Guia Risari, From the Traditional to the Surrealistic Fairy Tale

 

My article starts from the origins of the fairy tale, and, more specifically, from its connection with myth, from its definition and distinction in relation to other similar genres such as the fable and the story.

It examines the relationship of the fairy tale with oral and literary tradition, and, making use of the classification of Aarne-Thompson, identifies the three main groups of fairy tales.

After having analyzed how the fairy tale has been used to serve an ideological purpose, the opposite trend is taken into consideration, i.e. the use of the fairy tale as a means of liberation.

Finally, dealing with the contemporary fairy tale and its function as entertainment, it is shown how it reacquires one of its original purposes, allowing for the construction of a more flexible moral. My article concludes with a list of the most important masters of contemporary fairy-tale Surrealism.

 

Keywords: fairy tale; Surrealism; entertainment.

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Published on: N. 30 New Series – Year XV 2019 – Spaces and Childhood