The Rapunzel genre's ability to evolve while still remaining relevant is an impressive feat and speaks to its abilities as its own genre. Its adaptations resonate with a variety of cultural backgrounds as well as social or age groups alike which underscores its flexibility. Whether addressing specific preferences or viewpoints in order to meet audience requirements, the essential elements at play—captivity, liberation, and self-discovery—can be reimagined in ways that suit diverse cultures or generations. In turn, this makes certain widespread interest in the enduring popularity of this engaging storytelling tradition.

5 -- Assess Audience Expectations

In many other versions, the rapunzel vegetable is referred to as rampion or lettuce. Rapunzel stories often incorporate cultural references that are familiar and relevant to their target audience. These references can include traditions, customs, folklore, or popular cultural icons that resonate with specific cultural or regional contexts. By doing so, the adaptations make the story more relatable and enhance the audience's connection to the narrative. It means that Rapunzel is a timeless tale that allows for changes in cultural signifiers but that doesn't change that Rapunzel has remained consistent in nuances and general story progression that it is its own genre.

5 -- Assess Audience Expectations

While reimagining Rapunzel for contemporary consumption, it's imperative to use a distinct style tailored to each intended reader group. For instance, younger audiences require lighthearted, easy-to-follow language that speaks directly to their level of comprehension whilst ensuring an enjoyable experience without confusion. In contrast, mature readers may enjoy a more elaborate expression using advanced literary techniques and intricate dramatization techniques synonymous with different variations of Rapunzel.

4 -- Rhetorical Strategies

Frequently, tales of Rapunzel include typical characters or archetypes such as the distressed damsel, the wicked captor, and the gallant savior striving for freedom. These familiar archetypes add to the genre's essence and lay a basis for investigating dynamics between characters.

4 -- Rhetorical Strategies

Rapunzel as a type of literature often incorporates opposing elements to generate a sense of unease and emphasize important messages. This is shown through the juxtaposition of the cramped tower and the vastness of the world outside, the purity of Rapunzel in contrast with the wickedness of her captor, or even in how her vulnerability transforms into resilience. Vulnerability becoming resilience is perfectly portrayed in this portion here and in many other retellings where Rapunzel's tears are used to heal the prince.

4 -- Rhetorical Structure

The storytelling framework for Rapunzel narratives is often predictable, with a standard narrative structure comprising of an initial period of imprisonment followed by the appearance of either a prince or another character seeking liberation. The climax comes with overcoming obstacles to achieve ultimate victory. This model offers an overarching design for the genre and its characteristic rhetorical effects.

4 -- Analyze Rhetoric

An indispensable aspect of fairy tale storytelling is the conspicuous tower in which Rapunzel is held captive. Its iconography and allegorical significance- evoking separation, desire, and an unwavering aspiration towards autonomy-remains specific to the story and genre of Rapunzel.

3 -- Assess Modern Retellings

In traditional versions, Rapunzel is portrayed as a passive and helpless character, relying on others to rescue her. Modern retellings like the online Disney storybook, Rapunzel is depicted as a more proactive and independent protagonist, capable of taking control of her own destiny. This impacts the Rapunzel genre by transforming it into a more dynamic and empowering narrative.

3 -- Assess Modern Retellings

While romance with the prince is a common element in traditional Rapunzel stories, modern retellings may place less emphasis on the romantic aspect. Instead, they may focus on Rapunzel's personal development and relationships beyond just a love interest.

3 -- Assess Modern Retellings

In modern retellings, the man and women who conceived Rapunzel are cut out from the story entirely. The absence of these characters in modern retellings of the story has impacted the genre. It shifts the focus to Rapunzel's personal growth, her relationships, and themes of freedom. By removing these characters, power dynamics change, emphasizing Rapunzel's agency and independence as she has always been Gothel's property, but is never born from regular loving parents. It reflects a desire to update narratives and align with contemporary values. This alteration allows for the exploration of new themes and empowers Rapunzel in different ways, reshaping the genre of Rapunzel stories.

2 -- Compare/Contrast Translation Choices

It is important to see that this translation mentions "the Lord" and some other translations say "God," specifically, however, other translations just note that the couple had "reason to believe their wish [in conceiving a child] was fulfilled." To consider Rapunzel as a genre is to examine for consistencies but the presence of religious factors (or lack thereof) makes it difficult to use as a signifier of Rapunzel as its own genre. It is such a small part of a few translations (this one included and usually no more than one line), so I believe the occurrence of God/the Lord is not significant in signifying the fairy tale genre or Rapunzel as its own genre.

