Lecture Notes: The Dark Origins of Hansel and Gretel

Introduction

• European folktales often contain dark themes.
• Hansel and Gretel includes:
  • Cannibalism
  • Child murder
  • Witchcraft

Context of the Story

• Originated in a time when cannibalism and witchcraft were not rare.
• In medieval Germany, these practices were alarmingly real due to societal conditions.

Brothers Grimm

• Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm:
  • German academics who collected folklore.
  • Aimed to preserve German culture amidst Napoleon's invasion.
  • Intended audience was fellow scholars, not children.
  • Their work included violent and dark themes.
• Source of Hansel and Gretel:
  • Originally sourced from Dorothea Wild, later Wilhelm's wife.
  • The story has undergone several alterations over time, including more Christian themes.

Summary of the Original Story

• A German family runs out of food, leading to a plan to abandon their children.
• Key plot points:
  • The mother convinces the father to abandon Hansel and Gretel.
  • Hansel overhears and leaves a trail of pebbles back home.
  • The parents abandon the children in the forest twice.
  • They find a witch who lures them with sweets and intends to eat them.
  • Gretel ultimately defeats the witch, kills her, and they return home with treasure.

Historical Context

• Great Famine (1315):
  • A mini ice age caused crop failures.
  • Families faced starvation; child abandonment became common.
  • Some resorted to cannibalism.

Witch Hunts in Germany

• Post-famine, a surge in witch hunts occurred.
• Many were accused and executed, including women and children.
• Folklore around witches reflects societal fears and scapegoating during this time.

Themes of Motherhood

• The evil stepmother trope is common in folklore.
  • May stem from the reality of high maternal mortality rates leading to more stepmothers.
• Hansel and Gretel's mother is portrayed as evil; her death signals a return to safety for the children.

Similar Tales in European Folklore

• Stories with similar themes include:
  • Nilo e Nella: Abandonment and an evil stepmother.
  • Fette Sraon: Children abandoned and encountering an ogre.
  • Little Thumb: Children face an ogre and find clever ways to escape.

Conclusion

• Hansel and Gretel serves as a reflection of its historical context.
• Reveals societal truths about fear, survival, and the darker aspects of human nature in folklore.