Friday, May 2, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Journey of a Fairy
Okay so this story is kind of snowballing out of my control, I had intended it to be a quick little short story but it now has so much plot, that there is alot of story and not enough time. So for now all I have is the prologue and the first chapter.
Prologue
Once upon a time 18 years ago in
the kingdom of Cantata, a land that was home to all of fairy kind. The kind and
queen were in some trouble, the newborn prince was sick and passing fast. In a
situation like this there are two options for fairy royals the first was to go
into morning for the passing prince and would be future king and try for a new
child. Or they would use a changeling which would cloak the baby prince to look
exactly like a human child and switch the children so the prince would die in
the human world and the queen would have a son to raise. He would not rule as
he had no fairy blood in him but the queen would not lose a child.
Desperate for a child they chose
the latter sending the king's brother and advisor to take away the dying child
and find another if the same age. Grayson soon found a little boy in the city
of London, lying in a crib staring at his mobile gurgling. The consilium
performed the spell quickly and quietly, then switching out the children. Using
his powers of the wind he arrived back at the border of the land and the baby.
He brought him to the king and queen who blessed him with the name Caysen.
The first people to meet the new
baby boy were the rest of the royal family. Only two others as both families
were fairly new with the only other child being Caysen's new cousin Seraphina
and her mother.
Upon meeting the boy Sera looked at him then the king.
"He smells funny.... Why?" The four year old
asked.
King Rueben simply laughed at the blunt blonde girl and
humored his niece with an answer
"Because he is human, as an elemental fairy as only the
royals are you can also sense who has magic and who does not, along with your
control over fire"
Sera looked puzzled again "but mama said that the new
baby would be king one day. And you told me only fairies can do that"
"He won't, Caysen can not be king so the next child
your aunt and I have will be king or queen. That is the one you will advise as
soon as you both are old enough"
Two years later the king and queen had a daughter called
Crystal, whom Seraphina promised to always help and assist when she needed it
even when Sera herself could be in danger.
Chapter 1
Sera stood in a bedroom almost as familiar as her own while
she argued with her cousin who had come up with another crazy plan that would
no doubt land on or both of them in trouble. Though both ladies were of age,
they were still under the guidance of their parents who were teaching them how
to rule the fairies in Cantata. The fire fairy however has always had a problem
with authority almost as bad as her control over her ability to light a flame
at any moment. Constantly setting tapestries and dresses on fire when angry or
impatient, it had become an issue as she was growing into a woman that suddenly
the tattered silk dresses were no longer endearing but a concern for those who
were under the future consilium’s authority. Her cousin, the princess however
was blessed with control over ice which she seemed to grow into her
personality, she was calm and fair with a beauty that could only be spoken in
the most awed voice. With long wavy brown hair light blue eyes and fair, Crystal looked every
bit like the royal she may one day be.
When provoked however she could be more harsh than the
strongest blizzard. The girl’s powers were complete opposites but they couldn’t
be closer if they were actual sisters, Sera easily fell into the role of older
sister and advisor while Crystal became her cousin’s only confidant. The girls
were more familiar with the other’s bedroom than their own most times
constantly talking late into the night speaking of things the king and his
advisor had forbidden from court. A grave mistake was made some twenty years
ago, a baby fairy who was supposed to die had lived and now he was stuck with
the humans because his too proud father refused to let someone who had been “tainted
by the humans” back into court, even his own son.
“He is out there Sera, he is my brother and a part of the
family. He deserves to know where he really is from. “Crystal said late one
night
“And what can we do about that Crys?” Sera refuted for what
seemed like the millionth time “He decreed it, as in law we may be royal but we
are not above the law.”
“One day” Crystal says dreamily “we will find my brother and
he will come and live with us”
“Did you forget something my lovely little cousin? He is
first born, he could take your throne if he wanted.”
