A stepfather or stepdad is a non-biological male parent married to one's preexisting parent. A stepfather-in-law is a stepfather of one's spouse. Children from his spouse's previous unions are known as his

stepchildren A stepchild is the offspring of one's spouse, but not one's own offspring, either biologically or through adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or lega ...

Culture

Though less common in literature than stereotypical evil stepmothers, there are also cases of evil ''stepfathers'', such as in the fairy tales ''The Gold-Bearded Man'' (in a plot usually featuring a cruel father) and ''

The Little Bull-Calf The Little Bull-Calf is an English Romani fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in ''More English Fairy Tales''.Joseph Jacobs, ''More English Fairy Tales''. "The Little Bull-Calf" Marian Roalfe Cox, in her pioneering study of ''Cinderella'', ...

''. One type of such tale features a defeated villain who insists on marrying the hero's mother and makes her help him trick the hero and so defeat him. Such tales include ''

The Prince and the Princess in the Forest "The Prince and the Princess in the Forest" is a Danish fairy tale collected by Evald Tang Kristensen (1843–1929) in '' Æventyr fra Jylland'' (Danish, "Tales from Jutland") in 1881.Published as Jyske Folkeminder. Andrew Lang included it in his ...

'' and ''

The Blue Belt The Blue Belt ( Norwegian: ''Det blå båndet'') is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in ''Norske Folkeeventyr''. It is Aarne-Thompson type 590. Plot summary A beggar woman and her son were return ...

'', although the tales of this type can also feature a different female relation, such as the stepsister in '' The Three Princes and their Beasts''. In fiction, evil stepfathers include Claudius in ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' (though his role as uncle is more emphasized), Walter Parks Thatcher in ''

Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American drama film produced by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The picture was Welles' first feature film. ''Citizen Kane'' is frequently cited ...

'' (though this is debatable), Murdstone in

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

's ''

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...

'', the King from the movie ''

Radio Flyer Radio Flyer is an American toy company best known for their popular red toy wagon. Radio Flyer also produces scooters, tricycles, bicycles, horses, and ride-ons. The company was founded in 1917 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. History Antonio ...

'', and Gozaburo Kaiba (who adopted Seto and Mokuba Kaiba) from ''

Yu-Gi-Oh! is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuki Takahashi. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' magazine between September 1996 and March 2004. The plot follows the story of a boy named Yugi Mutou, w ...

''. '' The Stepfather'' also depict an evil father who has murdered his family and subsequent families. The film ''

Sucker Punch A sucker punch (American English), also known as a dog shot, coward punch, king hit or one-punch attack ( Australian and New Zealand English) or cold-cock (American English), is a punch made without warning or while the recipient is distracted ...

'' features a sexually abusive stepfather. In his opera ''

La Cenerentola ' ('' Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant'') is an operatic ''dramma giocoso'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the libretti written by Charles-Guillaume Étienne for the opera ''Cendrillon'' ...

'',

Gioacchino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

inverted the tale of ''Cinderella'' to have her oppressed by her stepfather. His motive is made explicit, in that providing a

dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment ...

to Cenerentola would cut into what he can give to his own daughters.Warner, pp. 213–4 An analogous male figure may also appear as a wicked uncle; like the stepmother, the father's brother may covet the child's inheritance for his own children, and so maltreat his nephews or nieces. Modern films, however, seem to cast stepfathers in a somewhat kinder light, implying honorable men who marry divorced women or single mothers make good stepfathers.

References

Stepfamily Parenting Terms for men {{parenting-stub