Fathers we would rather not have… Negative parental figures of fathers in Mazovian folk tale

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to reconstruct the representations of fathers in Mazovian folk tales collected by Oskar Kolberg (1814-1890), along with their social classes and professions, as well their roles in the folk tales’ narrative progression. Thus, this is the examination of “who they are?”, but also “what they do?” and “how they are”, and therefore also of the parental figures they represent. The analysis shows that fathers as characters in Mazovian folk tales have mostly negative connotations, typically acting to the detriment of their children, displaying egoistic preoccupation with themselves and their goals rather than the wellbeing and interests of their offspring. This parenting style is manifested in five basic types of behaviour toward the child, indicative of the five basic characteristics of folk-tale fathers: indifference, violence, authoritarianism, failure to protect the child, and excessive control.