“He won’t, I just know it, we as fairies can sense our
families and their intentions. Like when Dad knew about Vera wanting to hurt
you” Crystal explained “I can just sense that he has good will in his heart”
Sera just sighed knowing that this would always be something
that her cousin worried about. Though Caysen was a good brother to her he wasn’t
blood and they could all feel that. Soon after, she left for her own rooms so
that she might get some rest before her next day. Sleep always seemed to help
with her “lighting problem” as her mother affectionately called it, if she was
tired she was more likely to set herself or someone else on fire. Before laying
down for the night Seraphina examined herself in the mirror, always in some red
attire as a nod to her extraordinary power over the heat. She was similar to
Crystal in almost every way, blue eyes and fair skin that shouted familial resemblance,
but she also bared a strong resemblance to her mother with her white blonde
hair always practically glowing with power at night. Sera lied down, closed her eyes and dreamed
about what her younger male cousin would have been like. She did not think of
him often, already having pledged her advisor station to the future queen
Crystal.
The next morning she was cornered yet again by her cousin
and made to swear on the crown that she would help with a task that they both
knew could be dangerous.
“I know where he is” Crystal whispered
“who?” Sera asked not sure what was going on
“My brother, the one in the human world” Crystal said
“Oh my Pixie dust! Did you leave Cantata?! You know how
dangerous that is!” the fire fairy began to berat her cousin.
“keep it down!” The younger whisper shouted “I didn’t leave,
the will-o-wisps said they smelled magic near a boy about his age but they didn’t
know him. And since when does that group not recognize a magical being in the
human world?”
“Well what do you want me to do about it?” Sera asked
“I want you to go get him”
Alice: A SyFy miracle
Alice-Syfy
Okay so let me inform you on one (and possibly the only)
good thing that has come out of the SyFy network. Once upon a time there was a
girl named Alice who had a named Jack. One day while eating dinner with her
mother, Jack gives Alice a ring and tells her that even if she doesn't want to
marry him to keep it. Though she denies at first after he leaves Alice decides
that she in fact does want to marry her love Jack however when she does catch up
to him she sees him being dragged into a mirror and seemingly go to the other
side.
Alice determined to find her love goes through the mirror
only to find out that it is one of the looking glasses in the world, the kingdom
is based on a “house of Cards”, her dad is alive, the people here feed off of
human emotions and that the mad hatter is actually a cute honorable man. She is
forced to be the new Alice in Wonderland and she must bring down the queen of
hearts (Jack’s mother) in order to save everyone including her father who had
been missing for over 20 years. Alice is a changed woman when she finally gets
back, she is in love and her dad gives her the strength to live on.
This is a unique type of a film because it is a small
miniseries that spans over three episodes becoming close to a four hour movie.
It is well done and lacks the usually cheesy radioactive monsters that SyFy
enjoys so much. I love this story and it is a great take on a modern day
Wonderland.
Hook: A timeless Reminder
Hook
This movie is based on the idea that Peter Pan eventually
does grow up, he leaves Neverland to grow older and become a business man with
a fear of heights. Now Peter Banning the goes back home to England, his orphanage
and the woman who took care of him when he was first found … Wendy Darling. He,
his wife Moira and their two kids Jack and Maggie go to honor Wendy as she
accepts a new award from a hospital. As the adults are away the famous Pirate
Captain James Hook takes Banning’s kids to never land holding them in
anticipation of Peter Pan’s return.
When I
first watched this movie I was a child and it was beautiful, enchanting, and
everything you could think of in-between. Peter Banning must learn to accept
who he was and revert back to when he could play as Pan to save his kids. As a
kid it made me think of all the great things I could do as an adult without
losing out on having fun when I grew up. As an adult this movie reminded me
again that yes it is important to be an adult and grow up, but it is equally
important to have fun. It was a great take on the fantasy of going back to
child and never really growing up. It is a fun movie that serves as a reminder
that life is the most important things. You have to grow up so learn to have
fun as a kid, but you do have to grow up to remember that living and surviving
are two different things and after that to remember “Death would be an awfully
great adventure.”
