Iron Hans

In reading Iron Hans, there is a great transformation in the golden haired boy. This transformation represents the process of male maturity and education. From the beginning, we see the boy represented as very childish. He is playing with his ball, and it gets into the cage of Wild Man. Like all young boys, he responds in the childish and most immediate way to get what he wants (the ball) without really thinking about the consequences. He goes and retrieves the key from under his mother's pillow. After taken to the forest by the wild man, he is told to watch over the water. However, no matter how many times he is told not to do this he childishly and immediately responds to the first stimuli, whether it is his hurt finger, a lock of hair or his reflection. He is then sent off to go find work and ends up with a gardener. Here it is clear that he is becoming educated and learning to become a man. He starts showing signs of being a provider, and a courter as he brings the princess wildflowers and he gives the ducats to the gardener's children. He then goes to war, the ultimate test of manhood, and is quite brave and successful but remains unidentified for his good deeds. Finally, with the help of the Wild Man he catches the three golden apples for the princess while still remaining anonymous. Here the ideal man is represented as brave, strong, humble, a provider and courter. Throughout the process we see this movement from a childish boy only concerned with the immediate to a humble man that is not just looking out for himself but for others, and he ultimately ends up with the best prize, the princess and all of the treasures of the Iron Hans.