KidLit Forum

THE TWIN HUNCHBACKS
By BARONESS ORCZY
1.The author
Emmuska Magdalena Rosalia Maria Josepha Barbara Orczy known as
Baroness Orczy was a Hungarian playwright, novelist and artist, born in a rich
family. She was best known for her series of novels such as Scarlet Pimpernel,
the alter ego of Sir Percy Blakeney and his family. Orczy's novels were racy,
mannered melodramas and she took her subjects from history.
2A.Text tiltle
The title of the fairy tale is ‘’The Twin Hunchbacks”, it is rather a suggestive
title giving the fact that the title perfectly matches the context. The title does not
mislead the reader’s assumptions about the context of the fairy tale, furthermore
the “hunchbacks” represent the central element around which the story
interweaves , the reader being able to easily foresee the course of the events.
2B.Plotline
The story opens with a detailed presentation of an unusually large forest in the
midst of Fairyland, where three little fairies dance all night long singing
“Humpty Dumpty”, but when the noonday sun appears they would all run to
bed ,not before leaving water lilies and pink lotus on the grass. One day, very
early in the morning a little hunchback woodcutter in his search for chopsticks
noticed the three little fairies dancing and singing and without hesitating he
happily joined them with great energy, bringing joy and laughter among the
fairies. When the fairies noticed his hunchback , they felt sorry for him and
agreed upon helping the woodcutter to get rid of his physical deformity. After
thanking them the little woodcutter, happily returned to his house where his
twin brother looked at him with great envy and impatiently started asking
questions. The little woodcutter told his brother his happenings and surprised
him with the strangest story he could take part of. Determined to get rid of his
hunchback just like his brother did, the twin brother started off for the
enchanted glade but unfortunately,when he arrived in the forest he was too tired
and breathless to dance and sing with the little fairies as his brother did. This
disappointed the fairies and as a punishment instead of getting him rid of his
hunchback the little fairies enlarged his hunchback in size so that he could
barely move. He was forced to crawl on his knees and hands all his way home.
2C.Characters
The story is rather poor in characters. First, the author presents the three little
fairies who represent both kindness and evil by first rewarding the first little
woodcutter and then punishing the twin brother for disobeying. Secondly, the
first little woodcutter who arrived in the forest and pleased the fairies and
thirdly the twin brother who was eager to change his appearance just like his
brother did.
2D.TIME
The time is not precisely mentioned by the author, it begins with “Once upon a
time..” so that leads us to consider that it happened sometimes in the past at an
unstated time.
2E.Atmosphere
The atmosphere of the story seems to be fantastical, the author makes use of
fantastical elements.
3.Genus proximus
I think that the story is besides a typically fairy tale also a morality tale .The
moral is not to wish for more ,to be satisfied with what you already
have“,happiness is wanting what you have not having what you want”.
4.The text as a fairy tale
This text obviously resembles to traditional fairy tales because it preserves both
the logic and the structure of a fairy tale, making use of the most common fairy
tale elements like fairies,the two brothers, the structure of the plot, the setting
etc.
5.Classification
I think this fairy tale is closest in theme with quite many of the typical fairy
tales in which we encounter the same plot elements and characters as in many
international fairy tales. Here, I can mention FT such as ; The Rose and the
ring(the elder brothers failed attempt to make a change in their lives),The day
boy and the night girl(the boy never sees shadows, because he can see only
during the day ,so he grows spiritually disabled.
5B.According to the Aarne- Thompson index, this FT is classified as a tale of
magic.
6A.Differences and departures
The FT does not differ from other classical FT,it follows it’s patterns it is rather
a simplistic tale with few characters ,but the difference in my opinion is how
this story ends. The end of the story seems unfinished, the author deliberately
leaving out some details so as to stir the reader’s interest in the story and to
leave him make suppositions.
6C.Irony /nostalgia
I think the author presents both ironically and nostalgically the flow of the
events. He creates a vivid scenery ,beautifully describing the forest and its
surroundings and adopts a language and attitude appropriate with the scenery by
using decorative details. The events are also ironically presented giving the fact
that there is also a moral in this FT .
6D. Contemporary discourse
The whole text may refer to the contemporary audience , because it is a morality
tale witch also presents one’s inner struggle in being the way society wants him
to be and who constantly wishes for change. We know that appearance these
days it’s of great importance and one can easily feel marginalized if his
appearance is out of ordinary.
6F. Narrational voice
I think the narrator’s voice is recognizable as contemporary and she does not
make attempt to address directly to the reader.
7.Morality
The story has a moral, but indirectly expressed and it does not diverge from
conventional wisdom. The reason destroys the fantasy and the psychical
struggle of the individual who cannot accept his physical deformities.
8.Style
The style is not a sophisticated and complex one, the language is rather simple
,the author does not make use of lots of stylistically devices.
9. Audience
The story addresses both to adult and juvenile readership, the reader is invited to
give multiple chances of text interpretation.
10. According to Vladimir Propp’s morphology the tale is divided into 31 functions such as:
INITIAL SITUATION:
ABSENTATION: one of the twins leaves home and goes into the woods
INTERDICTION: no interdictions are mentioned
VIOLATION OF INTERDICTION: -
RECONAISSANCE: -
DELIVERY: -
TRICKERY:-
COMPLICITY: -
VILLAINY: -
MEDIATION: -
BEGINNING COUNTER- ACTION: -
DEPARTURE: -
TESTING: the twin is tested by the fairies
HERO’S REACTION: - The hero is content
ACQIUSITION: the twin’s brother second hunchback
GIUDANCE: -
STRUGGLE: -
BRANDING: -
VICTORY:-
RESOLUTION:
RETURN: the twin returns home happy from the woods
PURSUIT: -
RESCUE: -
ARRIVAL: -
UNFOUNDED CLAIMS: -
DIFFICULT TASK:
SOLUTION:
RECOGNITION: -
EXPOSURE: -
TRANSFIGURATION: -
PUNISHMENT: the twin brother was punished by the fairies for disobeying
MARRIAGE:-
11.bibliography
Vladimir Propp, Morphology of the Folk Tale;1828
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Orczy
http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?a ... story=twin