Pan's Labyrinth: The Dark Fairy Tale
This is a fantasy realm so fully and elegantly realized, it might have been
a classic novel, but it was Del Toro’s imagination. Del Toro calls Pan's Labyrinth
a dark fantasy for adults, because the violence it contains is certainly not
suited for children. The col-blooded
attacks of the Captain towards others (he shoots a rebel after smashing his
face unrecognizable with a broken bottle) and himself. The scene where he,
after having his own cheek cut open, sutures it by himself and takes a swig of
tequila, is both brutal and Oscar-worthy. Brilliant cinematography, Del Toro
juxtaposes the reality of war to the fantasy world and somehow shows the
audience that the fantasy world is more real and life like than reality. He
uses contrasting color like bleak washed out cool colors for the outside world
and lively, bright warm colors for the fantastical world.
For much of the film, Ofelia's fairy-tale quest is
secondary to the power struggles in the house with a checkerboard like
interaction yet seamless filming. Tensions bubble between the Captain
and Ofelia's weak mother, and especially the Captain and the housekeeper
Mercedes.
The captain is a sociopath, obsessed with small details on using his magnifying
glass and pouring over the watch his father gave him. In his psychotic
obsessions, he misses the big details of the world. The faeries and fawn are ambiguous
and neither good nor bad. The nurse Mercedes is good, even as she rebels
because she values human life.
It is a fantasy film because there is the element of magic
through the fairies and the book the fawn gives. The womb is the entry of fantasy
world, and there are reoccurring images of fallopian tubes and placental tones.
Even the fairies are organic. The tree is a reference to Alice in Wonderland. Magic
affects the real world when the book predicts the miscarriage. Music in that
scene is reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Is Anybody Out There?” eerie intro.
Ofelia realizes the power of magic and that no matter what, she must trust her
instincts. Disobedience to the majority of societal pressures leads to the
right door opening (with the key and freedom).
Ogres eat innocence, even though they have a feast
of food set out before them. This whole scene is the echo of the feast the
captain has with all of the people, even though most people are boiling roots
to survive. All of the characters are at crossroads in the movie, which is when
they decide to put childish toys away and lose a part of their soul. This is
the melancholy truth of becoming an adult. It is not the tests, but how Ofelia
approaches the tests makes the difference. In the end the captain becomes human when he asks
for the rebels to tell his son who he was, and Mercedes replies he will never
know your name. This kills him before the bullet does. Ofelia becomes immortal because she made the
right choice, which is to refuse death and its sting. Only if you dare to die,
will you reach immortality.
Journal of Mrs. Granger
Oh little Hermione Jean Granger. I remember the day you were
born. It was sunny and warm, which is unusual for us Londoners. I remember your
father holding my hand as I was wheeled down the hospital pastel linoleum
hallway to the emergency room. He asked me if I would like anesthetic, but I
said no. I wanted to be sure that you would be a healthy little girl. An image
of the blood stained sheets of my previous miscarriage made me squeeze your
father’s hand so tight his skin turned white. “Nurse!” he called. He returned
his concerned face to my sweating brow.
As I felt the sharp stabbing pains
of your birth I remembered all of our excitement and preparation for this day.
I remembered the endless salads, a refrigerator full of organic milk, eggs, and
Ezekiel bread. My favorite was my morning swims at recreational center and the
light Mozart and Bach I would play on my mother’s record player. You would
always kick for Symphony no. 9 and make me crave chocolate and pickles. September 19, 1979 was so long ago, but feels
like only last week. As you grew you were always this cute little mess of brown
curls, your eyes glimmering with enthusiasm and curiosity. As our only daughter,
we tried to provide the best of everything for you. We hoped that one day you
would also become a dentist like us. You were always so interested in animals,
science, and you loved to read. We had a private tutor for you where you
learned French, Spanish, and Latin at the age of five. You loved your piano
lessons with Mrs. Wellington, even though she was in her upper seventies and
was a little overbearing sometimes.
