Children's and Household tales: Brothers Grimm

This was the first time I had read so many of the Grimm’s tales; I have previously only read the ones that made it into popular culture. I was surprised by the violence throughout the stories, not only between different classes but of parents towards their children, sacrificing them was viewed upon kindly. I hadn't realized in Hansel and Gretel, they were cast out of the house because the parents couldn't afford to feed them, so they hoped they would perish in the woods. One idea that stood out to me was that these stories were supposed to warn children, of lower working classes, of the dangers in life, but it seemed like the only people who survived the stories were beautiful or princesses. I guess that prepared children for the harsh reality of their future. I find it interesting that fairy tales always deal with animals, in Disney's fairy tales the animals are furry and adorable, In Grimm’s the animals behave, but will still help out. Imagination in Grimm’s is much darker and the tales are often centered on work, spinning, hunting, sewing etc. The idea is that you are born, you work, you die- unlike Alice in Wonderland, which I am also reading, which is all over the place and centered on fun and games.