The Vegetational Fatherhood

I was inclined to compare this story to a lot of what is in Ovid's Metamorphoses. My experience with these stories comes mainly from an art historical perspective rather than a classical one, but from what I have gathered from hours spent looking at slides of Rococo ceiling frescoes is that many of these stories were about the "Loves of the Gods," which basically amounts to divine beings seducing humans by transforming into something else (see: Leda and the Swan, Europa and the Bull, etc.) or else human (or humanlike) beings turning into nonhuman things to escape a horrible fate (Apollo and Daphne). These are to be taken metaphorically, as in a lot of cases these myths are used to explain natural phenomena (read up on the birth of Venus and where she came from...)

In this vein, then, the story is less of a stretch. However, at the beginning of this course we did establish the difference between fairy tales and myths, that they serve different purposes and arise from different traditions. That being said, this story comes from an author with access to both traditions, and there is no reason why one shouldn't inform the other--it makes for a richer story.

I think this story draws both from the metaphorical aspects of the classical myth and the dark, euphemistic traditions of the traditional fairy tale. The idea of a rose seducing a woman seems strongly Ovidian, while the expansion on the idea makes it seem more of a literary fairy tale (showing the mother and daughter in scene, developing their relationship, while still maintaining elements of the fantastic.)

Interpretation of The Vegetational Fatherhood

This story was interesting in that it contained certain elements of a fairy tale, however, it seemed to work in reverse. The main idea this pertains to is the element of transformation. This transformation was not a curse or anything, but rather a willing occurrence. Also, the transformation did not end and ultimately led to the death of the young girl. It seems that in other tales read, the transformation ended after the hero solved the problem. In the Juniper Tree for example, once the stepmother was killed, the little boy was no longer a bird. In the Donkeyskin stories, the transformations protected the girls from harm. In the story The Seven Ravens, after the sister completed her quest, her brothers were restored. There are many examples of instances like these. Upon reading The Vegetational Fatherhood, this reversal of the element of transformation seems to characterize the story as a different take on fairy tales. It shares a very common aspect, but reverses "the norm."

The Vegetational Fatherhood

This story had some fairy tale elements like taking place in a non-specific time and place, and of course the transformation of the daughter into a rose during her nightly prayer.

But just reading through the story, the tone seemed very scientific (delving into the possibility that humans are linked with plants) and there was no element of magic in characters outside the mother, the father rose, the daughter, and Dr. Rosenberger - The outside world seems to be completely logical and magic-free as the mother and Dr. Rosenberger are put in an insane asylum when they suggest that the daughter transformed into a rose bush.

In the story, the mother and Dr. Rosenberger are seen as crazy when in fact they are the only ones that know the truth. Even when the daughter's autopsy showed clear signs that she was part plant, this fact was cast away as a science experiment Dr. Rosenberger had conducted. Maybe the point of this story is to question whether what we know as true is actually true or if it is just society's way of maintaining control over anything beyond the norm...

The Vegetational Fatherhood

This story was extremely interesting to try to interpret.  We start off with a woman lying in a field, and a rose looking at her seductively.  The woman then falls asleep, while the rose moves closer.  After this point, it is mostly up to interpretation over whether the rose did anything, transformed into anything, or was even there. This interpretation can be added onto with the sudden pregnancy of the woman.  From here, we go on with a natural story.  Until the daughter that the woman had begins to transform into a rose, transformation being an element seen in many fairy tales.  This is where this story begins to take on an element of fairy tales.  The rest of the story is exceedingly un-magical, with the exception of the daughter turning into a rose, but this has come to be ordinary to the reader.  

I found there to be no direct interpretation of this story.  It seems to be a fairy tale, but only through limited elements such as transformation.  Everything else was very straight-forward story like. 

Assignment 10 - 7. April 2009

Hi Nikki, Benton, Michelle, Emily, Erin and Tiffany,

For this week, read the tale The Vegetational Fatherhood and try to interpret this tale.

You could talk about the idea behind the story, the characters, the fact that it does/does not fit into the catagory ,,Kunstmärchen", the message it wants to convey/fails to, or about anything other thing that catches your attention...there are no specific expectations...you can work with this tale any way you want.

Looking forward to your posts!

Ann