Rapunzel
The story of Rapunzel is one of the best-known fairy tales of all time. Made famous by the Brothers Grimm at the start of the 19th century, it’s published many times and has even been given the Disney treatment – though the cartoon left out many of the more unpleasant elements of the original. In fact, even the Grimm brothers re-wrote their version to make it more suitable for younger audiences following a backlash in their native Germany.
As most people know, the story involves a princess locked in a tower. She’s been imprisoned there as a baby after her father was caught stealing medicinal herbs from the evil witch’s garden. Over the years, Rapunzel’s hair grows and grows. It grows so long, in fact, that when a passing prince hears Rapunzel singing from her window, he is able to climb up to meet her using her hair as a rope. Before long, Rapunzel falls pregnant. The witch learns of her romance and, in a fit of rage, cuts off her hair. She then uses it to entice the prince up the tower. As soon as he reaches the window, the witch leans out and pushes the poor prince. He falls onto a rose bush, with thorns impaling his eyes.
This gory detail is often left out of the story. Or if the prince does fall, he is fine and he and Rapunzel live happily ever after. What’s also left out is the fact that the Brothers Grimm had a lot of real-life stories to draw on. Instances of women being locked up in towers or castle cells, often being punished for the crimes of male relatives, were far from uncommon in Medieval Europe – and these almost never had a happy ending.