I really liked this video, however two quick things: 1. The rape-y elements of Persephone aren't present in the Homeric Hymns. The act of eating pomegranate seeds is a rather defiant act on Persephone's part, since, as a goddess, she doesn't *have* to eat. By eating exactly 6, she is choosing to have Hades and her mother. The more questionable elements appear later. 2. I agree about Disney's Sleeping Beauty treating Aurora as a beautiful object. But it's also a strangely feminist film? Like, the protagonists are the 3 good fairies and the antagonist is Maleficent, all women. Even Phillip is just a tool, who, without the guidance of the fairies, would have ultimately failed at his quest. As I've said, this doesn't justify the non-role of Aurora, but it is something to consider. Anywhoo... I really enjoyed this video and look forward to the rest of the series.
I have no idea how I managed to do this but I forgot to mention this very disturbing film called Sleeping Beauty ua-cam.com/video/wJLW6nRMBv0/v-deo.html I very nearly walked out of the cinema when I went to see it; it's brilliant but, oh my goodness, it's horrible x
+Jen Campbell Yes! I saw that with a friend of mine. It was not at all what we expected and we were horrified, but it is such an interesting adaptation of the story!
ALL the gold stars for mentioning Titus Andronicus. I played Lavinia in an all-female production last November, and I was quite happy to hear you mention Shakespeare. :)
You speak about bizarre things with such a straight face and substitute the word 'fascinating' often for so many other words. I like the hooks and points that you highlight from your study about a topic and thank you for the links in the 'more' section. Very Helpful! Keep up your good work.
I loved the "Sleeper and the Spindle" and in light of the "Sleeping Beauty"'s history, I see it differently now and love it even more. :) I grew up with the Grimm's fairy tales (in German) and I always felt that they were missing something. That something, I later realised, was the violence, sex and grewsome details they took out... Great video! I enjoyed it thoroughly, especially your highli intellectual and witty rhetoric. Love, Alex.
"I grew up with the Grimm's fairy tales (in German) and I always felt that they were missing something. That something, I later realised, was the violence, sex and grewsome details they took out..." Ha! Yes, indeed! x
This is a terrific video and I think the topic is really important. You would not believe how upset my husband's family was that I didn't let our kids watch Disney version fairy tales when they were little. We read the original fairy tales together and talked about them, but I didn't read them to them as bedtime stories or anything like that.
I took a fairy tales class in college (Liberal Arts College) and the version we read from a Grimm's annotated volume says that Maleficent's character puts this curse on the baby because the King and Queen didn't have enough matching golden dinner plates for ALL The fairies AND HER, so they just didn't invite her.
I absolutely love this Jen!!! You have revived my love of fairytales over the past year or so watching your videos. I've probably watched most your videos five times to make sure I haven't missed a book haha! Just bloody love you!
I can already tell that this series is going to be amazing and simultaneously, wreck my life. I do love Disney, but knowing the histories of these fairytales is only necessary to know fully into what I am investing my imagination. I love you and all your videos. This is just one more to eagerly anticipate. Thank you for sharing!
Loved this video! Instead of ruining childhood fairy tales I think it enhances them, especially like the linking to other stories like Persephone etc in this case. And then the book recommendations to help us keep going! Perfection! Thank Jen! 😊
Fascinating indeed! I had no idea there had been that many versions... Great video. I'm glad I was never too fond of Disney retelling of fairy tales and all those romantized gruesome stories!
Love this Jen! So very much, I love fairy tales and was a fan of Disney as many of us were as children, but I do love love picking things apart to the rawest form and finding out just where they came from and how they have evolved! 💕 X
Absolutely loved this Jen! I am fascinated by the Titus Andronicus and Persephone connections in this story and it's incarnations. I really look forward to the next video!
I love this video, Jen! You have a very intelligent but also funny way of explaining the different fairytales, and I'm very much looking forward to future videos in this series.
There were many great quotes in this video. But my favorite was "Aslan who is Jesus". Oh Jen, you are so lovely and I learned and laughed so much. THANK YOUUU. I'm going to sleep with a huge brain and a smile now.
I have been waiting for this video for a week and I am so pleased now that I've seen it. Great job, Jen! It was really interesting and I am looking forward to the next one.