We would take you to the office
sometimes. I remember catching you sniffing the toothpaste samples we had in
the back closet. All of the assistants and hygienists loved to hear you sing “All
I want for Christmas is my two Front Teeth.” I would tuck you in your sleigh
bed, read a passage of encyclopedia Britannica, answer your daily question as
best I could and kiss the top of your head when you fell asleep. You slept so
peaceful in your little room with glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.
On your seventh birthday, we had a
big party at our flat. We invited all of our associates, their kids and a few
of your cousins. I remember spreading the last bit of the cream cheese icing on
your carrot cake (which was your favorite). It was a knight and princess theme
party and you tugged my apron. I looked down and saw you were wearing the
beautiful pink chiffon dress and glittering plastic tiara I had set out on your
bed earlier. “Mum, can I taste it?” You reached for the spatula I had in my
hand. I said, “No. Wait till everyone comes to the party.” You waved your silver
star-shaped wand and said “Please!” Next thing I remember was Grandma coming
into the kitchen saying, “I cannot belive you let our little Hermione have her
cake before her guests!” She scornfully shook her finger at me and rejoined the
party. Sure enough there was a missing piece out of the cake and you had pink
frosting smudge on your cheek. What came over me? How did I miss that?
Later your father and I walked you
and some of the little girls to the park. I watched you from the wood bench
underneath the shade of a big tree. They were playing with their dolls and did
not say much to you at all. You walked behind them and tried asking them about
the constellations or their favorite Bach symphony. They just laughed and left
you behind. They ran off to the slide and you got on the swing set alone,
frustrated. Then the bossy little blonde one came by, Callie I think, and she
told you to move. I was about to get up and scold her, but your father tugged
my arm. He told me to, “Wait and see.” You
told her to sit on the other swing, but she would not have it she wanted yours.
You told her no again and she grabbed the chain. Then I saw my seven year
little girl turn and glare at this little blond brat and all of a sudden she
was hanging upside down from the tree above our heads. Immediately she screamed
and I climbed up to pull her down from the branch. I could not understand what
happened, but I knew we had to get home.
I told everyone to leave and that we
had a family emergency. After everyone left, and I convinced Callie’s parents
she was just playing a game and got stuck in the tree, I turned to you. “Hermione,
do you know what you did today?” I was exasperated, tired, worried, and
concerned. You are my baby girl.
You looked down. You were still wearing
that ridiculous dress and you tugged on it nervously, twisting the tulle.
Your father tried. “Hermione…
Muffin? Listen, you need to tell us what happened.”
Now you looked up, teary eyed. “I’m
sorry mum. I’m sorry Dad. It won’t happen again.”
But what happened?
I finished packing up and cleaned
the kitchen. I came up the stair s and I heard your father reading you a story,
Cinderella this time. At the end I heard you ask him, “Dad, am I a fairy
godmother?” as I reached the landing. I paused and listened.
“No honey, you are normal like mommy
and I.”
“But Dad I can do magic. I don’t even
need a wand.”
“Today was just an accident. You are
not a fairy godmother. You’re too young for that. You are just my special,
smart little Hermione.”
Your father called one of his pals
from University, Harold Finnigan, and told him what happened. He had a little
boy that also got a letter informing him his son was a wizard. Apparently, if
your child was a witch or wizard they would get a letter when they turned 11.
He told us to give him a call if you did.
I could not believe it. A witch? No,
that’s not possible. You were going to be a dentist like your dad and I. I
began researching preparatory schools. St.
Vincent’s Academy came up. They ensured you a spot after an interview. They
were impressed with your French, Latin, piano, and your essay on how the
government should not ban books. We got you a blanket with their crest and we
started to set money aside for your tuition.
I remember when you got the letter.
