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(More customer reviews)The story of "Hansel and Gretel" is more than a warning against children talking to strangers (or trying to eat their houses). The recurring image of the forest in German fairy tales is a supernatural world where interesting things happen, while the fact the father of Hansel and Gretel is a woodcutter is significant because this was one of the lowliest occupations at that time. Therefore, what we have here is the triumph of the poor working class characters over the witch and her upper class pretentions (she stores not only treasure but food), which would make her death some sort of proto-Marxist warning if you are ideologically inclined in that direction.
In the original manuscript of the story of the siblings were referred to as Little Brother and Little Sister. The Brothers Grimm chose Hansel because it was a common name in German fairy tales (their equivalent of John Doe so to speak) and picked Gretel for essentially the same reason (which makes her Jane Doe). Gretel (or Gretchen) is a form of the name Margaret, which in Latin (Margarita) means "pearl."
All that background makes it rather ironic that for its Twisted Fairy Tale series McFarlane Toys has turned Gretel into a German princess, striking a pose that suggests "Getting lost in the woods is the least of her worries." This six-inch figure has tattoos, a spiked collar around her neck, and torn fish net stockings. There are more details for you to discover when you look over the figure carefully, and while she is not exactly a princess of bondage, Gretel appears to be familiar with the neighborhood. She also has a mop and a pail, and there is ample reason to think she knows how to use them (the mind reels at the possibilities for rewriting the Grimms tale).
Twisted Fairy Tales is the fourth series of McFarlane's Monsters, and the rest of the menagerie consists of not only Gretel's tag team partner Hansel, but Red Riding Hood, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, and Little Miss Muffet. If you were aware about the probable origins of a lot of the classic fairy tales then you already knew that Mother Goose had a twisted sense of humor. With these figures McFarlane Toys certainly takes being twisted to the next level. Even if you do not want the entire set, there should be one of these figures that captures the Jungian dark side of the tales that we were all raised on once upon a time that most appeals to you.
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McFarlane Monsters Series 4: Twisted Fairy Tales - Gretel 6"This German Princess is from the popular Hansel and Gretel tale. The infamous McFarlane Monsters action figure line is back. Series 4 focuses on beloved fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters all skewed by the McFarlane vision into something new and different. Measures 6" tall. Purchase limit of 6 per household.
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