Introduction: The Philosophical Richness of the Fairy Tale

This opening chapter introduces the themes in this book and offers you a very brief history of fairy tales as well as short summaries of the following chapters. You will find a wide range of tales, some familiar and some most likely obscure to the reader. Some of these tales date back to the Middle Ages, or earlier, while others were written by living authors who nevertheless embrace the genre of fairy tale in their work. Our authors have plumbed the depths of these stories to offer the reader opportunities to see how simple tales invite profound philosophical reflection on many aspects of the human experience.