Knowledge on Tap: Dark Side of Fairytales

Professor Donald Haase discusses the dark elements of fairytales that are not suitable for children

Initially written to preserve German heritage and tradition, fairy tales often had a dark side.  Professor Donald Haase, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wayne State University, discusses the explicit and darker elements of these tales with Stephen Henderson on Detroit Today.

  • Booming interest: Television shows and popular culture sensationalize the darker elements of fairytales.  Haase ascribes this cultural revitalization to the work of scholars and new understanding of the Grimm’s tales.
  • Dark side:  Stories like “Alice in Wonderland”, “Hansel and Gretel”, and “Little Red Riding Hood”  all have dark elements, showcasing many different elements from an authors’ troubles to cannibalism. 
  • Knowledge on tap: Haase will do dramatic readings of unfamiliar dark fairytales and discuss their role at Hopcat in Midtown on September 16.

Click the link above to hear the full conversation 

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