, race, class, and nationality over time. The course will emphasize the environmental vision of fairy tales, in particular, the uses of natural magic, wilderness adventures, animal transformations, and encounters with other-than-human characters.