Red as a Pomegranate. Jewish North African versions of Snow White

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Abstract

The article presents and discusses oral Jewish North African versions of Snow White, preserved in the Israeli Folktale Archive. Unlike previous interpretations that suggested viewing the relatively active heroine in these tales as reflecting maidens' ability to choose their own destiny, this article suggests viewing them as warning tales, aimed at guiding young maidens on how to manage their sexuality in Arab-Jewish society. The versions in which the father (rather than the mother) decrees the daughter's murder, due to suspected promiscuity or cases in which the heroine is an incest victim, serve to support this idea.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)294-318
Number of pages25
JournalFabula
Volume58
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 10 Nov 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cultural Studies
  • Literature and Literary Theory

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