Great video, Jen - keep up the good work!! I, like you, have always been fascinated by fairy tales and mythology and the deeper psychological meanings behind them. And, whilst I did grow up watching The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday evenings and reading all the books and movies, I did also (as a child) somehow find a collection of original tales (probably at my school library, haha!) and remember reading Cinderella and being horrified, yet astounded and very intrigued, by the sisters cutting their feet and all the bloody, gruesome stuff and Rapunzel with the thorns blinding the prince. It didn't effect me, but I think helped to greater increase my love of the fairy tale! I also recently completed an interesting online course (FutureLearn) about the life and work of Hans Christian Anderson, and hope that they soon create a course for other writers of the fairy tale.
your delivery of this and the general overly macabre nature of fairy tales are so funny! another great video. enlightened me to fairytale elements present in favourite work of fiction of mine that i hadn't known about prior.
I love these fairytale videos. When you mention how women are presented as either witches or beauties or whatnot, I was wondering if these fairytales then trace back to goddess worship and the maiden/mother/crone?
I recently found out your channel, and I'm so glad I did! I've pretty much binge watched all your videos. Your personality and your intellect amaze me. Thank you for making awesome videos!
I think I watched Sleeping Beauty the most when I was younger. I loved it. It's so fascinating hearing about the background of these fairy tales, thank you for the wonderful videos Jen! Also, why are older women always so evil in fairy tales?! :(
This was so fascinating, I always loved sleeping beauty as a child and I loved hearing the history behind the story, super excited to see more like this :)
This was such an awesome video. I had no idea at all about this fairytale's past and I was quite pleased to hear about it. Most interesting and informative :)
On the theme of asking to remove your clothes before being killed: there's an English folk song commonly called "The Outlandish Knight" (or other such variants) in which the female character uses this rouse in order to save herself. I wonder where the origins to this lie
I heard about the older versions of Sleeping Beauty and...yeah, they are, pardon my French, very fucked up. Giving birth in my sleep is the stuff of my nightmares. The way these stories treated women is very problematic. However, I disagree that the Disney version makes the women all pretty objects. The three fairies are the ones who drive the plot along. They are the ones who keep Aurora safe in the forest and protect her; they are the ones who break prince Phillip out of prison; they are the ones that give him the tools that help defeat Maleficent. I find the idea of three elderly women playing such a huge role in saving the day rather awesome. With that said, however, I do wish that Aurora played a larger and more active role in her own story, especially since she only has 18 lines. Aurora is an extremely passive character.
Immediately added to favourites. The first one sounds very much like an ancient romance with the lovers separated and overcoming ridiculous obstacles to come back together. And then there is Aphrodite after all. One maybe not so curious thing (if you think about it - social context and such) that I find very telling is that the women so rarely cooperate. Usually they are pitted against one another.
Love this series Jen! I'm taking a few classes next year on children's lit, though sadly none on fairytales, but this will definitely more than make up for that :) x
Such an interesting topic. I remember my literature teacher in highschool was very passionate about fairy tales and we used to discuss the oh so horrible elements of this genre. It was fascinating ! I'm so looking forward for new videos on this topic. By the way, I also watched the movie Sleeping Beauty and thought it was ... something !
that was really interesting :) I only knew the brothers Grimm version of sleeping beauty since I'm german and that's what I read as a child - I have a collection of popular fairy tales from the 1930s which is slowly falling apart. tomorrow I'm going to visit the German castle of sleeping beauty, I haven't been there for a really long time (probably 20 years?) and this video was the perfect preparation for the trip. maybe I should mention that I'm sort of blessed because I live in the area where the brothers Grimm lived and collected their fairy tales ^_^
+lillivanilli The Grimm Tales are really interesting, because they were revised SO MUCH, and it's the later versions we now know. This is something I'll be discussing in a future video :) but the original tales are linked in the description (a new translation was made last year) x
Here you have it. 2:25 - First Main Version / 1330 5:56 - Second Version / 1634 10:57 - Third Version / 1697 12:59 - Fourth Version / 1800 & 1850 13:55 - Disney Version / 1959
we want more! we want more! Haha, no really excellent video - I loved this! Sleeping Beauty was always one of my favs although I'm left feeling very unsure as to why! Maybe the multi coloured dress and the funny owl?
Oh your dry wit along with your intellect is such a wonderful combination. I love you; well done for being incredibly awesome xxxxxxx
I really liked this video, however two quick things: 1. The rape-y elements of Persephone aren't present in the Homeric Hymns. The act of eating pomegranate seeds is a rather defiant act on Persephone's part, since, as a goddess, she doesn't *have* to eat. By eating exactly 6, she is choosing to have Hades and her mother. The more questionable elements appear later. 2. I agree about Disney's Sleeping Beauty treating Aurora as a beautiful object. But it's also a strangely feminist film? Like, the protagonists are the 3 good fairies and the antagonist is Maleficent, all women. Even Phillip is just a tool, who, without the guidance of the fairies, would have ultimately failed at his quest. As I've said, this doesn't justify the non-role of Aurora, but it is something to consider. Anywhoo... I really enjoyed this video and look forward to the rest of the series.
your side comments to the stories are incredibly funny and almost better than the story itself xD
+amirisdepaula ha, thanks! x
Not only do I love fairy tales and history, so this is PERFECTION, but the start made me choke with laughter.
