Mary Poppins: the Subversive Magic Helper

Renáta Marosi

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Chapter 21 Mary Poppins: the Subversive Magic Helper

In: Contemporary Fairy-Tale Magic

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Renáta Marosi

Renáta Marosi
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 229–239

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004418998_023

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze several fairy-tale motifs in the fantasy stories of Mary Poppins, especially to examine several attributes of the magic helper, one of the essential figures of fairy and fantasy stories, in Mary Poppins’s character. Fantasy literature has adopted and altered the fairy-tale formulae. Accordingly, for example, (supernatural) characters (crones, fairies, goblins, dragons), the presence of magic (flying, spell) and magic objects (invisibility cloak or ring, wand), which are considered essential in fantasy literary works, are all derived from the world of fairy tales. The Mary Poppins books, as examples of this mode, reflect the fairy-tale pattern in many ways. In the same way, I argue that considering Mary Poppins’s role in the Banks family, she can be decoded as the (universal) magic helper. However, Mary Poppins is an unconventional, subversive helper regarding her outward appearance, personality, magic aid and attitude toward her protégés, the Banks children (particularly, Jane and Michael). The subversive magic helper acquaints Jane and Michael Banks with the fairy world: she introduces to them characters (crones), magic (act of flying, talking animals) and so forth. Jane and Michael’s physical (external) and psychological (internal) journeys fascinate, influence and teach them at the same time.

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Contemporary Fairy-Tale Magic

Subverting Gender and Genre

Series: At the Interface / Probing the Boundaries, Volume: 129

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004418998

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 23 Dec 2019

Subjects
- Literature and Cultural Studies

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Chapter 21 Mary Poppins: the Subversive Magic Helper

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Contemporary Fairy-Tale Magic

Subverting Gender and Genre

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