Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Ron Padgett’s "Fairy Tale" presents a whimsical yet unsettling vision that plays with the conventions of European folklore, infusing them with humor, historical atmosphere, and a hint of malevolence. The poem begins with the description of a stereotypical elf but gradually expands outward, first into a picturesque vision of 19th-century Copenhagen and then into an unexpected descent into darkness. Padgett’s characteristic playfulness is evident in his use of vivid details, casual asides, and a final, dramatic twist that disrupts the seemingly benign narrative.

The poem opens with a straightforward description of "the little elf," who is outfitted in classic fairy-tale attire: "a floppy cap" and "a big rosy nose and flaring white eyebrows." The visual details are familiar, reminiscent of figures in folk illustrations or Andersen-esque Christmas tales. The elf’s "short legs and a jaunty step" give him a sprightly, almost comical air, reinforcing the notion of a traditional European folk character. However, the line "though sometimes / he glides across an invisible pond with a bonfire glow on his cheeks" introduces a moment of peculiarity. The invisible pond is an unexpected, slightly surreal element, suggesting that this is not a straightforward fairy tale but one that allows for moments of strangeness. The bonfire glow on his cheeks could be interpreted as warmth, enthusiasm, or even something more ominous—foreshadowing the shift that will come later in the poem.

From the elf, the poem expands outward to a broader scene—"it is northern Europe in the nineteenth century and people / are strolling around Copenhagen in the late afternoon." Padgett’s decision to place the reader in a specific historical and geographical setting grounds the poem in a tangible reality, even as it remains loosely connected to the fairy-tale world. The details that follow—"mostly townspeople on their way somewhere, / perhaps to an early collation of smoked fish, rye bread, and cheese, / washed down with a dark beer"—contribute to an immersive, sensory-rich scene. The specificity of smoked fish, rye bread, and cheese evokes a strong cultural setting, while the mention of dark beer adds an earthy, everyday quality to the moment. This is no fantastical kingdom but a real and bustling city, where people are simply moving about their daily lives.

At this point, the poem takes a humorous turn with the introduction of a first-person voice: "ha ha, I have eaten this excellent meal / and now I will smoke a little bit and sit back and stare down / at the golden gleam of my watch fob against the coarse dark wool of my vest." The speaker, possibly a well-fed Copenhagen gentleman, indulges in a moment of self-satisfaction. The phrase "ha ha" is delightfully exaggerated, as if lifted from a caricature of a smug, self-indulgent figure. The meticulous attention to detail—"the golden gleam of my watch fob against the coarse dark wool of my vest"—reinforces his preoccupation with material comforts.

However, the most startling moment of the poem arrives in the final two lines: "and I will smile with a hideous contentment, because I am an evil man, / and tonight I will do something evil in this city!" This sudden revelation disrupts the cozy, picturesque scene, introducing an unexpected darkness. The phrase "hideous contentment" is particularly striking—where contentment is usually associated with peace, the addition of hideous warps it into something grotesque. The speaker’s overt declaration—"because I am an evil man"—is both dramatic and absurd, almost theatrical in its self-awareness. The final statement—"and tonight I will do something evil in this city!"—is deliberately vague, leaving the reader in suspense. What exactly does he intend to do? The poem refuses to specify, instead ending on this ominous and exaggerated note.

Padgett’s "Fairy Tale" plays with the conventions of folklore, beginning with the description of an elf—a symbol of magic and whimsy—before shifting to a historical city scene and ultimately culminating in the pronouncement of a character’s sinister intent. The poem’s humor lies in its gradual subversion of expectations: what begins as a lighthearted depiction of European charm unexpectedly veers into something unsettling. The exaggerated, almost comic tone of the final lines suggests that the evil man is aware of his own villainous role, turning the conclusion into a kind of exaggerated melodrama rather than outright horror.

This blending of whimsy, realism, and dark humor reflects Padgett’s ability to take familiar tropes and twist them into something unexpected. "Fairy Tale" ultimately leaves the reader suspended in uncertainty, caught between laughter and unease, between the known structures of folk storytelling and the unpredictable intrusions of real-world malice.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...