Overtime, fairytales have evolved from frightening tales with morals to love stories with happy endings. The tales have changed to please modern audiences. However, the idea of "Prince Charming" has also been altered through time. In the original versions, the male figures were often warned against, suggesting they were dangerous to women. As time passed and Disney started to alter the original tales, the men started to be expressed as perfect, Damsel-in-Distress-Rescuing Princes. However, more recently, the villain has become the love interest to the female characters. In Angela Carter's
"The Company of Wolves," Little Red Riding Hood expresses desire for the dangerous wolf. Also, in
Twilight, Bella Swan falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. This idea of forbidden love, reminds me of a concept one of my high school English teachers described as "BBS" or "Bad Boy Syndrome." While in the past, women often searched for that "perfect" prince-like man, today more and more, especially with younger woman, the "Bad Boy Syndrome" seems to have a hold on their search for love. Unfortunately, the Bad Boys hardly seem to last and certainly never turn into husbands. So what is more disappointing, being unsuccessful in the search for "Prince Charming" or falling in love with a wolf who could rip you to shreds at any moment?
