Magic Beings in Fairy Tales Term Paper

Magic beings in fairy tales [...] importance of magic beings and fairies in fairy tales. Today, fairies are a popular form of fantasy that comes to life in a variety of way. One of the most traditional homes for fairies and other magical beings are fairy tales, created for children but loved by all ages. Some of the most beloved fairy tales contain fairies and magical beings that are central to the plot, the moral, and the essence of the stories. Without fairies and other magical beings, these tales would lose their magic, and their universal appeal.

Fairies are magical beings that inhabit many of the world's most famous fairy tales. Children old and young are familiar with many of these tales from Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty and beyond. Fairies and magical beings are part of what make these fairy tales so delightful and so memorable. Not all fairies are good, but most of them are happy beings that can make a character's life better, more contented, and more fulfilling. Fairy expert Cassandra Eason notes the word originally meant, "a state of enchantment or glamour, the power of illusion, reflecting the power of beings that might bring blessings or curses, and an ambivalence towards such beings" (Eason 17). Fairies do not inhabit as many fairy tales as one might think, but the tales they do inhabit are special and vibrant, such as "Peter Pan," "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," "The Wizard of Oz," "The Hobbit," and "Snow White."

Fairies have a special place in fairy tales because they usually help the characters with their quest, and make them a little happier, too. For example, the fairy godmother in Cinderella makes magic so Cinderella can go to the ball, and in Peter Pan, enchanting Tinkerbell is mother, magician, and savior to the boys on the island. She allows the children to fly, and gives her life to save the boys from the dreaded Captain Hook. Fairies may not play roles in all fairy tales, but they gave them their name, and this helps show the importance of these magical beings in the folk and oral tales of centuries gone by. Another writer notes, "True fairies are born of a sense of the danger and unknowableness of the world around us: those who believe in them give offerings to placate them and carry iron and other charms to ward them off, but they do not tell fanciful tales about them" (Attebery 7). Thus, fairy tales do not always discuss fairies, but they do acknowledge the magic of fairies and other beings exists.

It is interesting to note…