UNIT 3: "The Pig King"- Giovanni Francesco Straparola

Bear with me. The technological aspect of this blog, only a minor portion (sarcasm*), has proved most troublesome as I have yet to master the art of successful publication so that all may see. Hopefully one day, I won’t have to keep apologizing for my lack of technological acuity but until then, here I am. At any rate, this Italian cousin of the Beauty and the Beast tale-type is existentially confounding in both plot and symbolism. So I had to think outside of the book (see what I did there), when contemplating what exactly this version had to teach us. The book presents us with a vexed queen dealing with the implications and complaints of having a son in the form of a pig. This pig is not only aesthetically repulsive but is as characteristically filthy, selfish, and greedy as a stereotypical swine would be. He is only metamorphosed into human form after he kills his first two wives and arranges the marriage of his third, and most charming wife, Meldina (who happens to be the last remaining of her siblings, considering that her new hubby has killed the former two he has married), and of course all ends happily ever after. But wait. Did I miss something? Did a mother just consent to marry all three of her daughters to a serial killer pig? Were two woman murdered after refusing sexual advances? Is this tale preaching how to love disregarding all flaws or how to adjust to unfavorable situations? Without contextual information, the only purpose besides entertainment that this tale possesses is the juxtaposition of the three wives and the unconditionality of a mother’s love. It definitely does not defend feministic values in any fashion nor does it touch on the moral justice of “karma” (or receiving what one deserves based off of his/her actions). If anything, two sisters were murdered for refusing sex/love to a pig man that was repugnant not only by nature but also in the way that he treated them, which is the exact opposite of a message I would want anyone to learn. Whether it speaks to the potential of imperiled happiness of arranged marriages or on how to learn to love someone despite their flaws, this tale was not my favorite. That’s probably because, although I respect it, it is hard for me to empathize with the construct of arranged marriage having not ever been exposed or involved in one myself. However, I understand the cultural and generational chasm between the origins of this particular story and my own. Even with this axiomatic understanding of this inherent discrepancy, I still do not necessarily see eye to eye with the author. The most scrupulous of the potential, contradictory points that are in question is to treat others with respect, dignity, and warmth and you will be rewarded accordingly. However, even the surviving sister agreed to marry the pig after accepting the incentive of subsequent wealth and welfare. Even if she was humble in her acceptance speech, I can all but deem this decision as sufficient to qualify as genuine and altruistic.