2 -- Contrasting Translation Choice

This is the one of the only translations I've found where Gothel chooses to insult Rapunzel by calling her a "godless child." In almost all other translations, Gothel chooses to refer to Rapunzel as a wicked child. The other translation where Gothel calls Rapunzel childless also has Rapunzel ask Gothel about why her clothes suddenly don't fit anymore. I feel like the purpose in the difference of translation was to shame Rapunzel (and young girls reading), thus trying to teach these girls that they need to be chaste, or else they are godless. However, the existence of religion in Rapunzel is not consistent among all translations and is likely a product of cultural norms and expectations, especially when used as a tool to teach moral lessons about pregnancy and chastity.

2 -- Contrast Translation Choices

This telling line differs among translations of the story. Each variation does its part to signify to Gothel that Rapunzel has no longer been shut out from the world, but the reason for changing the subject of the sentence may be due to cultural beliefs and norms as to what is appropriate to say to children (as well as how old the audience is). I have seen this line translated as "Gothel, why have my clothes suddenly gotten so small?" (meaning that she is pregnant with the Prince's child, which foreshadows Rapunzel having birthed twins when she finds the blind prince). The reason for this may be that the translator simply found it inappropriate for children to describe Rapunzel's pregnant body (though vague), and decided it would be better to make Rapunzel outright admit that she had been allowing the Prince into the tower. This, however, does not impact Rapunzel as a genre because even when this line doesn't mention Rapunzel's changing body, she is still sometimes seen with twin babies at the end, proving that she was still pregnant -- it just hadn't been explicitly discussed.

2 -- Consistency Among Translations

This line is used in every translation to describe Rapunzel's beauty. This is extremely significant to the genre because she is the beautiful damsel that finds herself in distress. It's imperative that she is portrayed as beautiful and feminine.

2 -- Consistency Among Translations

This exact line is used in most translations when the husband asks for forgiveness. It is used to characterize Gothel because she is merciful to the husband and shows her capability to be merciful. This line and instance is important to Rapunzel as a genre because it is pivotal for the plot needed to introduce Rapunzel while getting bith parents out of the way.

1 -- Moral Lessons

All retellings pf Rapunzel focuses on restricting children and keeping them from growing up exposed to the world. Literally, Rapunzel is always locked away in a tower at Gothel's wishes. Ultimately, they all end with Gothel banishing or losing Rapunzel to those she's found from the "outside world." Though it's true that Gothel kidnapped Rapunzel as a baby, it also makes her akin to a surrogate mother. As a surrogate mother, she lost Rapunzel when Rapunzel finds that theres more to life and love than her tower and her fake mother.

1 -- Occurrence of magic/magical beings

In the versions where Rapunzel has powers, it is usually shown through her tears at the end to heal her love interest. It is is only in the Disney retelling that she has magic in her hair from the start.

1 -- Narrative Patterns

Almost every retelling of Rapunzel has these lines, except for the Disney story book, but the pictures still show that Gothel used her hair to climb to the top.

1 -- occurance of magical beings/magic existing in the world

This is also shown in almost all other renditions of Rapunzel, even though Gothel can sometimes be called an enchantress, a witch or a fairy. The modern Disney rendition is the only one that states Gothel is just a normal evil woman.

Works Cited: Gag, Wanda, translator, et al. Tales from Grimm, University of Minnesota Press, 2006. ProQuest Ebook Central, pp. 135-148. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/huntercollege-ebooks/detail.action?docID=326397.

Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. Household Tales by the Brothers Grimm, Floating Press, The, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, pp. 71-75 https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/huntercollege-ebooks/detail.action?docID=717419.

Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. “Rapunzel.” Translated by D L Ashliman, Grimm 012: Rapunzel, sites.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm012.html. Accessed 17 May 2023.

Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Grimm's Fairy Tales, Open Road Integrated Media, Inc., 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, pp. 83-87. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/huntercollege-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1800225.

Grimm, Jacob, et al. “RAPUNZEL.” The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: The Complete First Edition, Princeton University Press, 2014, pp. 37–39. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wq18v.19. Accessed 17 May 2023.

Knight, Charlott. Rapunzel. 1951, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvTgPVxI99o. Accessed 17 May 2023.

“Rapunzel’s Story.” Disney Princess, princess.disney.com/rapunzels-story. Accessed 17 May 2023.

Story of Rapunzel - Scholastic, images.scholastic.co.uk/assets/a/93/6d/story-of-rapunzel-111110.pdf. Accessed 17 May 2023.

Annotations will be coded as shown below for easy understanding as to why notes were made. 1. Identify the Genre 2. Examine/Contrast Translation Choices 3. Assess/Contrast Modern Retellings 4. Analyze Rhetorical Strategies 5. Assess Audience Expectations