Objectification: Examples of Female Characters in Selected Traditional Fairy Tales

• Published in: Journal of language teaching and research 2023-07, Vol.14 (4), p.939-943
• Main Author: Ismail, Hisham Muhamad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Characters and characteristics in literature; Childrens literature; Cultural heritage; Demographic aspects; Fairy tales; Females; Folklore; Gender; Girls; Literary characters; Males; Objectification; Objectification theory; Sex roles; Society; Stereotypes; Traditions; Women
• ISSN: 1798-4769; 2053-0684
• DOI: 10.17507/jltr.1404.11

No one can deny the vital role that fairy tales played in forming the personalities of successive generations across various regions worldwide. All adults should have pleasant memories with these books during their early childhood. These memories make these tales enjoyable for children and adults, as all adults consider reading these books a part of the nostalgia for these past peaceful and cheerful days. On the other hand, many studies proved the passive and hazardous impacts of fairy tales' implicit themes and hidden messages. For instance, these themes heavily influenced the stereotyping of feminine roles in society. Furthermore, these books enhanced the gender roles with the advantage of the masculine, active role. Throughout the wide range of these books, the readers can quickly identify male characters as saviors, supporters, and always positioned in the center of the women's life. Moreover, the traditional happy ending should be associated with the marriage of the rich and handsome prince/ gentleman. The author will examine the portrayal of the prominent female characters in selected traditional fairy tales to shed light on the concept of "objectification" as a central concept in structuring these characters by making them passive, helpless, and naïve. Accordingly, these portrayals served to present these female characters as mere objects to satisfy the sexual and psychological fantasies of men.