Reading Exercise: Tales by the Brothers Grimm

The enduring fame achieved by their collection would have surprised the humble Grimms. During their lifetimes, sales in Germany were modest, with only a few hundred copies sold annually at first. Initially, the editions were not intended for children. The brothers initially resisted including illustrations, and scholarly footnotes occupied nearly as much space as the stories themselves. Jacob and Wilhelm saw themselves as patriotic folklorists rather than children's entertainers. They began their work during a period when Germany was under French occupation by Napoleon, who sought to suppress local culture. As young, dedicated scholars, living together in a cramped apartment, the Brothers Grimm undertook the task of collecting fairy tales with the aim of preserving Germany's endangered oral traditions.

For much of the 19th century, educators, parents, and religious leaders, particularly in the United States, criticized the Grimm collection for its raw, uncivilized content. Concerned adults objected to the brutal punishments inflicted on the villains in the stories. In the original version of 'Snow White,' for example, the evil stepmother is forced to dance in red-hot iron shoes until she dies. Even today, some cautious parents shy away from Grimm's tales due to their reputation for violence.

Despite occasional controversy, Children’s and Household Tales gradually gained popularity among the public. The brothers did not anticipate that their work would coincide with a golden age of children's literature in Europe. English publishers led the way by producing high-quality illustrated books such as 'Jack and the Beanstalk' and elegant collections of folktales, all catering to a newly literate audience seeking morally uplifting material for young readers. Recognizing this new audience, the Brothers Grimm began to refine and soften their tales, originally rooted in earthy peasant traditions. In their hands, cruel stepmothers became unpleasant, unmarried lovers were portrayed as chaste, and the incestuous father figure was transformed into a demonic figure.

During the 20th century, Grimm's fairy tales became a staple on children's bedroom bookshelves. The narratives unfold like fantastical dreams: gallant youths and enchanting maidens, armed with magic, triumph over giants, witches, and wild creatures. They outsmart selfish, malicious adults. Predictably, the boy and girl fall in love and live happily ever after. Parents continue reading for the moral lessons embedded in the stories: keep promises, avoid strangers, work diligently, obey parents. According to the Grimms, the collection served as a 'manners manual'.

Altogether, about 40 individuals contributed tales to the Grimms. Many storytellers visited the Grimms' residence in Kassel. The brothers warmly welcomed visits from Dorothea Viehmann, a widow who walked to town to sell her garden produce. Viehmann, daughter of an innkeeper, grew up hearing tales from travelers on the road to Frankfurt. Among her treasures was 'Aschenputtel' - Cinderella. Marie Hassenpflug, a 20-year-old friend of their sister Charlotte from a well-bred, French-speaking family, also contributed wonderful stories. Marie's tales combined motifs from oral traditions and Charles Perrault's influential 1697 book, 'Tales of My Mother Goose', which included elaborate versions of 'Little Red Riding Hood', 'Snow White', and 'Sleeping Beauty', among others. Many of these tales were adaptations from earlier Italian stories.

Considering that the origins of many Grimm fairy tales span across Europe, the Middle East, and the Orient, one must question: How German are the Grimm tales? According to scholar Heinz Rolleke, they are deeply Germanic. Love for the underdog, rural simplicity, and creative energy are all Teutonic traits. The harsh realities of life in medieval Germany, when many of these tales entered oral tradition, also imbued the narratives. Throughout Europe, children often faced neglect and abandonment, akin to Hansel and Gretel. Accused witches suffered the fate of being burned at the stake, akin to the evil mother-in-law in 'The Six Swans'. 'The cruelty in these stories was not the creation of the Grimms,' Rolleke points out. 'It reflected the legal and societal norms of the times.

The editorial influence left by the Grimms reflects the specific values of 19th-century Christian, bourgeois German society. However, this has not hindered the tales from being embraced by nearly every culture and nationality worldwide. What explains this widespread and enduring popularity? Bernhard Lauer attributes it to the 'universal style' of their writing, lacking concrete descriptions of landscapes, attire, forests, or castles. This timelessness and placelessness make the tales universally relatable,' says Jack Zipes of the University of Minnesota, whose 1987 translation of the complete fairy tales captures the rustic vigor of the original text. 'The tales allow us to express our utopian aspirations.'

Psychoanalysts argue that fairy tales provide mental exercise for the unconscious mind. Bruno Bettelheim famously advocated for the therapeutic value of Grimm's stories, describing fairy tales as 'great sources of solace.' By confronting fears and anxieties symbolized by witches, heartless stepmothers, and hungry wolves, children learn to conquer their fears. Bettelheim's theory continues to spark debate. However, most young readers are not concerned with delving into their subconscious. In fact, Grimm's tales delight in countless ways, seeming to reflect various moods and interests we bring to our reading. The interpretive flexibility makes them suitable for nearly any time and culture.