+Bethan Wallace Haha, glad you liked it x
I have no idea how I managed to do this but I forgot to mention this very disturbing film called Sleeping Beauty ua-cam.com/video/wJLW6nRMBv0/v-deo.html I very nearly walked out of the cinema when I went to see it; it's brilliant but, oh my goodness, it's horrible x
+Jen Campbell Yes! I saw that with a friend of mine. It was not at all what we expected and we were horrified, but it is such an interesting adaptation of the story!
ALL the gold stars for mentioning Titus Andronicus. I played Lavinia in an all-female production last November, and I was quite happy to hear you mention Shakespeare. :)
I love fairy tales but are new to reading them.
You speak about bizarre things with such a straight face and substitute the word 'fascinating' often for so many other words. I like the hooks and points that you highlight from your study about a topic and thank you for the links in the 'more' section. Very Helpful!
Keep up your good work.
I loved the "Sleeper and the Spindle" and in light of the "Sleeping Beauty"'s history, I see it differently now and love it even more. :)
I grew up with the Grimm's fairy tales (in German) and I always felt that they were missing something. That something, I later realised, was the violence, sex and grewsome details they took out...
Great video! I enjoyed it thoroughly, especially your highli intellectual and witty rhetoric.
Love,
Alex.
"I grew up with the Grimm's fairy tales (in German) and I always felt that they were missing something. That something, I later realised, was the violence, sex and grewsome details they took out..." Ha! Yes, indeed! x
This is a terrific video and I think the topic is really important. You would not believe how upset my husband's family was that I didn't let our kids watch Disney version fairy tales when they were little. We read the original fairy tales together and talked about them, but I didn't read them to them as bedtime stories or anything like that.
I took a fairy tales class in college (Liberal Arts College) and the version we read from a Grimm's annotated volume says that Maleficent's character puts this curse on the baby because the King and Queen didn't have enough matching golden dinner plates for ALL The fairies AND HER, so they just didn't invite her.
+Sarah Gawle the Grimms were extremely revisionist - something I'll be making a video about.
+Jen Campbell oh I know, we covered that in class! I just thought the dish thing was amusing.
I absolutely love this Jen!!! You have revived my love of fairytales over the past year or so watching your videos. I've probably watched most your videos five times to make sure I haven't missed a book haha! Just bloody love you!
+Book Element haha, thanks! x
I can already tell that this series is going to be amazing and simultaneously, wreck my life. I do love Disney, but knowing the histories of these fairytales is only necessary to know fully into what I am investing my imagination. I love you and all your videos. This is just one more to eagerly anticipate. Thank you for sharing!
+Janelle Horn Thanks, Janelle :) x
The fairy tale origins have always fascinated me. Wonderful video!
Loved this video! Instead of ruining childhood fairy tales I think it enhances them, especially like the linking to other stories like Persephone etc in this case. And then the book recommendations to help us keep going! Perfection! Thank Jen! 😊
In this light, the 'Shrek' series is a satire on the fairy tales. The very permise of the first movie pokes at 'Sleeping Beauty'.
Brilliant video.
Wonderful.....love your video's.....🙄📚😊
Fascinating indeed! I had no idea there had been that many versions... Great video. I'm glad I was never too fond of Disney retelling of fairy tales and all those romantized gruesome stories!
This was absolutely fascinating! I'm stunned at how that story has changed over time. Thank you for doing this series.
Love this Jen! So very much, I love fairy tales and was a fan of Disney as many of us were as children, but I do love love picking things apart to the rawest form and finding out just where they came from and how they have evolved! 💕 X
I love this series so far!!!!!! It reminds me of this podcast about the Disney stories.
Ah, one of my most favourite things to chat about. So very happy that this series is happening! All the glitter cuddles for you!
+NEHOMAS2 Glitter cuddles are my favourite x
Absolutely loved this Jen! I am fascinated by the Titus Andronicus and Persephone connections in this story and it's incarnations. I really look forward to the next video!
