THE ROMANIAN FAIRYTALE THEME
THE ROMANIAN FAIRYTALE THEME

Summary/Abstract: Romanian fairytale themes are rich and varied. The general appearance of reality is surprised in an artistic manner in literary works. The fairytale theme is not a “scheme” but an “internal force”, unexpressed verbally but felt through storytelling. It usually occurs in the initial episode, and can be seen in different tales, so it can be modified, modernized, and adjusted. In fairy tales, we can talk about general themes and specific themes. The general theme is the fundamental unit which provides consistency to the narrative discourse. Specific, secondary themes illustrate the main theme through details. They are the expression of the narrator's way of thinking and of the surrounding world. In fairy tales, the themes are traditional, so permanent and universal. They are itinerant; we see them in several places and move within defined limits. The most common fairytale themes are historical (mythological, legendary, and anthropological). Along with these, storytellers develop current themes, related to the profile of the society, as they evolve together. Fairytales express aspects of life like love, hatred, jealousy, kindness, malice, envy, treachery, didactic moralizing themes, as well as humorous, legendary, mythological, and absurd ones. Fairytales are figments that illustrate oppositions such as: goodness / malice, beauty / ugliness, dynamism / passivity, truth / lie, courage / cowardice

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