A fairy tale is a particular type of folktale, part of the oral narrative tradition that, in England, flourished until about the 17th century. However, the English fairy tale nearly disappeared as French and German fairy tales gained popularity, and then as the genre itself fell into disrepute because of changing social conditions in England. However, in the 19th century, often described as the golden age of the fairy tale, folklorists such as Andrew Lang and Joseph Jacobs began collecting folk and fairy tales throughout Britain, thus reclaiming, at least to some extent, the uniquely English oral narrative characterized by its humour and homespun quality. At the same time, many British authors began writing literary fairy tales, among them George Cruikshank, who sermonized the tales; a…
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Citation: Robinson, Elizabeth. "Fairy Tales". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 December 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1262, accessed 26 November 2024.]