Questions 1-6

Are the following statements consistent with the information provided in the Reading Passage?

In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet, write

YES           if the statement is true

NO                    if the statement is false

NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage

1 The Grimm brothers believed they would achieve international fame.

2 The Grimm brothers were forced to work in secret.

3 Some parents today still think Grimm fairy tales are not suitable for children.

4 The first edition of Grimm’s fairy tales sold more widely in England than in Germany.

5  Adults like reading Grimm’s fairy tales for reasons different from those of children.

6 The Grimm brothers based the story “Cinderella” on the life of Dorothea Viehmann

Questions 7-9

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write your answers in boxes 7-9 on your answer sheet.

7. In paragraph 4, what changes happened at that time in Europe?

A    Literacy levels of the population increased.

B    The development of printing technology made it easier to publish.

C    Schools were open to children.

D    People were fond of collecting superb picture books.

8. What changes did the Grimm Brothers make in later editions?

A    They made the stories shorter.

B    They used more oral language.

C    The content of the tales became less violent.

D    They found other origins of the tales.

9. What did Marie Hassenpflug contribute to the Grimm’s Fairy tales?

A    She wrote stories.

B    She discussed the stories with them.

C    She translated a popular book for the brothers using her talent for languages.

D    She told the oral stories that were based on traditional Italian stories.

Questions 10-14

Write the correct letter, A-H, in boxes 10-14 on your answer sheet.

10 Heinz Rolleke said the Grimm’s tales are “German” because the tales

11 Heinz Rolleke said the abandoned children in tales

12 Bernhard Lauer said the writing style of the Grimm brothers is universal because they

13 Jack Zipes said the pursuit of happiness in the tales means they

14 Bruno Bettelheim said the therapeutic value of the tales means that the fairy tales

A     reflect what life was like at that time

B     help children deal with their problems

C     demonstrate the outdated system

D     tell of the simplicity of life in the German countryside

E     encourage people to believe that they can do anything

F     recognize the heroes in the real life

G     contribute to the belief in nature power

H     avoid details about characters’ social settings.

1. NO (Đoạn 2, “Such lasting fame would have shocked the humble Grimms” → Không ngờ rằng mình sẽ nổi tiếng)

2. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin)

3. YES (Đoạn 3, For much of the 19th century teachers, parents, and religious figures, …Offended adults objected to the gruesome punishments inflicted on the stories’ villains.” → Lên án những tình tiết trong truyện)

4. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin)

5. YES (Đoạn 5, “And parents keep reading because they approve of the finger-wagging lessons inserted into the stories…” → Người lớn đọc truyện vì có những bài học hay)

6. NO

7. A (Đoạn 4, “The brothers had not foreseen that the appearance of their work would coincide with a great flowering of children’s literature in Europe.”)

8. C (Đoạn 5, “The stories read like dreams come true: handsome lads and beautiful damsels, armed with magic, triumph over giants and witches and wild beasts. They outwit mean, selfish adults. The stories read like dreams come true: handsome lads and beautiful damsels, armed with magic, triumph over giants and witches and wild beasts. They outwit mean, selfish adults.” → Loại bỏ những yếu tố bạo lực, chỉ để lại hình ảnh trong sáng.)

9. D (Đoạn 6. “Marie’s wonderful stories blended motifs from the oral tradition and from Perrault’s influential 1697 book, Tales of My Mother Goose, which contained elaborate versions of “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Snow White”, and “Sleeping Beauty”, among others. Many of these had been adapted from earlier Italian tales.” → Dựa trên những câu chuyện kể của bà Marie có nguồn gốc từ Ý)

10. D (Đoạn 7, “How German are the Grimm tales? Very, says scholar Heinz Rolleke. Love of the underdog, rustic simplicity, creative energy—these are Teutonic traits.”_

11. A (Đoạn 7, “The coarse texture of life during medieval times in Germany, when many of the tales entered the oral tradition, also coloured the narratives. Throughout Europe, children were often neglected and abandoned, like Hansel and Gretel.” → Trẻ em bị bỏ rơi như chính thực trạng thời đó)

12. H (Đoạn 7, “Bernhard Lauer points to the “universal style” of the writing, you have no concrete descriptions of the land, or the clothes, or the forest, or the castles.” → Mang tính “quốc tế” vì không miêu tả địa vị xã hội của các nhân vật.)

13. E (Đoạn 7, “They show a striving for happiness that none of us knows but that we sense is possible. We can identify with the heroes of the tales and become in our mind the masters and mistresses of our own destinies.” → Tin vào bản thân, tự quyết định số phận)