Akraz Khan
Professor Orwig
FIQWS 10105,
November 26, 2024
RCA Final Draft
In fairy tale literature, we often see a gender role dynamic that displays heroics and
bravery for male characters and passiveness and helplessness for female characters. These roles
are based on perceived gender roles for males and females. Fairy tales often enforce these
patriarchal gender roles as the standard, which reinforces the idea that men are leaders while
women wait to be saved. This dynamic has influenced generations of readers, who internalize
these standards for male and female behavior without realizing it. These portrayals shape
society’s general expectations, impacting how people think men and women should behave in
real life. The pattern repeats in many well-known tales, where female characters are either
confined to waiting for help or need rescuing from the male hero. But in more recent times, these
traditional gender roles are challenged in modern fairy tale literature.
Fairy tales show a straightforward role for men and women, often sticking to inflexible
roles that the character of the respective gender must follow throughout the story. These strict
roles limit character development and only showcase narrow portrayals of masculinity and
femininity. Many traditional tales don’t allow characters to grow or change beyond these set
gender-based expectations. However, contemporary fairy tales and retellings have research
suggesting that they can influence cultural attitudes toward gender (Attebery). Fairy tales not
only reflect gender roles but also reinforce them in subtle ways. Many readers grow up exposed
to these narratives, making it easy for them to accept these roles as “normal.” Because these
ideas are presented in an entertaining format, they can seem harmless but actually carry
powerful, lasting messages about gender. This shows their potential impact on social beliefs,
especially in young readers who may learn to see these roles as typical for their gender.
We can see how fixed gender roles were in fairy tales by reviewing classic works and
their reinterpretations. Sun, Moon, and Talia, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, shows how gender
roles shape story progression. The narrative emphasizes the importance of male protection over
female self-governing, creating a clear contrast between genders. Additionally, the male
characters are depicted as being entitled to make decisions on behalf of Talia without her input or
consent. Talia is passive throughout the story, dependent on men like her father and the king.
Even when her life is in danger, she never plays an active role, reinforcing the stereotype of
women as passive and docile, while men are active and in control. The story states, “So saying,
he [the king] commanded that the queen should be cast into the fire which she had prepared for
Talia” (Basile), showing the king’s power to act on her behalf. This approach keeps Talia under
male authority, suggesting that female characters must accept protection, even if they’re harmed
in the process. Such messages not only reduce female autonomy but also set a precedent where
male authority is unquestioned and absolute. These actions continue the idea that women are
helpless while men are the ones who make all the decisions and protect others.
Although classic tales rely on traditional gender role stereotypes, contemporary retellings
challenge and change the roles of women to fit modern expectations. For instance, Sisters Red, a
retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, makes women the main characters who take on roles
traditionally assigned to men. The sisters’ active roles highlight a clear shift from passivity to
empowerment, reflecting modern values. They embody courage and self-reliance, which are
traits often refused to female characters in older tales. In this version, sisters Scarlett and Rosie
March fight against werewolves to save young girls from the group known as Fenris. By acting
as hunters and protectors, Scarlett and Rosie break free from the passive female roles common in
classic fairy tales. These characters also take charge of their fate, showing a stark contrast to
female characters, who usually rely on others. Their bravery and actions show that heroic deeds
are not limited to a certain gender or age, reflecting a change in how society views female
strength. Through these shifts, modern retellings advocate for equal capabilities in both genders,
expanding what women can represent in literature. As D’Amore argues, these revisions allow
women to reclaim power, offering a new model for feminist storytelling (D’Amore 388).
Gender roles are a concept that can change depending on location and over time.
