Prince Charming and the problem of morality from a pragmatic point of view. A reflection on the imaginary born of truth

Abstract

Abstract Fairy tale characters have a special status for children, as they become the bearers of values and emotions with a major impact on the development of the young viewer in whose universe anything is possible. Children often place the action at a subordinate level of their brain and the text loses its value to the character construction, which they remember at the expense of the actions the characters perform. Young audiences’ conclusions about a character can boil down to two simple characterizations: GOOD or BAD, but their subconscious picks up complex information that can affect the core values and influence future decisions or actions. This assessment of the moral character that a fairy tale character has is only valid because the fairy tale is used for an educational purpose and is supposed to contribute to the development of cognitive and affective processes in the formation of fundamental character traits. The aim of the critical approach of this research is to identify the real values of a character through behavioural analysis in order to render it scenically.