Marian Roalfe Cox
Encyclopedia
Marian Roalfe Cox was an English folklorist who pioneered studies in Morphology
for the fairy tale
Cinderella
.
In 1893, after being commissioned by the Folklore Society of Britain, she produced Cinderella: Three Hundred and Forty-Five Variants of Cinderella, Catskin
and, Cap O' Rushes
, Abstracted and Tabulated with a Discussion of Medieval Analogues and Notes, a seminal work in the study of Cinderella, introduced by Andrew Lang
. Prior to anthologization and folklore indices, she identified five broad types:
She also wrote An Introduction to Folk-Lore.
Morphology (folkloristics)
Morphology, broadly, is the study of form or structure. Folkloristic morphology, then, is the study of the structure of folklore and fairy tales....
for the fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
.
In 1893, after being commissioned by the Folklore Society of Britain, she produced Cinderella: Three Hundred and Forty-Five Variants of Cinderella, Catskin
Catskin
Catskin is an English fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs, in More English Fairy Tales. Marian Roalfe Cox, in her pioneering study of Cinderella, identified as one of the basic types, the Unnatural Father, contrasting with Cinderella itself and Cap O' Rushes.It is Aarne-Thompson type 510B,...
and, Cap O' Rushes
Cap O' Rushes
"Cap-o'-Rushes" is an English fairy tale published by Joseph Jacobs in English Fairy Tales.Jacobs gives his source as "Contributed by Mrs. Walter-Thomas to "Suffolk Notes and Queries" of the Ipswich Journal, published by Mr. Lang in Longman's Magazine, vol. xiii., also in Folk-Lore September, 1890"...
, Abstracted and Tabulated with a Discussion of Medieval Analogues and Notes, a seminal work in the study of Cinderella, introduced by Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang was a Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
. Prior to anthologization and folklore indices, she identified five broad types:
- A - Ill treated heroine. Recognition by means of a shoe. Among the examples included: CinderellaCinderella"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
, Katie WoodencloakKatie WoodencloakKatie Woodencloak or Kari Woodengown is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in Norske Folkeeventyr. Andrew Lang included it in The Red Fairy Book....
, Finette CendronFinette CendronFinette Cendron is a French literary fairy tale written by Madame d'Aulnoy.It is Aarne-Thompson type 510A...
, The Sharp Grey SheepThe Sharp Grey SheepThe Sharp Grey Sheep or The Sharp-Horned Grey Sheep is a Scottish fairy tale collected by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands, listing his informant as John Dewar, labourer, from Glendaruail, Cowal....
, Fair, Brown and TremblingFair, Brown and TremblingFair, Brown and Trembling is an Irish fairy tale collected by Jeremiah Curtin in Myths and Folk-lore of Ireland and Joseph Jacobs in his Celtic Fairy Tales.It is Aarne-Thompson type 510A...
, Aschenputtel, Rushen CoatieRushen CoatieRushen Coatie or Rashin-Coatie is a Scottish fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in his More English Fairy Tales.It is Aarne-Thompson type 510A, the persecuted heroine, as is Cinderella.-Synopsis:A queen with a daughter died...
, and The Wonderful BirchThe Wonderful BirchThe Wonderful Birch is a Russian fairy tale.A variant on Cinderella, it is Aarne-Thompson folktale type 510A, the persecuted heroine. It makes use of shapeshifting motifs.Andrew Lang included it in The Red Fairy Book.-Synopsis:...
. It corresponds to Aarne-Thompson type 510A. - B - Unnatural father. Heroine flight. Among the examples included: CatskinCatskinCatskin is an English fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs, in More English Fairy Tales. Marian Roalfe Cox, in her pioneering study of Cinderella, identified as one of the basic types, the Unnatural Father, contrasting with Cinderella itself and Cap O' Rushes.It is Aarne-Thompson type 510B,...
, DonkeyskinDonkeyskinDonkeyskin is a French fairy tale told by Charles Perrault.Andrew Lang included it, somewhat euphemized, in The Grey Fairy Book.It is Aarne-Thompson folktale type 510B, unnatural love...
, The King who Wished to Marry His DaughterThe King who Wished to Marry His Daughter"The King Who Wished to Marry His Daughter" is a Scottish fairy tale collected by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands, listing his informant as Ann Darroch from Islay.It is Aarne-Thompson type 510B, unnatural love...
, AllerleirauhAllerleirauhAllerleirauh is a fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm. Since the second edition published in 1819, it has been recorded as Tale no. 65. Andrew Lang included it in The Green Fairy Book....
. It corresponds to Aarne-Thompson type 510B. - C - King LearKing LearKing Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
judgment. Outcast heroine. Among the examples included: Cap O' RushesCap O' Rushes"Cap-o'-Rushes" is an English fairy tale published by Joseph Jacobs in English Fairy Tales.Jacobs gives his source as "Contributed by Mrs. Walter-Thomas to "Suffolk Notes and Queries" of the Ipswich Journal, published by Mr. Lang in Longman's Magazine, vol. xiii., also in Folk-Lore September, 1890"...
, The Goose-Girl at the WellThe Goose-Girl at the WellThe Goose-Girl at the Well is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 179.It is Aarne-Thompson type 923, love like salt.-Synopsis:... - D - Indeterminate Among the examples included: One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-EyesOne-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-EyesOne-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 130. Andrew Lang included it, as "Little One-eye, Little Two-eyes, and Little Three-eyes", in The Green Fairy Book...
(which she listed as approximating "Cinderella"), The BearThe Bear (fairy tale)The Bear is a fairy tale collected by Andrew Lang in The Grey Fairy Book.It is Aarne-Thompson classification system type 510B, unnatural love...
(which she listed as approximating "Catskin") and TattercoatsTattercoatsTattercoats is an English fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in his More English Fairy Tales.It is Aarne-Thompson type 510B, the persecuted heroine...
(which approximated neither) - E - Hero Tales (Masculine Cinderella.) Among the examples included: The Little Bull-CalfThe Little Bull-CalfThe Little Bull-Calf is an English Gypsy fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in More English Fairy Tales.Marian Roalfe Cox, in her pioneering study of Cinderella, identified it as a "hero" type, featuring a male hero instead of the usual heroine....
, The Glass MountainThe Glass Mountain (fairy tale)The Glass Mountain is a Polish fairy tale collected by Hermann Kletke. Andrew Lang included it in The Yellow Fairy Book.The name also appears as a mythical location in a different story, one of the original Brothers Grimm fairytales. -Synopsis:The Polish story begins with: On a glass mountain grew...
.
She also wrote An Introduction to Folk-Lore.
External links
- Text of Cinderella: Three Hundred and Forty-Five Variants of Cinderella, Catskin and, Cap O' Rushes, Abstracted and Tabulated with a Discussion of Medieval Analogues and Notes
- Charlotte S. Burne "Obituary: Marian Emily Roalfe Cox" Folk-Lore. Volume 27, 1916.