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The modern fairy tale hero identity falls into a general spectrum of tropes that spans from the charming prince who seals the fate of the beautiful princess with a kiss to borderline villains with little break in this spectrum. The Witcher's Geralt of Rivia brings to light an often overlooked hero's identity by representing neither ends of this heroic spectrum but rather a different breed of hero entirely. We argue that Geralt of Rivia differs from the typical representation of the fairy tale hero by embodying the spirit of the Huntsman archetype as depicted in stories such as Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood.

This creates a new means of exploring fairy tales as genres by giving perspective to the bloodier, messier sides of these tales which have since deviated from their darker origins. Geralt exists as neither hero nor antihero, but rather a sword-for-hire who cleans up messes that ‘heroes’ otherwise cannot or will not handle themselves. Across his depictions in the books, games, and show, Geralt involves himself as a witcher; hunter of monsters. Geralt's method in overcoming this style of quest is unlike the usual hero. Standing in for the Huntsman, Geralt understands the nature and balance of man and beast and carries this responsibility while looking to accomplish his goals. In this chapter, we seek to document and bring to light this underrepresented style of hero that the witcher has to offer to show that such a hero needs not be black nor white.

In modern China, sports and nationalism always have close connection, and nationalism is the important reason for the promotion of Chinese sports. However, the relationship between Chinese sports and nationalism in globalised China could be much more examined by academics, as well as its influencing factors. This chapter selects the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as the context and representative three Chinese sports heroes in the period of globalisation to study. The findings show that in some extent, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and three Chinese sports heroes represent the national image of China in the globalised world, also bearing the burden of washing away historical humiliation and pursuing national glory. Furthermore, it is manifested that China have a complex nationalism in the process of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. Under the influence of mass media, market economy and sports professionalisation, nationalism still exists in Chinese sports, but people gradually start to reflect on the ‘Juguo Tizhi’, the traditional Chinese sports system and the concept of ‘winning glory for the nation’. The relationship between Chinese nationalism and sports shows the important implications of rapid Chinese sports development.

Fairy tales and their movie counterparts have, for decades, been a means of socialising children and audiences regarding gender (e.g., Shewmaker, 2015; Whitley, 2013). Specifically, Disney movies that portray fairy tales have strongly influenced how young children learn gender roles and gendered behaviours, yet deeper examination is needed of how Disney portrayals of masculinities have evolved among these films and across character type to understand how Disney may be reflecting or impacting dominant representations of masculinity that privilege certain identities and characteristics over others (Brode, 2016). While previous work has examined Pixar films as socio-culturally meaningful for representations of boyhood that remain grounded in traditional, hegemonic notions of masculinity (Wooden & Gillam, 2014), this chapter adds to the body of work by employing a critical content analysis of Disney films from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Disney's most recent addition of Strange World to answer the questions about how masculinities are portrayed. Through answering these questions of evolved representation throughout close to a century amount of work, we contribute to scholarship that attempts to understand media influences on boyhood culture, which is considered in crisis due to overemphasised representations of powerful, strong male characters that hide their emotions (Brode, 2016; Wooden & Gillam, 2014).

Fairy tale narratives have placed significant emphasis on depicting female and male protagonists through a binary understanding of gender roles. Major male characters are portrayed with traits associated with hegemonic masculinity, reinforcing concepts that uplift masculine superiority, such as independence, exercise of power, authority, and strength. Conversely, female protagonists are often represented in ways that emphasise hegemonic femininity, aiming to disempower and marginalise them by highlighting traditional feminine traits like passivity, dependence, and helplessness. Any female characters deviating from these norms and depicted as powerful and dominant are positioned as villains in relation to the main female protagonist, embodying non-hegemonic feminine characteristics.

The representation of women in these ways primarily serves one purpose: to uphold masculine superiority. Hegemonic femininity portrays women as damsels in distress, awaiting rescue. On the other hand, non-hegemonic femininity manifests through villainous women performing antagonistic acts towards conforming female protagonists, thus forcing them into a helpless position. This is the critical juncture where the main male protagonists' step in – rescuing the helpless female protagonists and defeating the female villains – reinforcing masculine values in both scenarios.

