Fairy Tales and Fanfiction

A Personal Introduction

In addition to my love of fairy tales and Disney films, I am a very passionate fan of fanfiction. In this article, I will discuss why I love fanfiction so much, and how it ties into my interest with fairy tales.

This article will often diverge from the fairy tale/classic mythology focus of this blog in order to discuss TV, film and literary franchises which have inspired particularly large and prominent fanfiction communities, such as Sherlock, Harry Potter and Twilight. However, there will still be significant emphasis placed on fanfiction based on classic stories and ‘fairy tale’ films. A further guide to which works are discussed on this blog can be found here.

A Brief Guide to Fanfiction

Fanfiction can be defined as stories which centre on characters from existing books and films. Within this field, there are numerous subgenres, including: ‘Shipping’ (fanfics which pair two characters in a relationship which tends to be romantic in nature), AUs (stories set in an alternate universe), ‘Fix Fics’ (stories which rectify issues with the source material) and straightforward sequels and prequels.

As long as there have been stories, authors have tried to respond to them explore the worlds and characters they depict from a new perspective. This has fuelled a number of classic stories, ranging from Virgil’s Aeneid to The Wide Sargasso Sea (Jean Rhys’ re-interpretation of Jane Eyre) which have placed characters from an existing story into a new one. One of the most famous examples of this is Tom Stoppard’s play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which tells the tale of Hamlet from the perspective of two peripheral characters. When established authors and directors create new stories in familiar universes (examples of this range from Anthony Horowitz’s Sherlock Holmes story A Touch of Silk to J.J. Abrams' reboots of the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises), the end product is often described as fanfiction. However, when fanfiction is discussed on this blog, it will almost entirely be the work of amateur authors. The concept of a ‘professional author’ emerged in the 18^th century with the birth of the full-length novel, and this led to literary fans trying to emulate the work of their idols. With the onset of the internet age, Fanfiction reached new heights of popularity. There are a number of online forums where these writers share their work, with the three most prominent fanfiction sites being Fanfiction.net. Archive of Our Own and Wattpad.

Differences Between Fanfiction and Fairy Tales

One difference between fanfiction and fairy tales is their perspective on character. Fairy tales often rely on moral certainties, with protagonists who are defined by their purity and innocence. The emphasis tends to be on the story and the moral lessons which it contains, meaning that the characters primarily exist to move from event to event and highlight the story’s messages.  In contrast, there are many fanfics which focus on the inner thoughts and feelings of characters and emphasise ‘angst’ and other extreme emotions in a way which most fairy tales don’t. As many fanfics are based on films and TV, writers often take advantage of the new medium and aim to get into the protagonist’s head in a manner which is difficult to do in the visual medium of film, or the plot-based medium of fairy tales.

In addition, whilst fairy tales are generally family-friendly, fanfiction is primarily aimed at teenagers and adults. Fairy tales are primarily designed to be read to children. Though they contain some violence, this is often depicted in a very simplistic style. We hear about the gruesome things which happen to the villains, but we don’t actually see them. Furthermore, whilst fairy tales often have sexual symbolism and undertones, they almost never depict sex itself. In contrast, fanfiction has a reputation for relying too much on graphic sexual content. This perception has been encouraged by the dominance of ‘shipping’, which tends to be romantic in nature. Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is among those to associate erotic fanfiction with the form in general, as he once complained about stories which show “me and John Watson floating in space on a bed handcuffed to one another”. The perception that fanfic authors are focused on sex over story has also been encouraged by the infamous erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey, which began life as a Twilight AU called ‘Master of the Universe’. The notoriety of E.L. James' signature story has led to significant attention to its provenance, and as ‘Master of the Universe’ fulfils many of the stereotypes associated with fanfiction, it has reinforced perceptions surrounding the genre.

However, the most problematic difference between the two forms of story is their legal status. Fairy tales are in the public domain (as are almost all works from before the 20^th Century), as enough time has elapsed since the author's’ death to allow people to use their work for any purpose without having to pay royalties. This is one reason why it’s so easy for studios such as Disney to adapt them into their own stories. In contrast, most works of fanfiction are based on the creations of living authors. This makes their legal status ambiguous, although the fact that they are non-commercial works means that creating them can be considered an act of ‘fair use’ and thus, they seem to be exempt from legislation concerning plagiarism and copyright infringement. Whether authors support them or not is a matter of personal taste. The likes of J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer have endorsed fanfics based on their work (albeit with some reservations), but other prominent authors, such as Annie Proulx and George R.R. Martin, have been vocal about their distaste for fanfiction, expressing the belief that it disrespects the world they created, and arguing that it is lazy to write a story centred around pre-existing characters. These complicated issues mean that the world of fanfiction is focused on relatively small and exclusive communities, unlike fairy tales, which are designed to provide lessons for a wide audience.

A Wide Range of Genres

The term ‘fairy tales’ refers to a form of story rather than a genre. Therefore, whilst fairy tales have plenty of common tropes (such as the use of fantasy elements and supernatural creatures), they can belong to a wide range of categories. For example, Hans Christian Andersen’s collection of stories include satire (The Emperor’s New Clothes), adventure (The Snow Queen), romantic tragedy (The Little Mermaid) and social realism (The Little Match Girl). This diversity of genres also applies to fairy tale films. Most Disney films seem to belong to a distinct genre of their own, as they combine adventure, comedy, romance and music into a joyous and entertaining package. Meanwhile, Shrek is primarily a comedy, whilst Snow White and the Huntsman assumes a dark fantasy style. There are even a number of ‘fairy tale’ films in the horror genre, such as In the Company of Wolves. This highlights the manner in which the term ‘fairy tale’ can cover a truly diverse range of stories.

