Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
English
Date of Award
5-2017
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Shawna Lichtenwalner
Committee Members
Ana Grinberg, Theresa Lloyd
Abstract
This thesis provides a comparative analysis of seven different variants of the fairy tale commonly known as “Donkeyskin,” classified in the Aarne-Thompson-Uther folktale motif index as ATU 510B. By comparing so many different iterations of one fairy tale, it is easier to recognize the inherent attitudes concerning women and their place in society contained in this tale. Additionally, reading multiple variants from different centuries lends a perspective on the way that these attitudes changed over the centuries. Each of the thirteenth century texts considered end with their heroines trapped in loveless marriages, much like the seventeenth-century fairy tale, “Donkeyskin,” their direct literary descendant. The nineteenth century texts then present death or marriage as the alternatives for women, while the twentieth century brings the first instance of a heroine choosing for herself. This comparison allows the reader to learn not only what was considered a “happy ending” at the time, but also to gain a better understanding of the means by which a woman could gain agency.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Maynard, Rachel L., ""Some Things Grew No Less With Time:" Tracing ATU 510B from the Thirteenth to the Twentieth Century" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3229. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3229
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Folklore Commons, French and Francophone Literature Commons, Literature in English, British Isles Commons, Medieval Studies Commons, Other English Language and Literature Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons