What Comes Around, Goes Around

Even as the feminist movement sweeps through fairytales there’s a spot for stories more traditional in feel. These tales fall under the postmodern literature genre. What exactly is postmodern literature? It focuses on the need for expanding classic stories in a joyous retelling of the tales (jahsonic, par. 2). The end of a postmodern fairytale is always left open for questioning what happens next. It is the reader’s job to decide the character’s fate after the story is said and done. This is done by focusing on elements of the original pieces.

 Perhaps the story centers on a character, but portrays him or her differently than in the fairytale. Tanith Lee’s Wolfland, as a retelling of Little Red Ridinghood follows that storytelling route. It’s a retelling of. In the tale, the grandmother is not eaten by a wolf. In fact, she is the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing; she is a werewolf. Lisel, unlike the granddaughter in the classic story doesn’t wait to be saved from what appears to be the predatory wolf. She tries to run away, but fails. Soon after, Lisel finds out about her grandmother (who was the wolf) and about Lisel’s destiny to become a werewolf. She’s given a choice to become a werewolf like her grandmother and inherit her fortunes or to be disinherited for not transforming.  

Another way a fairytale could be a postmodern piece is if it takes an element of a story (a quest for love or working with a magical being for example) around.  Prince Amilec, another of Lee’s stories, is a prime example of altering an element of a fairytale. Prince Amilec falls in love with a beautiful Princess after seeing her picture. Even after discovering what a wretched personality she has, he swears to marry her. Eventually, with the help of a witch, he finishes the quests she sets before him. The princess agrees to marry Prince Amilec on one condition – he must give her an exquisite wedding gown. If the dress isn’t perfect, she won’t marry him. The witch makes the dress for the princess. To deliver the garment, the witch wears it.  Seeing the witch in the dress, Prince Amilec falls in love with her and they marry.

It ends similar to how the story began, but instead the Princess falls in love with a photo of a foul-tempered Prince. She also needs help from a wizard, who she assumes is ugly. The reader never finds out if the Princess marries that Prince or if she marries the wizard. It is up to the reader to decide her fate.

            Both of Lee’s stories that we read this week are perfect examples of postmodern fairytales.  They both feature unresolved endings as well as classic fairytale elements like royalty, adventure, and magic. These stories also show the reader new ways to look at characters, the archetype prince, princess, and grandmother is altered so they are shown in a different light. Bravo to Lee’s success in crafting a postmodern story! 

Works Cited

Jahsonic. Postmodern literature. 5 January 2011

<http://www.jahsonic.com/PostmodernNovel.html>.

Lee, Tanith. "Prince Amilec." Zipes, Jack. Don't Bet on the Prince. New York: Routledge, 1989.

48-54.

Lee, Tanith. "Wolfland." Zipes, Jack. Don't Bed on the Prince. New York: Routledge , 1989.

122-147.

Note: This was originally written for a MFA class