Detangling a Classic Fairy Tale 

What do witches put in their hair?…. Scare spray! Ha ha ha.. Ha …….ha. Not funny alright. Well this story is also not that funny either. The story of Rapunzel is a classic fairy tale that has been passed on from generation to generation. In this fairytale there are the dark themes of control, isolation, and manipulation. Along with the characterization of Rapunzel being sexualized/objectified, not having a say about her body, and the societal views on young women. 

 The story begins with a married couple who longed for a child, but their wish was not granted for many years. One day, the wife noticed a beautiful garden filled with rapunzel, a kind of plant that she so desired. She urged her husband to steal some of it from the garden for her, and he complied. However, the garden belonged to an enchantress, who caught the husband stealing and demanded he give her his unborn child as punishment. The enchantress named the child Rapunzel and kept her hidden away in a tower without stairs or a door. The only way the witch could visit Rapunzel was by climbing up her long luscious hair. As she grew into a beautiful young woman with enviable long hair, Rapunzel would sing sweetly to pass the time. One day, a prince heard her singing and became infatuated with her voice. He had to go to the tower and discovered Rapunzel by her lovely hair. Then those two fell in love, and the prince said that he would rescue her from the tower and marry her. However, the enchantress soon found out about their relationship and cut off Rapunzel’s hair. Devastated and heartbroken, the prince was thrown from the tower and left blind after falling into thorns. Despite this, Rapunzel remained in the tower. The prince is wondering out by himself (blind! I will remind you) until he stumbled upon Rapunzel again, but she was shocked that the prince was now blind and living in the wilderness. Despite this, Rapunzel’s love for the prince was undeniable. She found him in the wild and worked to heal his eyes with her caring touch. With her love and kindness, Rapunzel’s tears of joy falling on the prince’s eyes restored his sight. The two were reunited, and they married and lived happily ever after.

However, there are hidden, darker layers to the story of Rapunzel that often go unnoticed. I do agree with the point of Rapunzel being positioned in a more objectifying manner. The tale is symbolic of the patriarchal control over women’s bodies, as the wife sought control over her own body by demanding the rapunzel, ultimately leading to the loss of her daughter. Similarly, the enchantress is seen as a passive villain ( which I also agree on the difference in the character portrayal of Mother Gothel) who never goes to reclaim Rapunzel from the tower; indeed, she only seems interested in visiting the tower to satisfy her own needs for company and admiration. Rapunzel’s long beautiful hair is connected to Gothel because she wanted to hide her away from any sexual desires that might come her way due to her beauty and unique hair. It is Gothel’s way of protecting and shielding Rapunzel from the outside world. Told she would grow up to be a beautiful girl, Gothel was protecting her from promiscuity and any sexual desires that are more prone to happen in adolescence, which is why Gothel locked her in the tower when she turned 12. Demonstrating how Rapunzel doesn’t have a voice about her body being used and treated in this way. 

 In Brother Gimm, Rapunzel is introduced as a symbol of purity, innocence, beauty, and freedom. She represents numerous attributes that are admired by people and are often used to signify positivity. Rapunzel can also embody the consequences of breaking the rules, which can ultimately lead to suffering. Rapunzel’s character symbolizes purity and innocence comes from her isolation in a tower, being shielded from the outside world. This setting allows her to maintain an identity free from society’s corrupt influence. She represents virtue and the possibility of being an untouched, unspoiled soul. Such interpretation can be seen as an attack on societal norms, pointing out that they often lead to people losing their pure essence. Rapunzel shows that we can maintain our Heavenly attributes if we distance ourselves from worldly distractions.

The prince is also not the heroic figure he is often made out to be, as he infiltrates Rapunzel’s tower by her hair, a deeply personal violation of her boundaries. Furthermore, his initial response upon finding Rapunzel is to whisk her away without hesitation, as if she has no say in the matter. The Prince is the one who discovered and fell in love with her voice when she sang and is the one who initiates their relationship by pursuing her as his wife.  Such that when the prince met with Rapunzel he asked her if she would take him as her husband (like straight to the point). She goes on to describe him as handsome and he was young (not like she has seen other men) and she thought to herself “he would love me more than old Dame Gothel does”. Showing how quickly they began their relationship and how Rapunzel is easily persuaded and naïve. It is important to reanalyze and understand the hidden narratives that underlie seemingly innocent fairy tales, reflecting on the lessons and cultural beliefs they perpetuate, and what they reveal about society’s values. Doing so can lead to a deeper understanding of narrative patterns and the social, political, and psychological factors that shape them.

The character of the “bad guy” in the story of Rapunzel has been a topic of debate among scholars and literary enthusiasts. In the original Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, the villain is the witch who imprisons Rapunzel in a tower. However, in the popular Disney adaptation of the story, Mother Gothel is the antagonist who deceives and manipulates Rapunzel. Mother Gothel is a complex character who represents various psychological issues such as narcissism, codependency, and toxic parenting. She views Rapunzel as an object rather than a person and uses her for her long hair’s healing powers. Gothel manipulates Rapunzel by instilling fear and guilt in her, which makes it difficult for her to escape the tower. For example, She uses the magic of the tower to keep Rapunzel under her control, forbidding her to leave or interact with any other humans. However, she also genuinely cares for Rapunzel, which adds to the complexity of her character. Mother Gothel, a character from the Brothers Grimm collection of fairy tales, is a fascinating figure who has captured the imaginations of readers for generations. As a beautiful and cunning sorceress, she is both a villain and a mother figure, possessing powers that she wields for her own selfish purposes.

 In conclusion, the story of Rapunzel is a classic fairy tale that captivates audiences of all ages. Still, the dark themes of control, isolation, and manipulation must be understood for us to fully appreciate the story’s complexity. As well as bringing up the characterization of Rapunzel being sexualized, not having a say about her body, and societal views on young women.