My swanky padlet by Matthew Akins

Introduction

makins24 — 2024-10-21 06:18:48 UTC

Throughout history many women have encountered the issue of having most if not all of their decisions made for them. For example, women were not allowed to choose who they were married to, or what they were allowed to wear outside. In many fairy tales this is shown to the fullest. In “Fitcher’s Bird”, all three daughters were forced to live in the sorcerer's house after being kidnapped. The daughter’s seem to be complacent with their situations, not making efforts to escape until they find something truly startling. Being kidnapped should be enough for one to want to escape a place, regardless of how nice it is. Comparatively, in “Mr. Fox” Lady Mary chooses her own destiny. She chooses who she wants to marry and who she should listen to. Although one might say that this is a huge difference between the two stories, I will use examples from “Fitcher’s Bird”, “Beauty and the Beast” and “Mr. Fox” to show that although these women had been constrained in these times, they used their will and wit to control their destiny.

Beauty and the beast theme ( random thought sort of)

makins24 — 2024-10-21 06:24:30 UTC

“I am indeed very wicked,” she said, “to cause so much grief to a Beast who has shown me nothing but kindness. Is it his fault that he is so ugly, and has so few wits? He is good, and that makes up for all the rest. Why did I not wish to marry him? I should have been a good deal happier with him than my sisters are with their husbands. It is neither good looks nor brains in a husband that make a woman happy; it is beauty of character, virtue, kindness. All these qualities the Beast has. I admit I have no love for him, but he has my esteem, friendship, and gratitude. At all events I must not make him miserable, or I shall reproach myself all my life.”

This quote from beauty and the beast displays the main theme of the original beauty and the beast tale. The concept that women should still date/marry men that they don't necessarily find attractive because of their character or credentials. This goes to show another double standard view on women from these times. Why isn't the same said about men?

Mr. Fox Quote

makins24 — 2024-10-21 06:29:09 UTC

"She had two brothers, and more lovers than she could count. But of them all, the bravest and most gallant, was a Mr. Fox, whom she met when she was down at her father's country-house. No one knew who Mr. Fox was; but he was certainly brave, and surely rich, and of all her lovers, Lady Mary cared for him alone. At last it was agreed upon between them that they should be married"

This quote can be interpreted in two ways. the first being that Lady Mary was a strong upstanding woman who was successful and made her own choices about the men she loved. The second is that Lady Mary was not smart and that this story is to be used as an anecdote to show why women shouldn't be able to choose who they marry, because when she did choose who to marry she chose wrong.

Fitcher's Bird

makins24 — 2024-10-21 06:35:15 UTC

In Fitcher's bird, each of the sisters chose to disobey the sorcerer showing that even though their first priority wasn't escape they were still not complacent with the situation and wanted to find ways to help it. It is also a story about how women should support other women, when all three worked together they were able to not only escape but burn the sorcerer alive.

Potential counters

makins24 — 2024-10-21 06:36:37 UTC

One counter argument that could be made is that the sisters in Fitcher's bird were kidnapped too easily and did not make enough of an effort to escape on their own.

Fitcher's Bird

makins24 — 2024-10-21 06:38:58 UTC

"He also gave her an egg, saying, 'Take good care of this egg. You should carry it with you at all times, for if you should loose it great misfortune would follow.' She took the keys and the egg, and promised to take good care of everything"

She seems complacent as she says she "promised to take care of everything"

quote i want to use

makins24 — 2024-10-25 00:39:36 UTC

"Among other things, these tales present a picture of sexual roles, behavior, and psychology, and a way of predicting outcome or fate according to sex, which is important because of the intense interest that children take in 'endings'; they always want to know how things will 'turn out'"