However, the 21st century fairy tale narratives have challenged this ideology. I argue that recent fairy tale narratives have adopted the technique of ‘Feminist Quest Heroine’ to challenge and deconstruct male characters' heroism through the re-portrayal of female and male characters. The selected fairy tale narratives include Frozen (2013) and a comparative analysis of Sleeping Beauty (1959) and its cinematic adaptation Maleficent (2014). The findings suggest that these fairy tales rework the representation of male characters in three ways: the application of post-feminist masculinity, the modification of heteronormative temporality, and the prominence of sisterhood upon the critique of patriarchy.

Fairy tales were first transmitted orally to teach the community to adapt and engage with their surroundings (Zipes, 1987, p. 1). Nonetheless, they have also contributed to reproduce traditional gender roles and stereotypes (Meland, 2020, p. 912). Indeed, they encourage ‘females to become passive self-denying, obedient, and self-sacrificial’, and males to ‘be competitive, authoritarian, and power-hungry as well as rational, abstract, and principled’ (Zipes, 1987, p. 3). Likewise, Western fairy tales are characterised by a racial dichotomy manifested through the uses of colour: purity is usually associated with white, while black is related to death. This binary opposition suggests that ‘[w]hiteness is often the invisible, privileged state, whereas any other skin colour is marked and laden with ideological judgments’ (Jorgensen, 2013, p. 56).

Carnival Row (2019–2023) is a neo-Victorian TV series created for Amazon Studios that rewrites Western fairy tales through the lens of postcolonial and gender studies. It is set in a fantastically reimagined Victorian England, where mythological creatures – e.g. fairies or centaurs – are allegorical representations of the ethnic Other. The male protagonist of this series, Philo, is a ‘half-breed’ – half human, half fairy – who passes as human to avoid racial discrimination. However, he evolves from being a male character who rejects his ethnic identity to a heroic figure who eventually embraces his racial origins at the end of Season 1. As I demonstrate in this chapter, Philo's nuanced development arguably subverts traditional depictions of white male heroes in fairy-tale narratives, where they tend to be portrayed as strong, principled and non-complex characters.

Red Riding Hood is said to have been assembled from folktales that pre-date the collector Charles Perrault's 1697 re-telling and initial publishing (Dundes, 1989; Zipes, 1993). Since then, it is a story that has been re-told and re-imagined many times in various media contexts, with Beckett suggesting that it is one of the most familiar icons of Western culture, and a ‘highly effective intertextual referent’ (Beckett, 2002, p. XVI). Even though this story has been generally regarded as a children's tale, adult themes of sexuality and transgression have been explored in modern re-conceptions. In this chapter, we examine the representation of gender and masculinity in commercial media output: the 2011 American film Red Riding Hood (Hardwicke, 2011) and the pilot episode of the NBC series Grimm (2011). In Red Riding Hood, a romantic horror film, the male characters may be regarded as satellites that cluster around the female protagonist, whereas in Grimm, through its generic fusion of police procedural and horror genres, the text plays upon strong established examples of traditional male roles alongside more nuanced and contemporary representations of masculinity. Our analysis explores themes of transformation and heteronormativity and the extent to which the texts challenge or conform to traditional tellings.

Dark (Netflix, 2017–2020) is a German-produced science fiction television series, created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese. Set in the geographically ambiguous small town of Winden, Dark is an intricate time-travel saga primarily across different epochs. With its emphasis on uncanny natural settings and fairy tale tropes (such as lost children, mysterious travelers, magical devices, etc.), Dark can easily be interpreted as fairy tale. Central is young Jonas Kahnwald who loses his father and witnesses the mysterious disappearance of a local boy. These traumas lead to shocking truths about his heritage. Jonas is the hero (both victim and seeker, after Propp's definition) though his twisting quest brings him face-to-face with two older versions of himself: The middle-aged Jonas fulfils a mentor/donor role for the younger but is conflicted in his desires to both perpetuate and unpick ‘the knot’. Later, Jonas encounters cataclysmic extremist ‘Adam’, a mature version of himself who acts as antagonist. Thusly, Dark centres White male trauma, agency, and ego to reflect responses to historic cultural trauma (such as the notion of the ‘anti-Heimat’) whilst also critiquing traditional conceptions of masculinity through young Jonas's actions. This chapter maps the interplay and representation of ego and trauma. Through textual analysis and with reference to relevant cultural, psychological, and philosophical scholarship, my exploration follows the threads of what Dark communicates about contemporary German masculinity in the face of trauma and how it reflects Western, White cultural thinking about the self.

