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Mahadeo Singh
FIQWS 10105
Professor von Uhl
October 31, 2016
Gender Roles: Myths vs. Fairytales
The highly anticipated disputes of myths vs fairytales has been challenged by many
scholars, professionals, and students all across the nation. The differences presented in
Bettelheims The Uses of Enchantment, titled, Fairy Tale versus Myth: Optimism versus
Pessimism portrays the unique structures of a story that pertains to fairytales or myths.
Bettelheim lays out the differences meticulously, that can establish R.K. Narayans story Devi
even further in parallels of the claims supported by Bettelheim. It has become common today to
dismiss the philosophical or psychological viewpoint (Bettelheim) of modern thinkers who
have studied myths and fairy tales. Through the extensive research and analysis, many
prestigious individuals like Plato and Aristotle have all came to a correlative conclusion of the
differences between fairy tales and myths. As Aristotle, the man of reason one said, The friend
of wisdom is also a friend of myth. Narayans indigenous character, Devi from Gods,
Demons, and Others, undoubtedly exemplifies Bettelheims claim of how myths differs from
fairy tales through the use of gender roles portrayed in the story, whether it may distinguish itself
with the ideologies of that time, the characteristics, and the descriptive technique featured in the
story.
The most basic differences between myths and fairy tales derive from the ideologies of
the character and how they perceive the world. It is extremely important to look at their world in
their shoes. In Devi, Devi is the creator of all things, supernatural it its own fantastical ways.

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Prior to the creation of Devi, all the other Hindu gods otherwise known as the Big Three:
Brahma the creator, Vishnu the protector, and Shiva the destroyer (Narayan 52), were destroyed
by Mahisha in one form or another. In order for the world, culture, and religion to be saved, they
called upon the ultimate creator or the great being, by praying intensely to the Highest Source
(Narayan 54). As a result, Grace descended in the form of emanations (Narayan 54), creating
Devi, the ultimate Supreme Being in the world. Bettelheim himself writes, Myths typically
involve superego demands in conflict with id-motivated action, and with the self-preserving
desires of the ego. The Big Three needed help to save their world and people from the
disastrous Mahisha. They demanded intensely by praying, upon the Great Being to preserve their
own desires of their ego. When it comes to the topic of fairytales, most of us will readily agree
that calling upon the Great Being, Devi, will create a happy ending. A fairy tale does the
opposite: it projects the relief of all pressuresbut promises that a happy solution will be
formed (Bettelheim). It is true that Devi relieves the pressures of the Big Three. Where this
agreement ends, however, is on the question of a happy ending. Whereas some are convinced
that since Mahisha is liberated by every form he took, there was happy ending. However, I firmly
believe that others maintain that, since Mahisha killed a tremendous amount of lives, there is no
happy ending. Concluding that, Devi is a myth. Furthermore, a myth often deals with
supernatural beings, gods, demigods, and the explanation of natural phenomenon. Stories that
explain religious beliefs are often myths; they explain the cultural and religious views of a
society (Kelly). The story itself uses the gender role of Devi and the Big Three, which are the
Hindu gods to incorporate the religious views of society. By praying to the Great Being, it shows
the religious views of societal norms and religion. More specifically Devi has eighteen arms,
representing the natural phenomenon of a god. What makes it more interesting is that she is a

