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Brothers Grimm

Biography, German Author  

Biography of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, German folklorists known for their Grimm's Fairy Tales. They wrote stories as depictions of direct folk materials and became famous for their contribution to traditional folk tales.

The Brothers Grimm were Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, two German academics who are best known for their collection of folk tales and fairy tales, which were published in a series of books called "Grimm's Fairy Tales". They are considered to be among the most important scholars of German literature and folklore of the 19th century. Some of the most famous stories from their collections include "Cinderella", "Rapunzel", "Little Red Riding Hood", and "Sleeping Beauty".

Early Life and Education

Jacob Grimm was born on January 4, 1785, and Wilhelm Grimm was born on February 24, 1786. in the town of Hanau, Germany. Their parents were Philipp Wilhelm Grimm and Dorothea Grimm. Philipp Wilhelm Grimm was a lawyer, and he died when the boys were young, leaving the family in financial distress. Despite this, their mother, Dorothea Grimm, was determined to provide her children with a good education.

After the death of their father, Dorothea Grimm struggled to support her nine children on her own. She was a strong and determined woman who was determined to give her children the best possible education, so she is credited with fostering their intellectual curiosity and love of learning. The brothers moved with their mother and siblings to the town of Kassel, where they continued their education. In 1802, Jacob and Wilhelm both enrolled at the University of Marburg to study law, following in their father's footsteps. However, they quickly became more interested in the study of linguistics and literature, and they began to focus on these subjects instead.

In 1805, Jacob and Wilhelm became interested in the collection and preservation of folk tales and fairy tales, which were an important part of German culture but were in danger of being lost. They began to collect and record these stories from oral traditions, and in 1812, they published their first book, "Children's and Household Tales". The book was not a huge success at first, but it gradually gained popularity and went through several editions.

In 1814, Jacob and Wilhelm both entered the service of the Duke of Hessia-Kassel, where they continued their work on collecting and recording folk tales. They also began to work on other scholarly projects, such as a dictionary of the German language and a history of German literature. In 1829, they were appointed professors at the University of Göttingen, where they continued their work until their deaths.

Writing Career

The work of the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, is closely tied to their interest in collecting and preserving folk tales and fairy tales. The brothers were born in Hanau, Germany, in 1785 and 1786, respectively. They received a good education and both studied law at the University of Marburg, but they became more interested in the study of linguistics and literature.

In 1805, Jacob and Wilhelm became interested in the collection and preservation of folk tales and fairy tales, which were an important part of German culture but were in danger of being lost. They began to collect and record these stories from oral traditions, and in 1812, they published their first book, "Children's and Household Tales". The book was not a huge success at first, but it gradually gained popularity and went through several editions.

The Brothers Grimm continued to collect and record folk tales and fairy tales, and in 1815, they published a second volume of "Children's and Household Tales", which included even more stories. Over the next few years, they published several more volumes of folk tales and fairy tales, and by 1857, their collection had grown to include over 200 stories.

Some of the most famous stories from the Brothers Grimm's collections include "Cinderella", "Rapunzel", "Little Red Riding Hood", and "Sleeping Beauty". These stories are still well-known and beloved today, and they have been translated into many different languages and adapted into countless movies, plays, and other works of art.

In addition to their work on folk tales and fairy tales, the Brothers Grimm also worked on other scholarly projects, such as a dictionary of the German language and a history of German literature. They were both appointed professors at the University of Göttingen in 1829, where they continued their work until their deaths.

The Grimm brothers began work on their German dictionary in 1838, and it was published in parts over the next several years. The final version, known as the "Grimm's German Dictionary" or the "Deutsches Wörterbuch," was completed in 1960, more than 100 years after the brothers began their work.

The "Deutsches Wörterbuch" is considered one of the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionaries of the German language, and it remains an important reference work for scholars and students of German. The dictionary is organized by root words, and it includes definitions, etymologies, and citations from literature and other sources.