Fanfiction also incorporates a variety of genres.  Fanfiction.net classifies stories by putting them in categories ranging from Adventure and Family to Spiritual and Tragedy.  The fact that a single story can inspire works in so many subgenres indicates the universal appeal of the characters, the world they inhabit, and the stories which can be told with them. It may seem totally incongruous to imagine Disney princesses in a Sci-Fi story, but on Fanfiction.net, Frozen (which is, by some distance, the Disney film which has inspired the most fanfics) has 83 fanfics in this category. Many fanfic authors recognise that best characters are able to retain the traits which make them unique and appealing across a wide range of stories, and this has encouraged them to place familiar protagonists and antagonists into unfamiliar genres. Therefore, the field of fanfiction, like the fairy tale genre, is defined by the infinite possibilities it offers.

The Impact of the Source Material

Throughout history, fairy tales have been used to communicate messages and beliefs which are important to the storyteller. They often teach morality to audiences, with virtue and selflessness being rewarded, and disobedience and dishonesty being ruthlessly punished. As fairy tales convey important messages in a clear, fascinating and engaging fashion, they can have a significant influence on the world view of those who read them or listen to them being told.  Another visible example of the importance of folklore is Mythology. Though the stories of gods and heroes from ancient Egypt and Greece have survived due to their compelling characters and plotlines, they had great significance within their own cultures, as they could be used to teach people about the wider world. The predominance of creation myths across the globe to explain natural phenomena leads to a greater degree of insight into the unique and beautiful features of the world which are too often taken for granted. Fairy tales and myths are perfect examples of the way in which stories can be used to allow the messages and ideas which mean the most to the storyteller to be transmitted to a wide audience.

Fanfiction is also motivated by the desire to make people appreciate something which the storyteller finds important, though in this case, the thing which the storyteller finds important takes the form of an existing book, film or TV show. In recent years, fanfiction has been increasingly recognised as a means to demonstrate passion for a work and can even increase publicity for it. The 2012 animated film Rise of the Guardians was not a huge success on its initial release, making an underwhelming $306.9 million worldwide. In contrast, Frozen made roughly $1.276 billion worldwide the following year. However, when fans noticed the similarities between Rise of the Guardians protagonist Jack Frost and Frozen’s Queen Elsa (For starters, they both have the power to control ice and snow), fanfics shipping ‘Jelsa’ as a couple became incredibly popular. On Wattpad alone, there are over 6,800 stories about the duo. This means that Rise of the Guardians has gained the attention of numerous Frozen fans who had previously not given the movie a second thought. Some producers have deliberately tried to use fanfiction to promote their works. Many Star Trek fanfics have been published in print, and in order to promote the introduction of a new character in the drama series The United States of Tara, the cable channel Showtime created an entire fansite devoted to her fictional creations. Fanfiction exists because fanfic writers are enthusiastic enough to devote time and effort to stories about their favourite characters. These displays of passion demonstrate the power and appeal of the source material, just as retellings of fairy tales and myths are proof that they can resonate across the generations.

A Personal Spin

When the Brothers Grimm began collecting fairy tales, their intent was to preserve the stories as faithfully as possible, as representations of the German culture which they belonged to. However, over a period of 45 years, they gradually altered their tales to make them appeal to a wider audience. Meanwhile, many of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories were adapted from existing fairy tales, including Thumbelina and The Wild Swans. The extent to which fairy tales rely on the storyteller to make them unique is shown by the fact that fairy tales and folklore from all over the world often rely on common story types, with distinctive touches provided by the storytellers and the beliefs and culture which inspire them. Philip Pullman put it best when he stated that “a fairy tale is not a text”, and storytellers are free to alter it as they wish.  The wide range of variations on a single story type demonstrates that any fairy tale depends on the storyteller, as they emphasise their personal interests and skills, and use their native culture to enrich their tales.

Fanfiction also benefits from the unique perspectives which the author can bring to the characters and story which they are using. For example, “What-if” stories (e.g What if – Harry Potter was sorted into Slytherin?) show some of the changes which could have occurred if something happened a little differently. In doing so, they draw attention to the ways in which these events could have affected the characters and the story. There are also plenty of fanfics which provide the opportunity to see a familiar story take place in a new location. For example, Disney fans can enjoy a retelling of The Little Mermaid set in modern-day Australia, and a twisted take on The Princess and the Frog which takes place in the medieval era. The new setting for these tales encourages unique touches and innovations which makes them stand out. Like the best storytellers, fanfiction authors find ways to allow their stories to reflect their own interests, and this personal touch allows fanfics to feel distinct and gain a unique life of their own.

Conclusion

Even the most ardent lover of fanfiction will have to admit that many pieces of fanfiction are badly written. However, even the worst fanfiction is generally created by people who are passionate about the source material, and their willingness to put time and effort into new stories with their favourite characters demonstrates the importance and impact of the works which inspired them. 

Furthermore, there are thousands of high-quality fanfics with compelling stories which provide 

fascinating perspectives on the characters who inhabit them and the universe in which they are set. These aren’t just excellent tributes to the source material, they are great tales in their own right.

Ultimately, whilst there are plenty of differences between fairy tales and fanfiction, there are also a number of similarities. Both forms of fiction incorporate a wide range of genres, ranging from comedy and romance to horror and thriller. They also showcase the importance which storytellers attach to existing works. Most importantly, they both represent the way in which storytellers put their own personal spin on familiar stories and characters. Just as fairy tales are known for the variety of ways in which they can be adapted, fanfiction highlights the versatility and enduring appeal of the original stories which inspire it.

In the future, there will be a number of articles on this blog drawing attention to some particularly high-quality fanfics inspired by Disney films, classic literature, and fairy tales. It is going to be a real pleasure to share some of these stories with a wider audience.