The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood [Paperback]

Jack Zipes (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415908353 | ISBN-13: 978-0415908351 | Publication Date: September 22, 1993 | Edition: 2

This text presents the many faces of "Little Red Riding Hood". In tracing the evolution of the story, the author takes on those questions which other authors have shied away from: violation, rape, male fantasies and manipulation. This book collects 35 of the best versions of the story, from the first tellings as a folktale, to its written renderings by authors such as the Brothers Grimm, Walter De La Mare, James Thurber, Alphonse Daudet, Anne Sexton and Olga Broumas, providing a detailed social history of the literary Red Riding Hood. Zipes uses these tales to explore questions of Western culture, sexism, and politics and, in a new epilogue, examines the illustrations used in past versions for their "take on the tale". A new preface and an expanded bibliography have also been included for the second edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...interesting and often entertaining reading for scholars and general readers alike.." -- The German Quarterly

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (September 22, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415908353
• ISBN-13: 978-0415908351
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #770,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars intriguing!, April 30, 2001

By 

Kathryn T. Bass "purveyor of fine words" (Englewood, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood (Paperback)

This is a fascinating look at how one story changes through the course of time. Zipes presents many versions of "Little Red" -- and each change represents a change in the ideas of the storyteller and his or her time and the needs of the listener. Observing the story's progression through the last few centuries tells us much about what we have lost and gained, known and forgotten, desired and feared. "Little Red" becomes a microcosm for the developing individual and social human psyche, as we watch what the cautionary tale cautions us against and takes for granted. A wonderful read for anyone interested in myth, sociology, fiction writing, or cultural development/studies.