The Teller’s Tale: Lives of the Classic Fairy Tale Writers ed. by Sophie Raynard (review)

Sophie Raynard’s latest editorial work, The Teller’s Tale, is a compilation of biographies of major European fairy-tale authors from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. In the Introduction Raynard explains that this project came from a “strongly felt need to revise standard biographies of classic fairy-tale authors and editors and to present them together in a single volume” (1). Raynard also establishes her work as the first book that “provides a reliable historical context” and contains the lives of major European fairy-tale authors in one place (3). As a historical book, The Teller’s Tale delves into European society and provides specific examples with supporting evidence. Through extensive research, translations, and collaborations with other scholars, Raynard reconstructs the lives of the major European fairy-tale authors to provide the most accurate portrayal, which “rectifies false data [and] adds new information,” a difficult feat given that some information is undocumented or has been lost over the centuries and therefore may never be proven accurate (3).

The Teller’s Tale includes biographies and brief essays written by renowned scholars, such as Ruth B. Bottigheimer, Shawn Jarvis, Nadine Jasmin, and others who are involved in fairy-tale research throughout the world. While The Teller’s Tale mainly focuses on the lives of European fairy-tale writers, Raynard organizes the work chronologically and thematically. Raynard divides the work into six parts that correspond to the historical development of fairy tales: “Emergence,” “Elaboration,” “Exoticism,” “Didacticism,” “Traditionalization,” and “Sentimentalization.” Three of the six parts begin with an introductory essay that provides foundational knowledge regarding history, authorship, and theme. At the end of every introduction and fairy-tale author’s biography, there is an extensive bibliography, suggested readings, and notes, which will be helpful to those interested in further research or study.

Along with a wide variety of sources, Raynard does not focus on one particular area in Europe but rather includes authors throughout Europe. The Teller’s Tale begins with sixteenth-century Italian author Giovan Francesco Straparola, the first fairy-tale author, and examines the lives of other authors such as Charles Perrault, the conteuses précieuses, the Brothers Grimm, and finally Hans Christian Andersen. The wide geographic range that Raynard covers further demonstrates the evolvement of fairy tales throughout Europe and allows readers to trace the history of the genre. The essays and biographies evidence the popularity and dissemination of fairy tales; however, they also highlight relationships or possible influences among the classic authors, providing more insight into the lives of classic fairy-tale authors. For example, according to Jasmin, the conteuses—Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy, Marie-Jeanne L’Héritier, Henriette-Julie de Murat, Catherine Bernard, Louise d’Auneuil, Charlotte-Rose de La Force, and Catherine Durand—were united by “close networks of family and socioliterary friendships” (42). Although most of the writing is done by fairy-tale scholars, the selections Raynard includes in this compilation, particularly with the conteuses, provides stronger historical evidence and biographical information. Each of the conteuses’ biographies details the relationships between the women authors, who often attended salons together to exchange ideas and dedicated some of their works to or referenced one another.

Although Raynard’s choice of authors targets the major European fairy-tale authors, there are limitations to the scholarship contribution. For instance, the geographic range does not allow for focused scholarship on one particular area. The sampling of major fairy-tale writers tends to exclude other European writers whose tales “had little subsequent resonance” (42). Although these lesser known authors may not have revolutionized the genre, their works are still valuable and are needed to trace patterns of the genre and variations of tales. Focusing on one country could potentially lead to the discovery of more connections and influences between fairy-tale authors. The biographies provide a more accurate depiction of the classic fairy-tale writers’ lives, but the smaller number of authors...