Cinderella Analysis
Cinderella and Her Many Variations
The story of Cinderella is one that is universally known and has hundreds of variations. Each variation of the story provides insight into the time period it was written, the cultural influences. This paper seeks to analyze and compare of the concept of the power of the female protagonist characters in fairy tales of Cinderella from the 20th century and early versions. The versions of Cinderella which will be discussed and analyzed within this paper are: Charles Perrault’s1697 Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper, Aleksandr Afanas’ev’s 1855Vasilisa the Beautiful, and Tanis Lee’s 1987, When the Clock Strikes. This paper will attempt to elaborate on what makes the women in these tales powerful and how they execute their power. The different variations will help elaborate the cultural differences of the time the tales were written, comparing the modern age text and those of the past. Furthermore, this paper will look at how the powerful protagonist uses her power through the tales and how the authors perceive it. Finally this paper will compare the morals and the messages that the tales provide to the reader.
The theme of kindness is one that remains very prominent within each variation of the tale of Cinderella. Cinderella is found to be a kind and gentle hearted young girl who is tormented by her stepmother and stepsisters in all variations of the tale. It is most obvious that there is an abundance of phrases that Cinderella states that provide evidence of her kind ways. Although in Charles Perrault’s 1697 Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper, Cinderella expresses her profound kindness and goodwill when she forgives her stepsisters for all the torture they have done to her, “ Cinderella raised them up and forgave them and kissed them and said she forgave them with all her heart and wanted them only always to love her.” (Hallett 101). This example of the protagonist, Cinderella expressing sincere kindness provides her
The story of Cinderella is one that is universally known and has hundreds of variations. Each variation of the story provides insight into the time period it was written, the cultural influences. This paper seeks to analyze and compare of the concept of the power of the female protagonist characters in fairy tales of Cinderella from the 20th century and early versions. The versions of Cinderella which will be discussed and analyzed within this paper are: Charles Perrault’s1697 Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper, Aleksandr Afanas’ev’s 1855Vasilisa the Beautiful, and Tanis Lee’s 1987, When the Clock Strikes. This paper will attempt to elaborate on what makes the women in these tales powerful and how they execute their power. The different variations will help elaborate the cultural differences of the time the tales were written, comparing the modern age text and those of the past. Furthermore, this paper will look at how the powerful protagonist uses her power through the tales and how the authors perceive it. Finally this paper will compare the morals and the messages that the tales provide to the reader.
The theme of kindness is one that remains very prominent within each variation of the tale of Cinderella. Cinderella is found to be a kind and gentle hearted young girl who is tormented by her stepmother and stepsisters in all variations of the tale. It is most obvious that there is an abundance of phrases that Cinderella states that provide evidence of her kind ways. Although in Charles Perrault’s 1697 Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper, Cinderella expresses her profound kindness and goodwill when she forgives her stepsisters for all the torture they have done to her, “ Cinderella raised them up and forgave them and kissed them and said she forgave them with all her heart and wanted them only always to love her.” (Hallett 101). This example of the protagonist, Cinderella expressing sincere kindness provides her
Bibliography: Hallett, Martin, and Barbara Karasek. Folk & Fairy Tales. 4th ed. Peterborough, Ont.: Broadview, 2009. Print. Lang, Andrew. "Perrault Biography." Perrault Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.princeton.edu/~english/ENG335/perrabio.html>.