Fairy Tales Framed

This scholarly work pulls back the curtain on the origins of classic fairy tales, revealing the surprisingly contentious and self-aware world of their earliest authors. Ruth B. Bottigheimer presents a compelling collection of prefaces, dedications, and commentaries from figures like Charles Perrault and Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy, who actively debated sources and defended their literary choices. The book provides a fascinating look at the meta-commentary surrounding these foundational stories, showing that the creators were deeply engaged in the cultural conversations of their time.

What makes this analysis so distinctive is its focus on the authors' own words, framing the fairy tales within the personal rivalries and social ambitions that fueled their creation. Readers interested in literary history and the evolution of folklore will find a rich, academic treasure trove that challenges the notion of these tales as anonymous folk artifacts. By giving voice to the original storytellers' intentions and disputes, this volume offers a completely new perspective on the fairy tales we thought we knew.