A New Debate about “Old Marie”? Critical Observations on the Attempt to Remythologize Grimms’ Fairy Tales from a Sociohistorical Perspective

Authors

Deborah Lokai Bischof

Abstract

This essay by German scholar Lothar Bluhm critiques sociohistorical interpretations of Grimms’ fairy tales that ignore basic textual facts and philological perspectives.In addition to demonstrating the persistence of scholarly myths—especially that of the alleged Grimm informant “old Marie”—and the interpretive pitfalls that enable their longevity, Bluhm articulates the fundamental principles that must guide any credible sociohistorical reading of the tales in Grimms’ collection.

Recommended Citation

Bischof, Deborah Lokai. "A New Debate about “Old Marie”? Critical Observations on the Attempt to Remythologize Grimms’ Fairy Tales from a Sociohistorical Perspective." Marvels & Tales 14.2 (2000). Web. <https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/marvels/vol14/iss2/4>.