A review by radlibrarian
Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales by Jack Zipes

4.0

This won't be a cover to cover read for me, for now at least. I am doing some research for my Storytelling class. We were pointed to Zipes essay on Bettelheim which is the last chapter of this book. I was so fascinated that I had to find out more. Folk tales were never really intended for a young audience. They were, in fact, kept from children to avoid giving them "crazy ideas" about rebelling against authoritarian or patriarchal rule. Zipes describes the sociopolitical transition from folk tale to fairy tale and how capitalism and class struggle are reflected in these tales. Fascinating read for those who like theory.