Maria Tatar: The Big Bad Wolf Reconsidered

Maria Tatar is the world's foremost authority on fairy tales. In her distinguished career, the Harvard University professor has analyzed their cultural histories and various meanings and has produced definitive editions of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. But there's always been a contrarian streak to her work. Early on, she challenged conventional views, including those of Bruno Bettelheim, who read fairy tales as enactments of children's untamed urges. Now, she is rethinking the relationship between predator and prey at the heart of our cultural stories. In her talk, Tatar shares her expertise and fresh insights on familiar characters and the tales they inhabit. Maybe the wolf was just misunderstood...

This annual lecture recognizes a generous multiyear contribution to the Chicago Humanities Festival by Julie and Roger Baskes.