Hansel and Gretel: Tale of Cannibalism and Witchcraft

 As I grew older, I wallowed myself more and more into reading fiction. To this day, reading stories is one of my most comforting pursuit. The fairly common folklores from different regions of the world that I have admired as a child started to intrigue me even further when i got older. Often times we are vaguely aware of the origins and history behind those renowned fables. In the same manner, the colorful story of Hansel and Gretel seen abundantly in children's book comes within a dark history of cannibalism and witchcraft that is quite morally depraved according to today's standards. This story is not true yet it was first created and told within a completely genuine and true historical context. It is a faithful reflection of the 1310s.

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, known as the Brothers Grimm were German scholars who collected tales of distinctly Germanic origin as a way of preserving their own cultural identity at a time when the French Emperor Napoleon was invading Europe. Later on, they were the first publisher of the Hansel and Gretel folklore which gained worldwide popularity over time.

In the story, a family runs out of food thus the stepmother persuades the father to leave their two children named Hansel and Gretel in the forest where they manage to defeat an evil witch that intends to eat them and eventually makes safe return to their father. The story is believed to be originated when famine and poverty were prevalent during the medieval period of the Great Famine(1315-1321). In these periods, abandonment of children and extreme measures for survival were not uncommon. Historical records such as chronicles and accounts from the period suggest that in some regions people resorted to eating human flesh i.e. cannibalism. This was particularly true in areas where food supplies were critically low. The tale reflects these grim aspects of human history. It is easy to take the abundance of the modern world for granted. It would not be too unusual if faced with another tragedy leading to food shortage, we all could be back in the same horrifying situation as Hansel and Gretel.

Besides highlighting the endangerment of children, the original tales all share a preoccupation with food; the stepmother who wants to avoid hunger, while the witch lures children to eat her house of candy so that she can eat them. There has been many interpretations of this story and some theory suggests that the witch is implied to be the cruel stepmother. The references of witchcraft was relevant at that time in European regions as its existence was strongly believed to be real. The society at that time was deeply religious and many believed that witches were responsible for these misfortunes. This fear led to a widespread hunt for witches during the 14th and 15th centuries which caused over 80,000 deaths of civilians, among which 80% were women. The witch in Hansel and Gretel directly reflects this fear and hysteria.

Various cultures have different versions of the story, each adding its own dark elements. For instance, some versions emphasize the theme of starvation and the desperate measures people might take to survive. The candy house itself can be seen as a symbol of temptation leading to danger. The Brothers Grimm themselves made several alterations to the story by adding Christian elements. Throughout years of changes and adaptions the tales were made suitable for young audiences. But the story's core, where two children outsmart a witch in the forest has stayed the same.

No matter how grotesque the folklores were, it still preaches the basic aspect of survival, a remnant of the coming-of-age in Porto-Indo-European culture. The family has a universal and basic role in all civilizations, and it is the breakdown of the traditional family unit that causes the problems in the Hansel and Gretel storyline. The abandonment by the parents and the threat from the witch can be seen as a metaphor for the dangers of the unknown and the fears associated with trusting others. The resolution of the story, with the children defeating the witch and reuniting with their father, underscores a return to safety and the triumph of good over evil.