German Studies 231WD - Topics in German and European Studies in a Global Context: 'Into the Woods: The Brothers Grimm and the European Folklore Tradition'

This course examines the classical origins, artistic form, and modern legacy of the folktales famously collected by the Brothers Grimm, situating them in both their German and their wider European context. Students investigate the cultural, political, and psychological influences of the folktale genre on individuals, social groups, and nation-states from antiquity to the present. We consider renditions of the tales in various media and contemporary topics such as childhood pedagogy, gender, social (in)justice, psychology, and political ideology. Various interpretations of fairy tales will be explored, including their potential for social subversion through reinterpretation and rewriting.