+Tom Chandler Thanks Tom! x
I love this video, Jen! You have a very intelligent but also funny way of explaining the different fairytales, and I'm very much looking forward to future videos in this series.
Loved this video! Thank you so very much Jen.
Great summary. Like wise fascinated with those themes.
I love your take on this story, as well as the humor!
There were many great quotes in this video. But my favorite was "Aslan who is Jesus". Oh Jen, you are so lovely and I learned and laughed so much. THANK YOUUU. I'm going to sleep with a huge brain and a smile now.
+ttjnaaa furry Jesus.
I have been waiting for this video for a week and I am so pleased now that I've seen it. Great job, Jen! It was really interesting and I am looking forward to the next one.
+TsX5JL Glad you enjoyed it! x
I'm so excited for this new series. This first episode was great!
If I could like this numerous times I would. I love love love this concept!!!
And me thinking I'd seen all these episodes. Loved it!
:D x
Yes, please. This is fascinating.
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!! Wow, I can't wait for the next one! Great video Jen :)
You are so brilliant! I love your humour and all your comments! This is such an amazing and interesting video!
Thank you. I really enjoyed this video and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series x
Great video, Jen - keep up the good work!!
I, like you, have always been fascinated by fairy tales and mythology and the deeper psychological meanings behind them. And, whilst I did grow up watching The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday evenings and reading all the books and movies, I did also (as a child) somehow find a collection of original tales (probably at my school library, haha!) and remember reading Cinderella and being horrified, yet astounded and very intrigued, by the sisters cutting their feet and all the bloody, gruesome stuff and Rapunzel with the thorns blinding the prince. It didn't effect me, but I think helped to greater increase my love of the fairy tale!
I also recently completed an interesting online course (FutureLearn) about the life and work of Hans Christian Anderson, and hope that they soon create a course for other writers of the fairy tale.
your delivery of this and the general overly macabre nature of fairy tales are so funny! another great video. enlightened me to fairytale elements present in favourite work of fiction of mine that i hadn't known about prior.
So excited for this series, Jen! Thanks for sharing your immense knowledge with the rest of us!
Also totally giggled at "Two gold stars for you!"
+Kaylee Marie "Four for you, Glen Coco, you go Glen Coco" ;) x
I love these fairytale videos. When you mention how women are presented as either witches or beauties or whatnot, I was wondering if these fairytales then trace back to goddess worship and the maiden/mother/crone?
I recently found out your channel, and I'm so glad I did! I've pretty much binge watched all your videos. Your personality and your intellect amaze me. Thank you for making awesome videos!
I LOVED this video! So, so interesting and cannot wait for the other videos to come! xx
this is so great! loved this and so looking forward to more episodes
I love this series already, so fascinating!
This is so interesting...honestly I had no idea there were so many versions!
Another brilliant video. It was so insightful, entertaining, and eloquent. Well done.
+Jeremy Kreamer (JerSings) Thanks Jeremy - glad you liked it x
I think I watched Sleeping Beauty the most when I was younger. I loved it. It's so fascinating hearing about the background of these fairy tales, thank you for the wonderful videos Jen! Also, why are older women always so evil in fairy tales?! :(
Thank you so much! I love learning the histories behind our favorite stories! I look forward to your future videos! :)
Oh my, indeed! Thoroughly enjoyed hearing your rather sardonic retelling of the stories, looking forward to more.
Great-great video!
I've read The Book of Lost Things this year and it's among my all-time favs now.
I loved this video, Jen! Definitely looking forward to future videos in this series :)
Excellent stuff. More, please, when you have the time.
+Ani Whitetree Thanks ^_^
I grew up with fairy tales full of horrific and grotesque details. Peasants usually do tell such stories. It's a pity I didn't write them down...
This is a very interesting video. I have always been interested in the history of fairy tales. I love it! Please do more of these.
I loved learning a bit more about the background of Sleeping Beauty, especially with your wit added in! :)
love this! prefect video to watch during my break at work.
+Sabella Thanks! Glad you liked it x
I cannot tell you enough how I absolutely love this!!! :D Thank you so much for doing this!
+Mafalda Lima :D
Very interesting topic. Great video.
This is fantastic! I'd love to see more of this series!
My thesis for my first degree was related to fairy tales, so I found this fascinating! I'll look forward to more of these in the future for sure!
What was the thesis about?
This was so fascinating, I always loved sleeping beauty as a child and I loved hearing the history behind the story, super excited to see more like this :)
please do more videos like this!
I'll be doing one a month :)
This is my favorite thing now!
