Tom Thumb and Jack the Giant-Killer
Two Arthurian Fairytales
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8931306 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Thomas Green (0000-0002-3662-067X) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 118 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 123-140 |
| Publication date | 2007-07-25 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Folklore (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0015-587X • E-ISSN: 1469-8315 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00155870701337296 |
| OpenAlex | W1871420552 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 6 |
This study examines the chapbook tales of Tom Thumb and Jack the Giant-Killer. The earliest recorded forms of these stories are discussed and it is contended that the common dismissal of their Arthurian elements as unimportant background—Arthur's Britain as a variant of “Once upon a time”—is unhelpful. Rather, both arguably embody and illustrate important points about the nature of the Arthurian legend in an era in which interest in this had declined considerably. It is suggested that the Arthurian element in Tom Thumb is, while not central, significant, and that it is best viewed in the context of an established pattern of development and expansion of the international Arthurian cycle that meets the needs and interests of different audiences. Jack the Giant-Killer, in contrast, seems to owe a noteworthy debt to the Arthur of Welsh and/or Cornish folklore rather than to the roi fainéant of the international legend, perhaps reflecting the decline in importance of the latter since the time of the The History of Tom Thumbe (1641)
Art · Context (archaeology · Cornish · Dismissal · Folklore · Legend · Literature · Welsh · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · Historical Studies of British Isles · History · Law · Medieval Literature and History
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,11 |
| Citation span | 2017 - 2017 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |