Fairy tales

Wives and Daughters begins like many fairy tales: a single father with a daughter remarries, bringing a a stepmother with children of her own into the household. How is Gaskell's story similar to and different from stepmother fairy tales you recall? Why do you think so many writers and storytellers have used the stepmother plot?

I'm not sure why so many fairy tales use the stepmother angle but as far as what is different about this one- in most of the fairy tale stepmother/stepdaughter stories it seems that the stepmother is looking out for her kid(s) wanting them to have more than the main girl and making sure her child comes first.
In this story the mother isn't really like that. She wants things for her daughter but is pretty concerned about Molly having things too. Mostly, though, she is just mostly concerned about herself. I mean, she is so jealous of her own daughter's beauty that she doesn't want her at the wedding. She's more like the Snow White queen in that way I guess. In some ways I almost find someone like her scarier than someone that is outright evil because at least with the evil characters you know where they stand all the time but with her she thinks she is good but does really mean things and is so conniving... in my opinion.
-Annegirl

Dr. Gibson is worried with Molly catching the eyes and fancies of boys now and is gone so much so after so many years of it being just him and Molly he decides to marry and there is Claire waiting like a Cheshire cat to be picked up by a good and successful man who will take care of her and admire her. She is not an EVIL woman but is a very selfish woman and cruel in her own "sweet" ways. She thinks she is wonderful and when it suits her she treats people nice. Once she becomes "momma" things really change in the Gibson household...to the dismay of Molly right away and to the doctor not long after!
-Bookworm