I remember holding the parchment envelope in denial and handing it to you as
you ate your oatmeal and fruit. You were 11 when we found out that you were
accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I immediately called
Harold Finnigan. He assured me it was the best school for you and that he would
help you get the supplies for school before the semester started. The next day
he took you into town to get your books. I gave him the check with the tuition
money we were going to use for St. Vincent’s Preparatory School for Girls. I
pushed your bangs out of your face. “I gave Mr. Finnigan plenty of money so you
get as many books as you can carry, but be sure to get everything on the list
first.” Your eyes twinkled with joy. “Thanks mum.” You were so excited that you
read all of the books until you memorized most of the spells. You would show me
pictures of the dorm rooms, the great hall, and the castle in your copy of Hogwarts: A History.
I would get annoyed and frustrated
about how excited you were about Hogwarts and how quickly you forgot about St.
Vincent’s. I would snap at you and tell you to put your books away. But your
father would pull me aside and remind me of the opportunity you had and how we
would not see you for awhile.
I knew I would miss you. I just
wanted the best for you. I had never heard of a witch, and I could not explain
the things in your books. I could have helped you in anatomy, chemistry, and
physics, but there was not a tip I could give you for transfiguration. I
remember waving goodbye to you on September 1, 1991 as you took off on the
train. You would write to us often, telling us you were sorted into Gryffindor
House, you were having trouble making friends, but you were very prepared for
all of the classes due to your intensive summer reading. You were always a
brilliant academic and a gifted student. You kept mentioning Harry Potter and
Ronald Weasley and a poor boy with an unfortunate surname: Longbottom. I was so
happy to hear that you were finally making friends, something you always had
difficulty with here in London. I never thought any of this would happen, sometimes
I have to look at the letter to make sure it really happened, but I was always proud
of you.
I wanted you to
go to homecoming, to prom, to bring me your book reports and ask me for help in
biology. I wanted you to be a better me and get accepted into Oxford or Harvard,
or Yale. I wanted you to take over our practice one day and win a Nobel prize. As
I gaze at this picture of you on your fourth birthday, I remember you are still
just as human as I am. You are my special little girl who is brilliant and
memorizes entire books. Just because you did not become the
dentist-researcher-doctor of the century, but that does not mean that are not
the witch-of-the-century. I wiped my tears. Hermione, you will always be my
little girl. Your magic has transformed me into a better mother.
Gender Roles in Fantasy Literature
Introduction
Knights
in shining armor and pink chiffon dress wearing damsels in distress are the
typical representations of men and women in the fantasy genre respectively. Ironically,
the stereotype of the fantasy genre is not that fantastically imaginative. This
stereotype tends to bring a negative connotation from feminists and realists.
Both critics despise the style of the gender portrayals within the fantasy genre,
with the former finding it misogynistic and the latter an encouragement of naïve
pipe dreams. However, there is more to these stereotypes and how gender roles
are represented in fantasy literature. Gender roles of fantasy literature are
influenced by history, biology, and societal expectations, but the characters
themselves may transcend these expectations to arrive at different definition
of what it means to be a man or woman.
History of gender roles
Gender
roles in literature have been greatly influenced by history and culture. In
fact, the theory of gender roles did not surface until after WWI. Margret Meade
was the first to really outline the differences in duties and expectations
between men and women (Smith). After WWI, standard gender roles were
tumultuously upstaged by the lack of men returning home. The Great War
experienced the greatest loss of male population, which in turn resulted in women
becoming more involved in sports, work-force, politics, and increasing their independence.
However, many historians would like to credit French feminism and
psychoanalytic movements as great influences on the understanding of gender
roles (Smith). Roe vs. Wade was also pivotal reshaping what women’s roles in
society were and emancipating gender roles from biology.
Another reoccurring
concept in fantasy literature is the “maiden,” which is typically a woman who
is transitioning from childhood to adulthood and she is between being a
daughter and becoming a wife (Sokolski). These maidens leave their father’s house for a
husband, usually go through trials and journeys, and they find the husband suited
for them as prescribed by society. Joan of Arc is the most famous maiden of the
feminist revolution, who embodies the fantasy genre’s concept of a maiden
because she pushed the societal boundaries of her gender role. During her trial
for heresy, her prosecutors were perturbed by the fact that Joan refused to wear
women's clothing (Sokolski). There is also the Greek myth of Atalanta, who was a
maiden huntress and the daughter of a king. She would only marry a man who was
able to defeat her in a race. Although many suitors tried and failed, Hippomenes
was able to win with the magical influence of the goddess Aphrodite’s golden
apples.
