The reader anxiously reads to uncover the “other side of the story” of Hansel and Gretel. Literary elements at work in the story: Donna Jo Napoli artfully weaves a tale that engages the curious. The Magic Circle is a story of the witch’s struggle to overcome evil and, through the innocent children Hansel and Gretel, find redemption and release. The “witch” is desperate to avoid this evil. The price she must pay is a wicked and insatiable appetite for human flesh. Through the corrupt influences of a neighbor, the midwife is drawn into demonic powers so that she might increase her ability as a healer. The reader learns the ugly and evil witch was once a kind and well respected midwife. The Magic Circle is a dark yet uplifting retelling of the Brothers Grimm story of Hansel and Gretel from the witch’s point of view. Summary: Author Donna Jo Napoli provides different voices and perspectives in her re-fashioning of well known fairy tales such as The Frog Prince and Hansel and Gretel.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |