Wenn Frauen die Hosen anhaben – Märchen-Frauen in Männerkleidern
When Women Wear Pants: Fairy-Tale Women in Men’s Clothes

Author(s): Sabine Lutkat
Subject(s): Language studies, Theoretical Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Studies of Literature, German Literature, Theory of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: folk tales; women in men’s clothes; test of sex; shift of sex
Summary/Abstract: This article focuses on the motif of women in men’s clothes and explores the folk-tale types that include this motif, for example ATU 881, ATU 882, ATU 883A, ATU 884 and ATU 888. The analysis of this motif in various traditional folk tales reveals that contrary to general belief heroines in fairy tales can be very active, can do men’s chores and, disguised as men, behave differently than role clichés would suggest. Even when they are tested to determine their true sex they behave in a “manly” way. And, interestingly enough, in some tales they are much more capable than all the male characters in the story.

• Details
• Contents