Politicizing Magic: An Anthology of Russian and Soviet Fairy Tales

by Marina Balina (Editor), Helena Goscilo (Editor), Mark Lipovetsky (Editor)

A compendium of folkloric, literary, and critical texts that show how the Russian fairy tale acquired political and historical meanings during the Soviet era

We were born to make fairy tales come true. As one of Stalinism's more memorable slogans, this one suggests that the fairy tale figured in Soviet culture as far more than a category of children's literature. How much more-and how cannily Russian fairy tales reflect and interpret Soviet culture, especially in its utopian ambitions-becomes clear for the first time in Politicizing Magic, a compendium of folkloric, literary, and critical texts that demonstrate the degree to which ancient fairy-tale fantasies acquired political and historical meanings during the catastrophic twentieth century.
Introducing Western readers to the most representative texts of Russian folkloric and literary tales, this book documents a rich exploration of this colorful genre through all periods of Soviet literary production (1920-1985) by authors with varied political and aesthetic allegiances. Here are traditional Russian folkloric tales and transformations of these tales that, adopting the didacticism of Soviet ideology, proved significant for the official discourse of Socialist Realism. Here, too, are narratives produced during the same era that use the fairy-tale paradigm as a deconstructive device aimed at the very underpinnings of the Soviet system. The editors' introductory essays acquaint readers with the fairy-tale paradigm and the permutations it underwent within the utopian dream of Soviet culture, deftly placing each-from traditional folklore to fairy tales of Socialist Realism, to real-life events recast as fairy tales for ironic effect-in its literary, historical, and political context.

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Russia, Fairy Tales, Literature, Russian Literature

432 pages, Paperback

First published October 25, 2005

Reviews

[Masha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I'm a nut about fairy tales and stories, and to find a book with a good description of how and why stories changed to fit the changing dynamics of Russian political upheaval? Perfect.

The author's introductions to each piece were a little dry in places, but still interesting and well worth the read

[Laura]

The foreword and introduction to each three parts was what most interested me. The bulk of the book is actual folk and fairy tales which act as support to the critical perspective provided by the authors of this book. While I appreciated that all of these tales were included, it sometimes slogged along. These tales are meant to be shared orally after all. Overall, a fascinating read.

[Cia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot when I read it in university and enjoyed it again rereading it for fun. The discussion around the history and cultural impact of the tales in question is very informative and presented in a digestible way. I wish the first bit didn't say "even an idiot knows about how important fairy tales are". You can impress the ubiquitousness of something without being ablest.

[Regina Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love to remember stories I grew up on!