Using Fairy Tale Poems in High School English

One of my favorite units in my college courses was the one where we explored the original versions of fairy tales. And, when I have done this in my high school English classes using fairy tale poems, it is always a hit.

5 Ways Incorporate Fairy Tale Poems in High School English

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5 Ways to incorporate fairy tale poems in high school English.

1. Ask an Essential Question

Asking your students to consider an essential question like “Why are fairy tales important?” or “To what extent should kids be exposed to the original fairy tale texts?” really get students thinking about the role of fairy tales in their lives.

Pairing Perrault’s “Bluebeard” with Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem by the same title would be a great entry point to these questions. It is rare that I have a student who knows the “Bluebeard” story which makes it a great place to begin posing these big questions.

2. Introduce Archetypal Criticism with Fairy Tale Poems

Students are often familiar with fairy tales only through the world of animation. However, they might not realize how deeply embedded in cultures that these stories are. This is a great time to introduce archetypal criticism and allow students to explore the original stories along with different portrayals of them through fairy tale poems.

Have students consider everything they know about fairy tales: brainstorm a list. This list should include things like the typical opening, “happily ever after,” the number three, light and dark and typical characters. Then explore places where they see those same ideas in pop culture.

I then followed this lesson with Anne Sexton’s fairy tale poems. Just be careful with her poems as some of them are NOT school appropriate. These poems are included in Sexton’s collection Transformations.

Alternatively, you could have students read a number of “Cinderella” poems like “Cinderella” by Robert Service, “Cinderella” by John Dickson, “Lost Cinderella” by Edith Weaver, and “Cinderella” by R. J. Solonche.

Another option is to explore different versions of the story through a database like SurLaLune Fairy Tales.

5 reasons to incorporate fairy tale poems in high school English.

3. Consider Fractured Fairy Tales through Poetry

I love Jane Yolen’s “Fat is Not a Fairy Tale.” (This poem was part of Billy Collins’s Poet Laureate original Project: Poetry 180 and is included in the print anthology. Unfortunately, it is no longer on the Poetry 180 Website) It is perfect for a Fairy Tale Poetry Unit. Use this poem at the beginning of the unit to introduce fairy tales or at the end to explore the way fairy tales have evolved. It would be a fun creative writing project to have students write their own fractured fairy tale poems.

Additionally, you could use this poem to explore archetypal criticism or feminist criticism.

4. Explore Psychological Criticism through Fairy Tale Poems

Child Psychologist Bruno Bettleheim wrote The Uses of Enchantment in 1976. In it, he explores fairy tales through a Fruedian lens. Introduce students to psychological criticism and then have them explore fairy tale poems through this lens.

5. Fairy Tales as Allusions

Students often struggle with allusions because they do not have the cultural reference points (for more, read Teaching Allusions in Literature). Starting with allusions in fairy tale poems would help students by starting where they are. Start with a poem like “For everyone who tried on the slipper before Cinderella” which alludes not only to Cinderella, but other fairy tales too. Have students look for all the fairy tale references and then consider how they help to add meaning. Then move to Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem “Bluebeard.” It is a fairy tale poem where most students will not recognize the allusion. This then helps students to see the power of understanding allusions.

Approaching Fairy Tale Poetry

Bringing original fairy tales and fairy tale poetry into class is a fun divergence from some of the more serious texts we often explore in high school English courses. Pair any these ideas with a fairy tale retelling like Briar Rose by Jane Yolen for a full cross genre unit.