Image source: cover of Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001)
Composition and classification
From the three versions of Jack and Beanstalk that are compared on this website it appears that Jack and the Beanstalk usually follows a basic pattern of:
- A foolish boy trades a cow for some magic beans which grow a beanstalk up to the sky during the night.
- Jack climbs the beanstalk and steals three treasures (Bags of gold and silver, A goose/ hen that lays golden eggs and a harp that plays itself) off an ogre/giant that lives in a cast e in the sky.
- The giant chases Jack and is killed in the fall when Jack chops the beanstalk down.
Due to the fact that Jack and the beanstalk has come form oral tradition there is no definite composition of the fairy tale.
To explain the composition of Jack and the Beanstalk folklorists most commonly refer to the Aarne- Thompson Folktale Type index.
According to the Goldberg (2001: 11) early versions do not even 'include the now standard- three thefts but they do include the beanstalk'. The use of a common food, the bean is significant as it makes the story assessable to the lower class (Heiner 2003).
Goldberg (2001: 11) suggests that there other ways look at Jack and the Beanstalk. One is comparing it with other analogous tales especially those that include giant vegetables.
Below I have identified some motifs and archetypes that are common in a range of folk and fairy tales and how these relate to different versions of Jack and the Beanstalk..
Motifs and archetypes
- Motifs common to the tales listed at AT 328
Goldberg (2001: 13) lists these as
'an impoverished hero who travels to the ogre's house, a scene in which the hero meets the ogre's wife (daughter, servant) who protects him from the man- eating ogre, the ogres smelling the human and wanting to eat him, the multiple thefts from the ogre, and, finally, the hero's killing the ogre'.
- Stairways to heaven
A giant plant that reaches into an upper realm has been part of folklore for many years, it is even present in the bible in the story of the Tower of Babel which is built in an attempt to reach heaven (Heiner 2003), though it is not present in other stories classified under AT 328.
These stairways are often used by gods, gifted humans, the souls of the dead and heroes in this case Jack (Goldberg 2001: 14).
Often the qualities of the upper world are heavenly and religious figures are present but is not the case in Tabarts and Jacobs versions (Goldberg 2001: 19) instead there is a giant who suppresses the humans in that world. So Jacks world is actually the more peaceful world. Henson uses the idea of a better world in which gods reside in his version. It interesting that the people in this world become hostile when the land can not meet there basic needs.
'The notion that small, insignificant things possess great power is a stylistic trait typical of folktales' (Goldberg 2001: 15-16) as present in the speed at which the humble beans grow to the heavens.
- Numbers
Certain numbers have meanings in folk and fairytales and similar patterns recur throughout different tales such as the three times Jack must climb the beanstalk before his luck changes and the giant is killed. 'The pattern adds drama and suspense while making the story easy to remember and follow' (Heiner 2003).
When the number of beans is given five is the most common (Heiner 2003).
In Hensons version Jack and Ondine are given seven years to live in Jack's world which is often considered the perfect number (Saxby 1997: 28).
- Divine Strangers and Magic
In folktales fairies often take on the disguise of old women or helpless old men to reward the good and punish the greedy (Saxby 1997: 28). In Henson's film the bent little man sent by the gods gives Jack the beans but he first tests Jack to make sure he is pure of heart and of good intention. Likewise in Tabarts version Jack must avenge his father by killing the giant because he is greedy. However fairies are not always doing good, in Tabarts version the harp is a fairy and is loyal to the giant.
This tale is full of magic. There are magical objects - a goose that lays golden egg and a harp that plays itself. In some versions the mystery of the carrier of the beans and how he knows Jacks name is not exposed which adds to the intrigue.
- Journey
Jacks climb up the bean stalk and the challenges he faces mirror his move from childhood to adulthood as he grows up, learning to take responsibility for himself. In Jacobs version and Henson's film this is clear when he gets a wife.
Before he climbs the beanstalk he is treated like a child, being sent to bed without supper (Heiner 2003).
The drying up of the cows milk can be interpreted in terms of Jacks weaning process, where he must leave and provide for himself (Heiner 2003).
When Jack returns home and he cuts down the beanstalk severing connections with the other world, he will never look back symbolising that stage of his life is complete.
- Poor widow
Jacks mother is a widow, she shows that 'widowhood is often a noble but poverty-stricken status' (Heiner 2003). She is poor but works hard for the well being of Jack and herself. The women in this fairytale have more control then the men, Jacks mother does all the work. Even the ogres wife in both the Tabart and Jacobs version are able to control there husbands. When the ogre smells Jack she simply makes up an excuse and isn't questioned except on the last occasion when the giant searches for Jack.
- Ogre
'In folklore, ogres are giants given to eating human flesh' (Heiner 2003) but there are two types of giants bad and also a helpful kind (Sutherland 1977: 151). In Jack and the Beanstalk the terms are used to mean the same thing except in Henson's version when he subverts the expectation that the giant is evil. Not every giant is cruel, they are portrayed in many ways including greedy, stupid or wise and in tale of Jack and the Giant killer the killer the giant killer is actually a 'good humoured giant' himself (Jobes 1982: 654-655).
In Jack and the Beanstalk the ogres 'acute sense of smell testifies to his bestial nature' (Goldberg 2001: 21) and the fact that he eats flesh usually provides enough incentive to kill him without regret.
Long before any recording of Jack and the Beanstalk the well known lines 'Fee- fi- fo- fum' came from the mouths of flesh eating giants.
Zipes (2000: 167) writes about the tale of Jack and the giant killer in which the giant Thunderdel utters:
Fee, fau fum
I smell the blood of an Englishman,
Be he alive or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones make my bread
- Trickster or dolt
At the beginning of the tale Jack is usually portrayed as being a either lazy or a fool. His mother expecting he can't do anything. Notice in Tabarts story Jacks mother thinks she will open a shop 'a solution which will not rely on his energy, wit or skills to support them' (Heiner 2003). Yet in every version Jack, the hero only wins with his wits and trickery (Saxby 1997: 26). He waits until the giant falls asleep and on his second and third entrance of the giants castle he either uses a costume of waits for the opportunity to sneak in side. Often 'the presumed foolish character turns out to be strong and wise after all' (Saxby 1997: 26).
- Jack
Jack is a common name used in many fairytales sometimes meaning no more then 'any man'. In these Jack tales Jack is often portrayed as a lucky trickster. The name Jack Robinson is given to the Jacks in Henson's tale meaning someone who stays for a brief time. This name doesn't have it's origins in the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk but draws on another tale. (Jobes 1982: 856-857).
To appreciate the variations and commonalities of different versions of Jack and the Beanstalk it is useful to have an understanding of the composition and motifs that occur in different versions of the tale. Some excellent sources of information are:
- Goldberg, Christine (2001) The Composition of Jack and the Beanstalk.Marvels and Tales: The journal of Fairy- Tale Studies. 15 (1): 11-26.
- Heiner, Heidi Anne (2003) SurLaLune Fairy Tales: Annotations for Jack and the Beanstalk [online]. http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/jackbeanstalk/notes.html [Accessed 28 July 2006].
- Saxby, M and Winch, J (1997; 176-182) The Millenium Book of Myth and Story. NSW: Mellenium Books.
| HOME- Introduction- Tabart- Jacobs - Henson- Comparison- Compostion-Reference List |