Male roles
have not changed much in history or literature except in concert to the changes
in female roles. As female roles are modernized by giving women more of a
leadership role, outspoken characteristics, and independence, male roles also
include the more laid back male who is shy and sensitive. Currently, there is a
big push in society to establish a third gender and more freedom in the
definition of gender roles in homosexual contexts. There is a theory that the
whole vampire fixation in modern American fantasy novels is a metaphor for homosexuality
Recent studies on gender roles
Besides basic anatomy, there are many
scientific differences between male and female gender roles. In the field of
psychology, there has been a lot of research on how men and women react to
issues that determines their gender role and personality. As females had to
step up to more leadership roles, they have developed more executive personalities.
Males have reciprocally developed more passive personalities. This challenges
the previously held gender roles of the male being the leader and the female
the loyal follower. Studies have shown that there is a relationship between
masculinity and health. Societal influence of defining manhood is directly correlated
with issues such as driving, aggressive behavior, recreational drug use, sexuality,
and body image (Marcos
et al.). There may be more males who are
more passive in personality, but society still implements the above expectations
of how a male behaves and how his behavior is directly connected to his male
identity. There have been many studies that have connected male behavior with
perceptive identity.
However, there has not been much study
on how gender roles are developed. Some scientists speculate that peer relationships
in pre-pubescent children have a big influence in a young child’s gender
development and adjustment (Zosuls
et al.). Family life and sexual assault are
also major influences on gender development. Children will likely inherit the
gender roles of their parents. There was a recent study on the differences
between men and women in stereotypical thinking. In general, female students
disagreed more with stereotypical statements. The students' age, country
origin, and mother’s level of education had impact on the outcome of the study (“Comparing Gender Awareness in Dutch
and Swedish First-Year Medical Students - Results from a Questionaire”). All of these studies conclude that
gender roles are largely decided by the culture and societal impact.
Gender roles of men in fantasy literature
The gender roles of men in fantasy
literature can be largely summarized by the reoccurring event of the lost
little boy who becomes the knight in shining armor. All of the major fantasy
novels use a male as the main character. From MacDonald’s Phantastes to Tolkein’s Hobbit,
every fantasy has a male lead. They must also experience a turning point or
transformation as they encounter magic. This intrinsic requirement of the lost
little Bilbo Baggins “becoming a man” is the stereotype of the male gender role
in a nut shell. The male lead is always expected to put away his childish
selfish wants, go on a journey, and discover something more than himself. Bilbo
becomes a man when he realizes the dwarves have no home and he decides to fight
Smaug, despite his fear. Bilbo is representative of the young men who left
their relaxed countryside hobbit holes to fight the Nazi dragon Smaug in WWII.
Edmund form C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe also
experiences this same coming of age transition into the societal male gender
role. Peter is frustrated with Edmund’s boyishness and wants him to take responsibility.
Lewis masterfully shows the contrast of the once boyish, snobby, spoiled, naïve
little Edmund and turns him full circle to a humble, responsible, knight in
shining armor. Tristran from Stardust
undergoes a similar transition as he redefines who his ideal soul mate is as he
becomes more of a man himself. But what does “becoming a man” mean in fantasy
literature? A knight in shining armor must be noble (cares about something more
than himself), be humble (not arrogant and prideful), and be charitable (love
people who are difficult to love). The last feature was most distinct in the
character development of Harry Potter, especially when he tells Voldemort that
he feels sorry for him because the Dark Lord does not know love.
