Abstract
Despite recent scholarly interest in gender, sexuality, and transgression in the fairy tale, few scholars have considered representations of masculinity in magic tales. ATU 326, “The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is,” is a relatively uncommon tale that focuses on the troublesome masculine performance of its male protagonist. Through analyzing several versions of the tale, this article argues that the boy protagonist consistently enacts a queer masculine performance that reveals the anxieties surrounding hegemonic masculinity and queer desires. This queer reading offers transgressive possibilities that complicate “straight” readings of fairy-tale masculinity for both academics and popular audiences.
Recommended Citation
Stephens, Ainjel. "Creeping Desires: Queer Masculinity in “The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is” (ATU 326)." Marvels & Tales 39.2 (2025). Web. <https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/marvels/vol39/iss2/5>.
Contributor's note (50 words)
