This week, we’re back to the Greeks. I always get excited when history, myth, and the Bible come together. Today, we’ll see how they do just that during the time of the judges. Bible and History According to legend, the descendants of Heracles pushed out the Achaeans – whom we Read more…
I made a bold statement last week about how studying the Greco-Roman culture will help us understand many aspects of the Bible better. However, you don’t create culture overnight; it spans centuries of tradition. A lot of the subjects I’ll discuss are ancient ways of thinking. They go at least Read more…
I love the story of Richilda and Blanca so much. It all makes sense. Blanca is not randomly living with dwarves in the woods; rather, she has a home and the dwarves are her servants (which was a fashionable thing back in the day). The author, Musaeus, takes the time Read more…
We are now out of the darkling woods of ancient Snow Whites, and into the glorious light of familiar territory! I did try to mask a lot of the sadder aspects of Snow White, and I hope I succeeded for the most part. When I first began, I was overwhelmed Read more…
“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” ~ Genesis 8:1 Joseph to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to Read more…
In each version of our story, we’ve seen how the identity of the Sleeping Beloved has been destroyed or challenged – it’s why she needs to be awakened by love in the first place; however, I haven’t made a practice of pointing it out. There was just too much going on in those stories to focus on the undercurrent theme of identity.
With the Grimms’ version, the theme takes center stage. I talked in my last post about how our Princess wears a beautiful, perfect mask – a mask made of deeds to earn love. She is able to live behind her mask for a while…but then, something snaps…
In previous versions, our Sleeping Beloved was held three consistent identities: princess, wife, and mother. Despite the magical forces, Sleeping Beauty always emerges as a “typical” woman (that is, wife and mother). She embodies the transition between girlhood and adulthood, helping women through her example. The lesson she teaches is that awakening one’s heart to love is always, always worth it.
Beginning in 1812, however, Sleeping Beauty’s story is cut short. Rather than the central crisis coming after her awakening, her chief trial is her slumbering state…
This is the first major rendition to promise a Hope in countering the curse, and this profoundly impacts how we read the story.[2] There is expectation and anticipation now: a king’s son will come! He will awaken the Sleeping Beloved…
Our next Sleeping Beloved shows up in France only 50 years after Basile’s story. Although some scholars point to Basile’s “Sun, Moon, and Talia” as the inspiration (which is certainly possible),[1] it’s also possible that it came from a variant called “Sun, Pearl, and Anna,” which cleans up the story a great deal (i.e. the prince takes the spindle out of Anna’s hand, she awakes, then they have children who are almost killed by Anna’s mother-in-law, the evil queen).[2]
Anyway, part of a compilation of eight short stories, The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood was written by Charles Perrault in 1697 for King Louis XIV’s niece.[3] It is one of my favorite versions. Hands down, I will read it to my children. It has beautiful imagery (the good fairy has a chariot pulled by dragons!), and has all the delightful qualities of a “fairy tale”…
As I discussed last time, Talia speaks for the high-born women of the past. Historically, a noblewoman’s worth was based on her ability to produce children, especially sons. When a woman bore a healthy son, she secured her position and power. (This is the world’s view, not God’s!)
It is no accident, then, that the king comes back to Talia and develops a “strong bond” after she has the children (named Sun and Moon). Talia and the king are not in love, but the birth of their children gives them both what they desire: the king has a son, and Talia’s position is secure…