Throughout every version of 'Sleeping Beauty,' the presence of fate remains constant. Few other fairy tale heroines have their lives so dictated, or spend the majority of their story rendered so helpless. Although the circumstances surrounding her fate differ, Sleeping Beauty is always destined to fall asleep. But that's not the only thing her future holds, and the... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley
Spindle's End is a YA retelling of 'Sleeping Beauty.' When a princess is born, the king and queen hold an extravagant party to celebrate her name-day. In every town of their kingdom, lots are drawn to decide who will attend. Far from the palace, out in the country, a young girl called Katriona is chosen.... Continue Reading →
Fairy Tales: The Symbolism of Spinning Wheels
Spinning wheels are an object commonly associated with fairy tales, even though they only feature in a handful of tales. Aside from being mere objects, they add some degree of symbolic meaning to the stories they are present in. Firstly though, what actually is a spinning wheel? We probably know it's a wooden thing with... Continue Reading →
The Underlying Sexual Content of Sleeping Beauty
Beneath their plots, most fairy tales have hidden implications. Each event is symbolic of something, and can have many interpretations depending on the number of variations the story has. Angela Carter referred to these hidden implications at 'latent content.' When she was writing her own collection of fairy tales, The Bloody Chamber, she specified that... Continue Reading →