Myths and tales

“From the late Middle Ages up through the Renaissance, folk tales were told by non-literate peasants among themselves at the hearth, in spinning rooms, or in the fields. They were told by priests in the vernacular as part of their sermons to reach out to the peasantry. Literate merchants and travelers transmitted them to people of all classes in inns and taverns. They were told to children of the upper class by nurses and governesses. They were remembered and passed on in different forms and versions by all members of society…” From “The Rise of the French Fairy Tale and the Decline of France” by Jack Zipes
Folk tales, fairy tales, bedtime stories – we know them as tales told for children, often repurposed and repackaged by The Walt Disney Company. The original purpose of these tales was to both delight and instruct, in short—to teach or preach to the listener while simultaneously entertaining them. Thus folk tales and fairy tales often contain an underlying moral or message the author or teller is trying to impart.
ASSIGNMENT: Select a myth or tale from the list provided (or find one not on the list—must be approved by me). Interpret the meaning or moral of the myth or tale, and then discuss its relevance (or lack of relevance) today.
EXAMPLE: (thesis) The “Beauty and the Beast” fairy tale was a tale originally told to young women to prepare them for marriage. This tale encouraged women to prepare for the fact that the man they may be marrying might not be their ideal husband—essentially, a beast. However, while we can still be entertained by the tale, and although arranged marriages still exist, for the most part, the tale of “Beauty and the Beast” is no longer culturally relevant for today’s modern man or woman.
LIST OF TALES:
Ancient tales and myths (i.e. Greek mythology)
Fairy tales (French fairy tales, German fairy tales i.e. The Brothers Grimm)
Aesop’s Fables
Nursery Rhymes / Mother Goose
Note: Consider exploring outside the traditional European tales. There are plenty of amazing myths and fairytales that hail from Asia, Africa, and the Americas!
ORGANIZATION:
I. The first part will be devoted to an explication of the tale:
What is the moral of the story? What is the tale’s author trying to tell their listeners? What exactly is happening in the story? Why did the character do that? What does the author really think and feel about this situation? What is the overall theme of the story?
II. The second part of the essay will be devoted to discussing the work’s relevancy:
Why do people still read this story? Does this problem/issue still exist today? Why should we care about a work that was written 200 years ago? Does this story have anything to teach us today? Is this story still relevant?
Introduction (thesis)
Section 1 (1-2 paragraphs): explication of the tale
Section 2 (1-2 paragraphs): relevancy of the tale
Conclusion
Does it matter which part of the essay is longer? No. If you have more to say about the work in the explication part of the essay, then do so. If your interest lies in communicating the work’s relevancy to today’s readers, then feel free to expound to your heart’s content.

SPECIFICATION:
Page Length:4 pages—no more, no less
Essay:Essay must be typed, double-spaced, using the correct font and font size, and must be uploaded to Turn-It-In.
Sources: You MUST find and use sources for this essay—make sure you parenthetically cite them properly. NOTE: Wikipedia is NOT a reliable source and will not be credited as such.

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