The Forest in Folk and Fairy-Tales
It has been said that in literature a forest is a place where you can both lose and find yourself. Explore the use of the forest theme in fantasy literature and discuss its relationship to the forest of folk and fairy tales. *
Word count: 2700 words excluding quotes
The forests of legends, myths, fantasy and fairy tales have become laden with cultural and psychological symbolism: The ancient trees in dark, uncharted places symbolise the refuge of magic and mystery beyond man’s dominion. They represent the unknowable dangers and challenges of life, a forbidden place that nevertheless yields up reward for the intrepid trespasser, a place where tests integral to personal growth are met and overcome. The fairy tale genre and cautionary folk tales allow children the thrill of experiencing the forest as a zone beyond parental supervision. The fantasy genre, which offers alternate versions of reality in order to fruitfully examine contemporary concerns, (Gooderham: 1995: 172) imbues the narrative function of the forest with additional nuances relating to cognitive and moral development perhaps more suitable for adolescent and adult readers. The Brothers Grimm’s Little Red Riding Hood, and popular fairy tale heroines like Snow White experience the threat of death in the forest and the joy of deliverance. The eponymous heroes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s seminal high fantasy texts The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series must also lose themselves in the woods. These heroes battle not only their own demons, but shadows cast over the future of humanity. All must enter the forest at great personal risk in order to evolve.
The symbolic connection between the soul of man and the forest can be traced back three thousand years to Ancient Egypt, where, in The Tale of Two Brothers the younger brother reposes his living heart in a tree. (Allen: 2000: 231) The symbolism has ancient roots which have emerged through many ages and across continents. In
Word count: 2700 words excluding quotes
The forests of legends, myths, fantasy and fairy tales have become laden with cultural and psychological symbolism: The ancient trees in dark, uncharted places symbolise the refuge of magic and mystery beyond man’s dominion. They represent the unknowable dangers and challenges of life, a forbidden place that nevertheless yields up reward for the intrepid trespasser, a place where tests integral to personal growth are met and overcome. The fairy tale genre and cautionary folk tales allow children the thrill of experiencing the forest as a zone beyond parental supervision. The fantasy genre, which offers alternate versions of reality in order to fruitfully examine contemporary concerns, (Gooderham: 1995: 172) imbues the narrative function of the forest with additional nuances relating to cognitive and moral development perhaps more suitable for adolescent and adult readers. The Brothers Grimm’s Little Red Riding Hood, and popular fairy tale heroines like Snow White experience the threat of death in the forest and the joy of deliverance. The eponymous heroes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s seminal high fantasy texts The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series must also lose themselves in the woods. These heroes battle not only their own demons, but shadows cast over the future of humanity. All must enter the forest at great personal risk in order to evolve.
The symbolic connection between the soul of man and the forest can be traced back three thousand years to Ancient Egypt, where, in The Tale of Two Brothers the younger brother reposes his living heart in a tree. (Allen: 2000: 231) The symbolism has ancient roots which have emerged through many ages and across continents. In
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