Breaking the Magic Spell

In this revised and expanded edition of the seminal work Breaking the Magic Spell, Jack Zipes explores the profound impact of fairy tales on our understanding of the world. Through seven insightful essays, he investigates the transition from oral folk tales to literary adaptations, highlighting how this transformation often stripped the original narratives of their deeper meanings. Zipes also examines the role of folk tales in shaping societal beliefs and their manipulation by corporate media, analyzing a variety of influential authors such as the Brothers Grimm and J.K. Rowling to reveal the enduring connection between folklore and literature.