The Grimm brothers' work on the German dictionary was part of their larger project to document and preserve the German language and culture. They believed that the study of language was crucial for understanding the history and culture of a people, and their dictionary remains an important contribution to the field of linguistics.

Today, they are remembered as two of the most important scholars of German literature and folklore of the 19th century. Their collection of folk tales and fairy tales continues to be read and enjoyed by people all over the world, and their work has had a lasting impact on the study of linguistics and literature.

Their work was part of the German Romantic movement, which emphasized the importance of folk culture and national identity. The Grimm brothers were influenced by the work of the German folklorist Johann Gottfried von Herder, and their collection of folktales remains one of the most important and influential collections of its kind.

Other writers who were associated with the German Romantic movement and who may have been influenced by the work of the Brothers Grimm include Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, and Ludwig Tieck. These writers were known for their poetry, plays, and novels, and they often used folktales and legends as a source of inspiration for their work.

They were not the original authors of these stories, but rather collected them from a variety of sources, including peasants, storytellers, and family members.

Many of the folktales that the Brothers Grimm collected were part of a rich oral tradition that had been passed down for generations. These stories were often revised and adapted over time, and the versions that the Grimm brothers published are just one variation of many that exist.

Other writers who have written fairytales include Charles Perrault, who published a collection of French folktales in the late 17th century, and Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote a number of beloved fairytales such as "The Little Mermaid" and "The Snow Queen". These writers, like the Brothers Grimm, collected and adapted folktales that were part of a rich oral tradition, and their works continue to be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

One of the most notable writers who was influenced by the Brothers Grimm is the English novelist and poet George Eliot, who was a contemporary of the Grimm brothers and was known for her realistic and psychologically astute novels. Eliot was an admirer of the Grimm brothers' work, and she was inspired by their collection of folktales to write her own version of the story of "Cinderella," which was published in her book "Scenes of Clerical Life."

Other writers who were influenced by the Brothers Grimm include the English author J.R.R. Tolkien, who was a scholar of Germanic languages and literature and was deeply interested in the work of the Grimm brothers. Tolkien was inspired by their collection of folktales to create his own fantasy stories, such as "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".

In addition to writers, the Brothers Grimm have also been an important source of inspiration for filmmakers, musicians, and other artists. For example, the Disney animated film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is based on the Grimm brothers' fairy tale "Snow White," and the popular musical "Into the Woods" incorporates elements of several of their stories.

Some of the most popular Grimm fairytales include:

  • Cinderella - the story of a young girl who is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, but is ultimately saved by her fairy godmother and marries a prince.
  • Rapunzel - the story of a young girl with long, golden hair who is locked in a tower by a wicked witch, but is eventually rescued by a prince who climbs up her hair.
  • Hansel and Gretel - the story of two children who are abandoned in the forest by their parents, but who outwit a witch who lives in a gingerbread house.
  • The Frog Prince - the story of a princess who befriends a frog who is actually a prince under a spell, and who is restored to his human form when the princess kisses him.
  • Sleeping Beauty - the story of a princess who is cursed by an evil fairy and falls into a deep sleep, but is awakened by a prince who kisses her.

Death

Wilhelm Grimm died on December 16, 1859. He was 73 years old at the time of his death. After Wilhelm's death in 1859, Jacob continued to work on their folktale collection, publishing a final edition in 1857. Jacob Grimm died on September 20, 1863. He was 78 years old at the time of his death.They are remembered today as two of the most important scholars of German literature and folklore of the 19th century, and their collection of folk tales and fairy tales continues to be read by generations all over the world.

Their birthplace Hanau has a rich history and was an important center of the German Enlightenment. It is also known for its association with the Brothers Grimm, who are remembered as pioneering folklorists and important figures in the German Romantic movement. The city has a museum dedicated to the Grimm brothers and their work, and it continues to be a popular destination for visitors interested in the history and culture of Germany.

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