The Owl, the Raven, and the Dove: The Religious Meaning of the Grimms' Magic Fairy Tales - Softcover

Murphy, S.J. G. Ronald

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195151690 ISBN 13: 9780195151695

Publisher: Oxford University Press USA, 2000

Synopsis

The fairy tales collected by the brothers Grimm are among the best known and most widely-read stories in western literature. In recent years commentators such as Bruno Bettelheim have, usually from a psychological perspective, pondered the underlying meaning of the stories, why children are so enthralled by them, and what effect they have on the developing child. In this book, Ronald Murphy takes five of the best-known tales ("Hansel and Gretel," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Cinderella," "Snow White," and "Sleeping Beauty") and shows that the Grimms saw them as Christian fables. Murphy examines the arguments of previous interpreters of the tales, and demonstrates how they missed the Grimms' intention. His own readings of the five so-called "magical" tales reveal them as the beautiful and inspiring "documents of faith" that the Grimms meant them to be.
Offering an entirely new perspective on these often-analyzed tales, Murphy's book will appeal to those concerned with the moral and religious education of children, to students and scholars of folk literature and children's literature, and to the many general readers who are captivated by fairy tales and their meanings.

About this title

Review:

Murphy had done the Brothers Grimm a great service ... But he has done more than that. He has brought home to us the essentially hospitable nature of the stories ... admirable. The Tablet

Murphy has added several dazzling layers of meaning to the tales. (First Things)

About the Author:

Ronald Murphy is George M. Roth Distinguished Professor of German at Georgetown University.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press USA
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0195151690
• ISBN 13: 9780195151695
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208