Research
Legend vs. fairy tale (Sage vs. Märchen)
Distinguishing between different genres is not always easy. Here, the definition of fairy tales will be examined in contrast to legends. The german term “Märchen“ is the diminutive form of “Mär“. This refers to news, a tale, a report, or a rumor. In its original sense, “fairy tale“ (Märchen) refers to an untrue story, but from a literary perspective, it draws upon a “observed and imagined reality.” Since the late 18th century, the term has mainly come to refer to folk fairy tales. Contrary to popular belief, these are not only transmitted orally but also have their origins in the writings of an author. A fairy tale is characterized by a simple plot, without specific time and place references, and the characters appear “one-dimensional” (good vs. evil, clever vs. foolish). Additionally, the language is kept simple, and the plot always leads toward a happy ending from a problem or conflict.
The legend differentiates itself from the fairy tale by including the “marvelous or supernatural.” It refers to a specific location, being tied to a particular place. Additionally, its content is not entirely devoid of a kernel of truth. This truth emerges through references to the past, giving the legend the appearance of being real (“subjective credibility”). The fairy tale does not make this claim. Legends are usually passed down orally.
S. Neuhaus, „Märchen“, 2., überarbeitete Auflage, Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag, 2017, S. 3-7.
L. Petzoldt, „Einführung in die Sagenforschung“, 3. Auflage, Konstanz: UVK-Verlagsgesellschaft, 2002, S. 43-46
Research in the 19th century
Initiated by the Brothers Grimm, folk songs, fairy tales and legends were collected throughout Europe in the middle of the 19th century. However, the focus was on fairy tales, which are attractive due to their enduring symbolic content. The Romantics Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano were also decisive for the collections of legends. Jacob Grimm helped the latter with his research and began collecting folk books. From 1816 to 1818, German legends were published, edited by the Brothers Grimm. Although they emphasized the value of the faithful reproduction of folk poetry, they did not strictly adhere to it.
A closer look at the books of legends, especially their prefaces, suggests that the collections were compiled in order to obtain historical and anthropological knowledge. The assumption was that the history of the “common people” could be reconstructed from this back to antiquity. In addition to a common language, a “world of legends” was also created that represented the “people” as a unit in order to establish the nation state.
L. Petzoldt, „Einführung in die Sagenforschung“, 3. Auflage, Konstanz: UVK-Verlagsgesellschaft, 2002, S. 7-40