Hansel and Gretel: a complex tale of parent-child interactions

ABSTRACT Hansel and Gretel is a familiar and iconic tale of siblings struggling in the face of poverty, abandonment and fear, but it is also a tale of the children’s ingenuity and capacity to work together. Freud, Klein and more recent child development research have all added to our understanding of the significance of sibling relationships. In this paper the author briefly notes what is known about the original tale recorded by the brothers Grimm and describes and reflects on the story on a ‘scene by scene’ basis. In The Uses of Enchantment, Bettelheim emphasises Hansel and Gretel’s ego development and resilience. In the author’s reading of the story, consideration is given to the children’s inner worlds as described by Klein and the complex nature of interactions between parents and children. These interactions can be seen on a continuum – from familiar, ordinary experiences to those which have relevance to our understanding of children in adverse circumstances. In addition, the story poses different options for growing up – either the wish to bypass or the capacity to embrace the slow and often painful process of development. The tale of Hansel and Gretel has been told and re-told in many versions and through different mediums but continues to provide an opportunity to explore both phantasy and reality through the lens of our imagination.