We all know the story: Sleeping Beauty. A princess, a curse, a spindle, and a deep sleep only broken by a prince's kiss. It's practically fairytale 101. But what happens when you really start to think about it? Is that the only way that story can go?
At FairyTales: ReImagined, we’re always asking that question – taking those seemingly rock-solid narratives and shaking them up to see what falls out. We aren’t interested in just telling the old stories. We're all about breathing new life into them, digging deeper, and figuring out how these tales resonate (or *should* resonate) with a modern audience. So, we're turning to you: how could *you* reimagine Sleeping Beauty? What could make this age-old story *actually* interesting for today's world?The Enduring Allure of the Sleeping Princess: Why This Story Still Gets Told
There's a reason Sleeping Beauty has stuck around for centuries. It isn't just because it's a convenient plot device for Disney movies, although that certainly helps its recognition. Strip away the magic, the gowns, and the tidy resolution, and you’ll find some solid storytelling building blocks. At its heart, Sleeping Beauty is a story about fate and free will. Does the curse define the princess's life, or can she somehow overcome it? It's about the anxieties surrounding growing up, facing the unknown, and potentially screwing things up monumentally. These are the core themes that makes it stick with us.
There’s a psychological element to the tale that digs a bit deeper, too. Think about the fear of the unknown. Waking up in a completely different world after a century-long nap? That's some serious culture shock, even if you *are* royalty. It can be seen as a metaphor for a period of isolation or dormancy – a time when life feels like it's on hold, waiting for something to spark it back to life. It resonates because many people go through times where they feel disconnected from the world around them.
Ultimately, the timeless appeal comes from the universal themes present throughout the tale. We all respond to beauty, we admire innocence (even if we don’t always act that way ourselves), and we definitely root for good to triumph over evil. Those are primal drivers of nearly every good story that is ever told. Sleeping Beauty delivers those on a fundamental level, even if the specific details feel a bit dated today. That is why fairytales are classics, and fairy tales survive as stories passed down through time. The elements appeal, even if the character and setting do not.
Deconstructing the Dream: Potential Avenues for Reimagining Sleeping Beauty
So, how do we take these themes and building blocks and turn them into something new? How do we move Sleeping Beauty beyond the predictable “prince saves the day” routine? It starts with challenging the narrative itself, starting with a look at subversion of traditional elements to make a better, more relatable character to the masses.
What if the princess doesn't want to be awakened? Maybe the slumber isn't a curse at all, but a conscious choice, a form of escapism from a world she finds stifling or corrupt. It sounds insane, right? Reject everything for an endless slumber? Consider that many are doing this already. Endless playing video games to the neglect of hygiene and eating. Shutting off phones so that one is uncontactable by others. Socially isolating oneself into an endless cocoon of one's home, where they do not have to engage the external world ever again, to preserve their own inner peace. Suddenly the fairy tales is no longer fiction. It's our every day lives being held back by these slumbers.
Then, it's time to think setting. Do fairytales HAVE to be set in the past? A prince HAS to exist? Magic, or some aspect of supernatural being HAS to save the day? Why? What if our re-imagined beauty is in a corporate board room where a board is taking over the company to install new ideas, only to find she had a dead man's switch that has her locked to the future success of the company? What if our sleeping beauty has instead retreated to the safety of a space station because of her dislike for the human race after the loss of her family? Setting plays a strong part in how we connect to a character, the goal of creating a relatable *fairy tale* comes when you inject elements you appreciate the most to keep the focus sharp. (Image Suggestion: A futuristic cityscape with a single, overgrown building at its heart. Prompt: "Cyberpunk city, abandoned building, overgrown with vines," or "Dystopian cityscape, sleeping princess silhouette," for a more abstract image.)
Remember too, about the idea that there are alternative themes can be created by twisting or swapping pieces of what you have been taught a story should be. Ask how the story can be used to explore themes such as environmentalism, social justice, or body image. Take a long look at sleeping beauty, see what modern issues you can attach her struggle to, and reimagine. You may be surprised what connections appear out of thin air with our fairy tales.
Key Considerations for a Modern Sleeping Beauty
So now let's break down how to make it modern, that hits the right spot for an older teen to middle age person's interests.
Modern fairytales do not involve witches cursing a child, so consider if your new version is just cursed, but suffers from a more social form of pressure. Technological addiction is one of the most prominent today - but think more generally about *any* kind of compulsion. How does that "curse" manifest in someone's modern life? Modern readers need something relatable to their own social struggles in order to connect with your version. It is imperative that any tale created takes inspiration from reality, not just fantasy.
Likewise, Sleeping Beauty cannot just up and vanish like a rip van winkle. We need a new way of explaining this absence of change for the character in the 21st century - so let's examine her "slumber". What if they find community in that slumber? What if the "slumber" is the way the "beauty" escapes the pain of reality? What are some ideas you have to bring a deeper purpose to a more complex sleeping beauty? A female doesn’t need a man, and a "forced isolation" can even be a welcome time of self discovery.
Consider, perhaps we re-image our role as a 'prince', challenging that entire construct, and asking what other forces can save our slumbering Sleeping Beauty!
Let's Reimagine It: Your Ideas Wanted!
So now, let's see what can come out of your end! There is lots to take away from modern life, so there is inspiration all around you. Remember, that connection between the audience and our retelling, so let's keep it strong!
What specific parts of this framework do you think would be most interesting to our audience?
- What modern "curse" would you use?
- What would the setting be, and does it have anything to do with her curse?
- How would you redefine the role of the "prince" to be anything more than the solution to the issue?
Write your answers down and share your vision with us below, here at FairyTales Reimagined!"
Dive Deeper with FairyTales: ReImagined
If that piqued your attention about fairy tales reimaginings, do we have the hook up for you here at "FairyTales: ReImagined". You will get many types of great takes just like that!
In our podcast "FairyTales: ReImagined" we focus on everything there is and everything we think can exist in the wonderful fairy tales of our past, present, and even future! Take a listen, then, share your thoughts with the website down below too! That helps so much so thanks for the comments in advance!
Also listen because you will see if your story comes to the ears of thousands on our weekly program with us. With your support this community can grow into one that helps and hears all about the most awesome, most insane, and awesome new fairytale stories of our time." Also tell a friend so we are as great as a team in our imaginations, as in numbers as well!
Let's take a look at some more thoughts so we can create a strong team connection with one another here at FairyTales: ReImagined! We can't wait to read your ideas, to celebrate what your mind is imagining today. Thank you all for all that your minds have made and for the power you give it to be what can. That is all from us here so for the best support, please check out our link below!"
What about it do YOU think needs more emphasis? How about needs less to show how to impact the change for your thoughts too? Share your Sleeping Beauty reimagining ideas in the comments below!
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