Freedom is a basic human need. You can lock someone in a tower, control their life, and keep them from the world — but you cannot control their heart. Rapunzel's story is about the human desire for freedom, love, and connection that no prison can contain.
Rapunzel was collected by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. The name 'Rapunzel' comes from a type of plant (similar to lettuce) that grows in German gardens. The image of a girl in a tower, letting down her long golden hair, has become one of the most recognisable scenes in all of fairy-tale literature.
The enchantress in this story is a complex character. She is not simply evil — she loves Rapunzel in her own way. But her love is possessive and controlling. She wants to keep Rapunzel safe by keeping her locked away from the world. This is a type of love that suffocates rather than nurtures. True love, the story suggests, means letting the people we love be free.