This is fantastic and my new favorite videos, you are so entertaining and I love Fairy Tales! Super excited for future episodes, thank you!! :)
+Samantha Lee You're welcome! x
THAT INTRO WAS INCREDIBLE 😂
This is SO interesting and eye opening. Thanks for making this :)
+Gina J You're welcome :)
Fantastic video! Thank you. I look forward to more in the future.
This was such an awesome video. I had no idea at all about this fairytale's past and I was quite pleased to hear about it. Most interesting and informative :)
On the theme of asking to remove your clothes before being killed: there's an English folk song commonly called "The Outlandish Knight" (or other such variants) in which the female character uses this rouse in order to save herself. I wonder where the origins to this lie
Fascinating, definitely looking forward to more videos in this series :)
Great performance of the theme. :)
This was absolutely fantastic, super interesting, thanks Jen!!
+Hugo Cunha You're very welcome - thank you x
I really love this story and your way of telling the other versions :D
This is such an interesting video! Awesome work!
loved this video! This is definetly one for anyone studying English!
Fantastic! I'm very excited for the future videos!
Speechless. This video is magnificent! Thank you, Jen! xxx
+gothprincess0705 :D
Love the way you talk such an awesome story teller ❤️
Looking forward for future videos 🌸
Yay literary history! Love it, well done!
I heard about the older versions of Sleeping Beauty and...yeah, they are, pardon my French, very fucked up. Giving birth in my sleep is the stuff of my nightmares. The way these stories treated women is very problematic.
However, I disagree that the Disney version makes the women all pretty objects. The three fairies are the ones who drive the plot along. They are the ones who keep Aurora safe in the forest and protect her; they are the ones who break prince Phillip out of prison; they are the ones that give him the tools that help defeat Maleficent. I find the idea of three elderly women playing such a huge role in saving the day rather awesome. With that said, however, I do wish that Aurora played a larger and more active role in her own story, especially since she only has 18 lines. Aurora is an extremely passive character.
Immediately added to favourites. The first one sounds very much like an ancient romance with the lovers separated and overcoming ridiculous obstacles to come back together. And then there is Aphrodite after all. One maybe not so curious thing (if you think about it - social context and such) that I find very telling is that the women so rarely cooperate. Usually they are pitted against one another.
+Ninette Ponderanza Absolutely! x
Great video!! Really interesting - looking forward to more videos in this series!!
I loved this video! Very interesting and it gave me a lot to think about. Thank you!
+Natalie Morales thanks for watching! x
Fascinating
This is such an amazing video! I love this series, it's so informative
This is so fascinating and I love that you're doing this! Looking forward to more videos in the future xx
Love this series Jen! I'm taking a few classes next year on children's lit, though sadly none on fairytales, but this will definitely more than make up for that :) x
Loved this video!
+Britta Böhler :D
I love dark fairy tales.....
I love you, I love your channel. Thank you for making my day ❤️
Such an interesting topic. I remember my literature teacher in highschool was very passionate about fairy tales and we used to discuss the oh so horrible elements of this genre. It was fascinating !
I'm so looking forward for new videos on this topic. By the way, I also watched the movie Sleeping Beauty and thought it was ... something !
that was really interesting :)
I only knew the brothers Grimm version of sleeping beauty since I'm german and that's what I read as a child - I have a collection of popular fairy tales from the 1930s which is slowly falling apart. tomorrow I'm going to visit the German castle of sleeping beauty, I haven't been there for a really long time (probably 20 years?) and this video was the perfect preparation for the trip.
maybe I should mention that I'm sort of blessed because I live in the area where the brothers Grimm lived and collected their fairy tales ^_^
+lillivanilli The Grimm Tales are really interesting, because they were revised SO MUCH, and it's the later versions we now know. This is something I'll be discussing in a future video :) but the original tales are linked in the description (a new translation was made last year) x
Excellent! Am very much looking forward to your next installment.
You are a bliss to this world
Thank you Jen for sharing your knowedge :)
Yay, So excited for this series! Really enjoyed the video :D xx
Here you have it.
2:25 - First Main Version / 1330
5:56 - Second Version / 1634
10:57 - Third Version / 1697
12:59 - Fourth Version / 1800 & 1850
13:55 - Disney Version / 1959
love this topic another great video from yound
we want more! we want more!
Haha, no really excellent video - I loved this! Sleeping Beauty was always one of my favs although I'm left feeling very unsure as to why! Maybe the multi coloured dress and the funny owl?
+MercysBookishMusings perhaps it's because you like naps?