In fairy tales, male heroes typically come from royalty and villains are categorised as pirates, evil Kings, various animal and supernatural creatures, for example, Scar, the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin, and Bluebeard. In Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), Captain Jack Sparrow lacks the villainous qualities that come from Disney's predecessor, Captain Hook. However, Jack does not possess the classic qualities of a prince. He tries to be heroic when he rescues Elizabeth Swann but turns on her to excel in his own motives. With beads in his hair, his eyes lined with kohl, and a love for accessories, Jack's appearance distorts traditional notions of masculinity. In Alice in Wonderland (2010), Tarrant Hightopp (Mad Hatter) is an untraditional character who has become detached from reality.

His madness, which is evident through his clothes, speech, and actions, comes from the destruction of his family. Jack and Hatter invert the expected order of things, ‘Now up is down’ (Verbinski, 2007). Their hats appear to be symbols of their obscure masculinity. Although they are both played by Johnny Depp, the Hatter and Captain Jack Sparrow possess unconventional male attributes which make them unlikely heroic characters. They offer a fluid perspective on the ever-changing aspects of masculinity. Unconventionality is becoming increasingly popular in Disney works. Therefore, this chapter aims to analyse two non-traditional male fairy tale characters with an emphasis on their fashion choices, lack of true love endeavours and unconventional heroic actions.

Netflix's short-lived Gothic sci-fi psychological thriller 1899 tells of the discovery of a ghost ship by a steam-liner bound for America. All aboard are tested by unexplained deaths, visions of past traumas and impossible events. 1899 exemplifies what Mittell calls ‘drillable media’ (2009), contemporary elaborate and inventive serial TV narratives which encourage the viewer into active reception, rewarding forensic deconstruction and analysis.

The creators sprinkle references to Classical mythology and philosophy throughout 1899, inviting literate, active consumers to use them in forensic reception. Featuring an ensemble cast of 20 principal characters, 1899 offers a variety of ‘masculine’ representations, and all can be described as Gothic. These characters are understood and enhanced through consideration of the allusions to Classical mythology in the text. These echoes enhance and shape the Gothic masculine representations in 1899. Furthermore, the female protagonist is imbued with counter-typical hegemonic gender traits and her connections to mythic and literary characters encourage a questioning of her status as hero.

With reference to Classical reception and Gothic studies, textual analysis and online analytical discourses posted by fans of 1899, this chapter explores the interplay between Gothic male representations, ‘masculine’ traits and allusions to mythology, employing both to create a television series which is both timeless and contemporary.

What's in a name? Not much if you're Prince Charming. While the erstwhile indistinctive princes and heroes of fairy tales have enjoyed a bit of the spotlight in modern television and film narratives, this exposure has not extended, as much, to the academic study of fairy tale men.

This collection of chapters delves into the often-overlooked realm of contemporary male fairy tale characters, a domain that remains largely unexplored within academic circles. By drawing on diverse narratives from television, film, and literature, this interdisciplinary collection sheds light on the evolving representations of male characters in fairy tales and their intersections with broader socio-cultural themes.

Through an acknowledgement of the historical roots of the fairy tale genre, this collection explores how these characters have transcended their original contexts and infiltrated various fictional genres. By examining the thematic resonance of fairy tales in contemporary narratives, this collection underscores its enduring influence on modern storytelling.

This collection seeks to fill the scholarly void surrounding male fairy tale characters, particularly within the realms of queer studies, gender studies, and postcolonial studies. By including a range of academic approaches, from character analysis to fan studies to film and television studies, this collection enriches the understanding of the complex role of male characters in modern fairy tale discourse.