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woman. Gender hierarchies and inequalities are maintained, among other factors, by meanings
and belief systems, and these are in turn generated through representation (Nogus). It is
believed that in the Hindu culture and religion, that this creation of Devi represented a power and
majestic women with eighteen arms. She is generated from the Big Three.
While many rarely admit as much, we often take for granted the importance of
characteristics in myths and how it separates itself from fairytales and the contribution it makes
on gender roles. It cannot go unnoticed that Devi is unlike any other female. Her body has
eighteen arms, each containing a weapon to defeat the almighty Mahisha. It is important to
consider that in this time period women were not subjected to have any power of sorts. However,
"people in dignity cultures take on role obligations (Aslani). In this case, Devi took on a role of
a supreme being who had nonconstructive powers throughout the story. Myths can pass from a
closed, silent existence to an oral state, open to appropriation by society (Nogus). This
Supreme Being (Devi) was created to supply the needs of society and the Big Three. She was not
visible in society prior to her calling. In order to protect society from Mahisha, Devi was called
to protect. Furthermore, Devis face radiated the purest emotions of joy, anger, wonder, laughter,
and compassion (Narayan 55). Simply put, she had emotions just like humans. She showed
compassion for the Big Three and the people that needed her help. A myth could not have
happened to any other person, or in any other setting; such events are grandiose, awe-inspiring,
and could not possibly happen to any ordinary mortal like you or me (Bettelheim). It is
specifically shown in the story that Mahisha could not be killed by any human at all. Therefore,
Devi came to life as a Supreme Being; someone who was not a mortal, but something
extraordinary, unexplainable. She defied gender roles because she appeared as a woman, but has

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abilities of a man. Many people look up to Devi, as inspiring because for one, she is a woman
who has the abilities that a mortal woman would not encompass.
It is proved by Bettelheim and many scholars that myths differ from fairy tales in
numerous ways, which is shown meticulously throughout the story. Bettelheim himself writes,
that fairytales are always presented as ordinary, something that could happen to you or me or
the person next door when out on a walk in the woodsencounters are related in casual. This
just proves that Devi is inevitably a myth. In the story, the Big Three just prays intensely and
Devi appears out of nowhere. Not only that, but she had emanations from the face of each of the
Big Three. If this was a fairytale, this would not have happened. This is not ordinary at all.
According to Evan Davies, Friedman employed myths to categorize and delineate the
psychodynamic features. In psychodynamics or other wisely known as dynamic psychology, are
the forces that are primary human behaviors, feelings, and emotions and how they relate to prior
experiences. Devi is described as this supernatural being that has emotions and feelings just like
humans. She delineates myths because she saw through every form that he assumed and had a
weapon to match each of his wiles (Narayan 62). Mahisha was inseparable when it came to
defeating Devi. She proves this by showing emotion in the end where she killed Mahisha
regardless of his pleas. Devi took into consideration all the lives Mahisha has killed throughout
his lifetime and eventually severed the demons head (Narayan 62). This took a lot of thought
and consideration since she is a goddess, she has act upon her responsibilities and virtues of a
goddess. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought (myths) may be interested to know that is
basically boils down to the ending of story. Myths is nearly always tragic, while always happy
in fairytales (Bettelheim). In Devi, the story is ended tragically with Mahisha being killed by
the goddess. There is not happy ending. However, one can say there is a lesson to be gathered

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from the death of Mahisha. Although the lesson in the story is indirectly implied in the story, the
ending was still tragic. The lesson and morals of the story has nothing to do with the differences
between myths and fairytales. In fact, all stories generally have a purpose and lesson behind it.
Bettelheims Fairy Tale versus Myth: Optimism versus Pessimism asserts the claim of
how myth differs from fairy tales admiringly. Without the aspects discussed among various
scholars and professionals the differences between fairy tales and myths, would just be a myth.
Devi, a majestic goddess who encompasses emotions and behaviors reaffirms that Devi is a
myth, rather than a fairy tale, which coincides with the ideas presented by Bettelheim. Reading
stories about supernatural beings growing up, it is most likely to relate it to a fairy tale. However,
knowing the particularly differences between the two, it can better help adequate the information
in order for comprehension. Although Bettelheim may seem of concern to only a small group of
people writing and reading myths or fairytales, it in fact concerns anyone who cares about
literature as a whole. These conclusions will have significant importance to the literature world.
This is not to say that other genres of literature dont deserve a meticulous interpretation, but
rather to inform people of the important differences of fairy tales and myths that do not have a
light shined upon when it comes to interpretation.