20th Annual Student Research Conference
Language & Literature
Cinderella: A Look at Fairytales through the Lens of Psychoanalytic Criticism
Martin L. Galloway
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
From the mythology of ancient cultures to Grimm's fairytales to Disney movies, Cinderella exists in numerous incarnations dating back as far as the eighth century AD. Carl Jung's idea of the "collective unconscious" suggests that mankind collectively shares common ideas of mythological archetypes. The first known example of the Cinderella paradigm was China's Ye Xian. This version of the story places more emphasis on Cinderella's small feet than on her moral character. This paper attempts to illustrate how variations in the plot of such universal myths occur in reaction to the needs of individual cultures. Furthermore, I intend to demonstrate mythology's place in culture both as a reflection of values and a demonstration of the "collective unconscious".
Keywords: Psychoanalysis, Carl Jung, fairytales, mythology, Cinderella
Topic(s):English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 27-3
Location: VH 1232
Time: 10:15 am