What to Fear in Fairy Tales Without Ghosts and Monsters? Reflections on the French Literary Fairy Tale of the Late 17th Century

Abstract

Between 1690 and 1715, the literary fairy tale, the conte de fées, becomes fashionable in France, created by the regulars of Parisian salons and distinct from the folktale. The monster in the modern fairy tale is ridiculed, so that the fear it is supposed to inspire is apparent (the example of the tales of Madame d’Aulnoy and de Murat). Then, in two fairy tales (Le prince rosier by Catherine Bernard and Anguillette by Mrs de Murat), I analyse fears and anxieties that are rooted in love rather than evil spells. The pessimistic vision of love links the fairy tale with the novel of the late 17th century. Both are meant to transport the reader to another, distant world in order to portray the real world all the better. Contes de fées create an atmosphere of spiritual anxiety that has no connection with the enchanted world: no supernatural powers change human nature and the misery it leads to, and the sophisticated form and magical setting hide the true face of the world of feelings.