Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS)
First Advisor
Dr. Laurie MacDiarmid
Second Advisor
Dr. Katherine Daily O'Meara
Abstract
In their purest forms, fairy tales are remnants of early Northern European oral traditions. These written versions inaccurately reflect the value of Teutonic women seen in the original sagas, myths, and historical accounts. Monstrous witches in fairy tales represent the othering of women, rescripting Teutonic female roles into a Classical Roman patriarchal understanding of female agency. In the recent animated films Frozen (2013) and Maleficent (2014), witches are observed correcting women's roles, transitioning from evil antagonist to loving protagonist. Utilizing historical, anthropological, and folk/fairy tale studies, I will map the fluid role of the witch across time and genre.
Recommended Citation
Bins, B. L., "Shield Maidens to Sleeping Beauties: Children’s Stories, Indoctrination, and the 1000-Year Culture War" (2024). Master of Arts Liberal Studies Theses. 17.
https://digitalcommons.snc.edu/mlstheses/17
