Hansel and Gretel by Brothers Grimm [PDF]

Information: Hansel and Gretel

• Author: Brothers Grimm
• Publication Date: 1812
• Main Characters:
  • Hansel: The older brother, resourceful and brave, who devises plans to find the way home using pebbles and breadcrumbs
  • Gretel: The younger sister, whose quick thinking and courage ultimately defeat the witch and save both children
  • The Witch: A cunning old woman who lives in a house made of sweets, using it to lure children she intends to cook and eat
  • The Woodcutter: The children's father, a poor man who reluctantly agrees to abandon his children under pressure from his wife
  • The Stepmother: The father's wife, who convinces him to leave the children in the forest so the adults can survive the famine
• Brief Summary: A poor woodcutter, pressured by his wife, abandons his two children, Hansel and Gretel, in the forest. On their first attempt, Hansel leaves a trail of white pebbles and they find their way home. The second time, he uses breadcrumbs, which birds eat, leaving them lost. They discover a house made of bread and sugar, inhabited by a witch who captures Hansel to fatten him up. Gretel outsmarts the witch, pushes her into her own oven, and the siblings escape home with the witch's treasure.
• Thematic Analysis: The tale explores themes of abandonment, survival, and the resilience of children facing adult cruelty. It also examines greed and deception, both in the stepmother who discards the children and the witch who lures them with sweets. At its core, it is a story about sibling loyalty and the moment when children must become their own protectors.
• Historical Context: The Brothers Grimm first published "Hansel and Gretel" in 1812 as part of "Children's and Household Tales" (Kinder- und Hausmarchen). They collected it from oral storytelling traditions in the Hesse region of Germany during a period of widespread poverty and famine. The story reflects real anxieties of early 19th-century rural life, where starvation could drive families to desperate measures.