Comparison Between Rumplestiltskin and the White Snake

A number of themes run through folktales and fairytales from around the world portraying a multitude of morals shown through a variety of characters, objects and situations. The Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, wrote a series of fairytales that had embraced many of these important plot elements, including themes such as journeys, archetypes, etc. The two fairytales that were found to explore overlapping both unique and familiar themes were "The White Snake" and "Rumpelstiltskin" by the Brothers Grimm. Ultimately overcoming a trio of difficult challenges, the protagonist risks by choice or accepts by force the impending possibility of death looming closer.

Emphasis for children and balance for understanding are key themes in a fairytale in order maintain attention. Certain numbers that are of significance create this emphasis and balance. The numbers three and seven are found throughout a number of tales such as The Three Little Pigs, The Wizard of Oz and Snow White, a tale that gives importance to both the numbers three (the number of times the Queen tried to kill Snow White) and seven (the number of dwarves). For the tale of "The White Snake", the Brothers Grimm mainly focus on the number three which can be seen as far back in history and storytelling as religion itself. The Trinity, consisting of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit forms the three counterparts of God, the main entity. We can also see its usefulness for balance and emphasis when storytellers use it to form tension and suspense. Generally, in the first scene suspense is created. This leads to the second scene where it is further built keeping the reader on the edge of their seat wondering if the central character had completed the task by mere coincidence or if they are in for a final, crucial challenge. The writer then directs us to the final and third scene where the suspense is released after learning that the protagonist has overcome all the challenges.

Several examples of the importance of the number three and challenges can be seen throughout "The White Snake" in the journey that the central character, the servant, partakes in. The first example is seen when the hero leaves the safety of the King's court and enters the world meeting three different groups of animals, two of which are made up of three members. The second example can see be seen when the servant arrives at the large city and asks for the princesses' hand in marriage. Here, once choosing to put his life at risk, the servant faces a set of three challenges in order to achieve his goal. "...torn between his inheritance as man and his nurture as wolf, makes its impact as a story about education and growth of the self," (McMaster, 92) we see that the servant is able to better himself and create a higher status in the kingdom by participating in the challenges even though he puts his life at risk. The first challenge is seen