In the early 19th century, the Puritans considered fairy tales to be inappropriate literature because they believed that fairy tales were a form of witchcraft. Attitudes toward fairy tales quickly changed when the Brothers Grimm published their two-volume collection entitled Kinderund Hausmarchen, or German Folk Tales. Overnight, fairy tales became an acceptable form of literature. This sudden popularity raises related questions: what are the reasons for the growing popularity of fairy tales? What function did fairy tales play in Victorian society? Is there a connection between fairy tales and Victorian social issues? This article will examine the discourse of fairy tales through a historical lens to reveal how the literary form shaped Victorian society. Fairy tales were the first poetic literature to become a part of people's lives. For the majority of the population, fairy tales have left deep and lasting childhood impressions. Although fairy tales provide warm, comfortable, and entertaining moments, they did not establish themselves as a viable literary form in Victorian England. In England, fairy tales seemed to have gone into hiding, unlike in Germany and France. French fairy tales come from the oral traditions of French peasants which were edited so as not to offend the aristocracy. Later, French fairy tales became a way for wealthy women to practice and improve their speech and discuss morality and good manners. German fairy tales were used to create a national identity and unite a divided country rather than as entertainment for the privileged. The suppression of Victorian fairy tales was due to the "social enforcement of the Puritan cultural code" (Zipes XIII) as the emphasis was on...... middle of paper ......f them egocentric characters to reveal social conflicts and contradictions” (Zipes 285). The figure of Christ is represented by the statue of the Happy Prince which stands above the city. The statue's position is a direct criticism of the British aristocracy hiding behind its throne, preventing the sadness and inequality of society from entering the Palace; “He did not know what tears were, for he lived in the Palace, where sadness is not allowed to enter” (Zipes 289). Sitting above the city allowed the Happy Prince to “see all the ugliness and misery of my city” (Zipes 289) and to use the gold and jewels from his statue to improve the lives of the poor . Wilde's "The Happy Prince" exposed the domination and exploitation of the working class and gave them a voice to demand an end to the destructive effects of the industrial revolution..