Gender roles of women in fantasy literature
The development of female gender
roles is largely influenced by history, especially considering the first
fantasy novel is Victorian. However as time progresses, women in fantasy novels
transition from the high society virgin Victorian women to a more modern
concept of a maiden in their gender roles in fantasy literature. The
distinction is that the Victorian woman is more of an ideal doll on some pedestal
without a real voice but is eerily beautiful as seen in Phantastes. On the other hand, a maiden is a little more
independent and a spitfire. She goes on a transformative journey herself as she
is challenged until she meets her match.
Feminists would say that either way (Victorian
doll or spitfire maiden) female characters in fantasy literature are still
repressed. Technically, a woman reaches her potential when she leaves her
father’s house and gets married to the right man (preferably the knight in
shining armor). Is the pinnacle of womanhood really marriage? In contrast, the
pinnacle of manhood is slaying the dragon, Voldemort, or evil witch. The whole
wife business is an afterthought or unnecessary loose end. However, the contrast between the female leads
in Stardust, Victoria Forester and
Yvaine, shows how marriage has two different outcomes in context. Victoria wanted
to marry to be spoiled by someone who society said was higher than Tristran.
Yvaine was not looking to be married and ended up falling in love with the man
Tristran became. The pinnacle of Yvaine’s story is that she realizes the answer
to the age old mystery of what do women want: to be loved.
Another great example of transcendence
of the typical stereotype of a female gender role is Hermione Granger. Besides
Yvaine, Hermione is one of the roundest characters in the fantasy genre. She is
full of surprise and is not afraid go against societal rules. She punches Malfoy,
lies to her professors, and stands up for herself. She is loyal to Ron and
Harry, but she always makes her own decisions. She knew she was worth the
respect to be asked formally to the ball and got very upset at Ron when he
asked her as a last resort in an off-hand sort of way. Although the pinnacle of
Hermione’s character is when she is finally in a relationship with Ron, her
personality is never reduced by his presence. Hermione remains a stellar
student, attacks death eaters, and voices her opinion.
Conclusion
Although
gender roles and stereotypes have a typical negative connotation in society,
they are not inherently negative in the fantasy genre. Sure, it is somewhat diminutive
to expect every male lead to be a knight in shining armor and every maiden to
be a beautiful perfect virgin, but are these expectations separable from
fantasy? Yet, none of these knights begin the story at the peak of their
chivalry. They must be transformed within the fantastical journey. Only then
will they be worthy of the fair maiden’s affection, who has also grown.
Feminists and realists may be skeptical and dismissive, but is this not the
ideal relationship? Both partners have matured, experienced trial, and learned
to love. No matter what society says, gender roles in fantasy literature have
give and take when they are in balance with the ideal knight and maiden model.
References:
1. 1. Smith,
Bonnie G. "Gender Theory." Encyclopedia of European Social History.
Ed. Peter N. Stearns. Vol. 1: Methods & Theory/Periods/Regions, Nations,
Peoples/Europe & the World. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. 95-104.
Gale Power Search. Web. 30 April 2014.
2. 2. Smith,
Bonnie G. "The Development of Gender History." Encyclopedia of
European Social History. Ed. Peter N. Stearns. Vol. 4: Gender/Family &
Ages/Sexuality/Body & Mind/Work. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001.
3-13. Gale Power Search. Web. 30 April 2014.
3. 3. Sokolski,
Patticia. "Maiden." Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender. Ed. Fedwa
Malti-Douglas. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 924-925. Gale
Power Search. Web. 1 May 2014.
4. Marcos, Jorge Marcos et al.
“Performing Masculinity, Influencing Health: A Qualitative Mixed-Methods Study
of Young Spanish Men.” Global Health Action 6.0 (2013): n. pag. CrossRef.
Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
5. Zosuls, Kristina M. et al. “Gender
Development Research in Sex Roles: Historical Trends and Future Directions.” Sex
Roles 64.11-12 (2011): 826–842. CrossRef. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
6. “Comparing Gender Awareness in Dutch
and Swedish First-Year Medical Students - Results from a Questionaire.” N. p.,
n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)