Only Prince Charming Gets to Break the Rules: Gender and Rule Violation in Fairy Tales and Life by Anne E. Beall Book Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway! {Ends 5/22/23}

Only Prince Charming Gets to Break the Rules by Anne E. Beall

Our analysis of traditional fairy tales has revealed a common pattern: female characters often break the rules less than male characters, but receive harsher punishments. However, there are exceptions to this pattern. One such example is the Norwegian folktale ”East of the Sun and West of the Moon’ in which the main female character defies a rule and embarks on a transformative journey to rescue her prince.

The story begins with a poor family who receives a visit from a white bear. The bear offers them wealth and prosperity for the youngest daughter becoming his companion. The young woman agrees, and the bear takes her to live with him in a magnificent castle. At night, the bear transforms into a human prince because he is under a spell. He warns her not to look at him in his human form at night, as doing so would make it impossible for him to regain his true form.

The young woman lives happily with the prince for some time but eventually becomes homesick and asks to visit her family. The prince agrees but warns her not to speak to her mother alone, as her mother may learn about their living situation, which would make them “unlucky”.

She follows his advice at first, but her mother eventually corners her and discovers her daughter’s secret. The mother tells the young woman that the prince may be a troll and advises her to light a candle at night to look at him.

Frightened by her mother’s warning, she lights a candle to look at him while he sleeps.

He is not a troll, but a very handsome man. She falls deeply in love and bends over to kiss him.

However, she accidentally drops hot wax on him, waking him up. The prince tells the young woman that her actions have caused them to be separated and that he must now go to a castle “east of the sun and west of the moon” where he must marry a princess with a long nose whom he does not love.

When the young woman wakes up, the prince and the palace are both gone. She is determined to rescue him. She embarks on a challenging journey, aided by the North, South, East, and West Wind, who each take her part of the way on her journey. Finally, she arrives at the castle where the long-nose princess lives. Through various enchanted objects, the young woman gathered on her travels, she eventually frees the prince. Together, they journey back to their home together and live happily ever after.

In this fairytale, the main female character breaks the rule of not looking at the prince in his human form. Although her actions initially lead to negative consequences, her determination to set things right drives her on a transformative journey. Along the way, she faces various challenges and grows in strength and courage. Ultimately, she rescues the prince and gains love and happiness. The story serves as a reminder that sometimes breaking the rules can lead to unexpected outcomes and opportunities for growth.

Thank you,
Anne E. Beall