Cinderella, a classic fairy tale, has contemporary retellings that alter the character to be more
active in her actions. Newer versions show her taking charge of her life, challenging the notion
that women must wait for others to achieve happiness. This transformation in her role allows her
to be a role model of resilience and independence and not reliant and incapable. By representing
new versions, it allows for much broader views on gender roles. As Crowley and Pennington
argue in their article “Reworking the Classic: Cinderella in Modern Retellings,” these modern
retellings of Cinderella shift the character from a passive figure to one who challenges traditional
gender norms (Crowley and Pennington 297). It’s done so by how much change is applied to the
character in contemporary remakes, which puts characters like Cinderella in a new light. These
changes challenge patriarchal views by putting women in a position of power. This shift is
important as it allows for a new way of thinking about how women and men are represented in
literature. As more fairy tales adopt this modern lens, they contribute to a society that values both
genders’ abilities to shape their own futures.
Another classic fairy tale that reinforces traditional gender roles is Snow White. Khan
explains that stories like Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty show males as brave and
powerful while females are passive and wait for men to save them (Khan 145). Snow White’ s
story positions her as fragile and entirely dependent, shaping the reader’s perception of feminine
weakness. This perception of weakness is often linked to a woman’s supposed emotional
fragility, which makes her unable to act or protect herself. Snow White’s helplessness in waiting
for the prince to rescue her reinforces the idea that women are not only passive but also
incapable of shaping their own destinies. This makes young readers see passiveness as a typical
trait for female characters, while heroism is mostly for males. This portrayal encourages children
to think of gender in a limiting way, showing girls as dependent and boys as protectors. By
making these characters passive, these stories give the message that women don’t need to act,
that their role is simply to wait to be saved. In the long term, these ideas can shape attitudes and
even influence real-life expectations for both genders. This mindset contributes to shaping how
children view their own roles in society, continuing to enforce limiting gender norms.
Rettl’s article, “Fairy Tales Revisited: Gender Concepts in Traditional and Feminist Fairy
Tales,” argues that fairy tales continue spreading these ideas, keeping male characters in active
roles and female characters in need of rescue (Rettl 181). Rettl explains that these stories have
such a strong influence that they shape how people view gender. Even though the fairy tales are
fictional, their influence carries over into how readers think about real gender dynamics. Many of
these messages can remain with readers subconsciously, affecting their perceptions of gender
roles in relationships and society. Many fairy tales still follow this same pattern, even though
society now promotes equality. This means that traditional views on gender stay alive in popular
stories, with the hero always a man and the one needing help always a woman. This repeated
narrative creates the expectation that women should be passive while men are expected to act.
Even as society changes, the influence of these stories continues, showing that changing gender
norms in fairy tales can help challenge and possibly shift these old expectations. Through more
diverse portrayals, fairy tales have the potential to influence how people think about and
challenge outdated views on gender.
Works Cited
Attebery, Brian. “Reinventing Masculinity in Fairy Tales by Men.” Marvels & Tales, vol. 32, no.
2, 2018, pp. 314–37, https://doi.org/10.13110/marvelstales.32.2.0314.
Basile, Giambattista. Il Pentamerone; or, The Tale of Tales, translated by Richard F. Burton, vol.
2 (London: Henry and Company, 1893).
https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/type0410.html#basile
Crowley, Karlyn, and John Pennington. “Feminist Frauds on the Fairies? Didacticism and
Liberation in Recent Retellings of ‘Cinderella.’” Marvels & Tales, vol. 24, no. 2,
2010, pp. 297–313. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41388957. Accessed 24
Oct. 2024.
D’Amore, Laura Mattoon. “Vigilante Feminism: Revising Trauma, Abduction, and Assault in
American Fairy-Tale Revisions.” Marvels & Tales, vol. 31 no. 2, 2017, p.
386-405. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/mat.2017.a680313.
Khan, Munejah. “The Politics of Children’s Literature: Constructing Gender Identities through
Fairytales.” Language in India, vol. 19, no. 3, 2019, pp. 145-.
Rettl, Lisa. “Fairy Tales Re-Visited Gender Concepts in Traditional and Feminist Fairy Tales.”
AAA: Arbeiten Aus Anglistik Und Amerikanistik, vol. 26, no. 2, 2001, pp. 181–98.
JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43025615. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024

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