Guest Author - Michelle Roberti
The Frog Prince and a Female’s Self-Assertiveness
The Frog Prince is a very symbolic tale and one that must be read not with the idea of a “damsel in distress,” nor as a female who is forever under a patriarchal thumb. This tale by the Brothers Grimm is the quintessential tale of feminine self-assertiveness. Digging a little deeper into this story we may see that the Princess was not as compliant as many perceive her to be but rather find that she is self-assertive, defiant, liberated, self-directing and moral.
In all actuality this tale is about a women's awakening to sex. Bruno Bettelheim, the author of "The Uses of Enchantment," explains in his psychoanalytical book, not only the symbolism of a frog, (which typically brings about feelings of disgust rather than fear); but that the tale is about "...the appropriateness of disgust when one is not ready for sex, and prepares for its desirability when the time is ripe" (Bettelheim 290). In short, this tale essentially makes a very strong yet covert presentation of a strong female and her wish to delay sex until she feels the time is appropriate.
One of the most important parts of this tale is the moment when the Princess acts out against her father's wishes. When the frog demands to sleep in her bed, rather than comply, she flings him against the wall with the intent of killing him. Rather than compromise her morals she does her best to protect them, and a fairy tale princess most certainly has morals! Her defiance is clearly illustrated and goes against the status-quo of most fairy-tales.
This story adheres to one of the functionalities of the fairy tales and that is to influence. With its sublimity "The Frog Prince" directs young females to remain chaste until the time is right. And once the time is right, she will discover that it is not disgusting, as she once feared, but a fulfilling and necessary part of being human. One of the most beautiful aspects of this tale is that it never mentions the word sex nor alludes to it in anyway, yet is "psychologically sounder than much of our conscious sex education" (Bettelheim 291).
Speaking of morals, another moral of the story is: when you take things into your own hands, more often than not, things do turn out alright!
Bettelheim, Bruno. "The Uses of Enchantment. New York: Random House, 1975
