Variations
As discussed, there are over 1500 versions of Cinderella. Bellow are some differences and positives and negatives of some of the most well known tales.
Disney (1950 Movie)
Villains: Stepmother and two ugly step sisters
Ball, Ballgown, and Curfew: Royal ball a curfew of midnight Fairy Godmother: A fairy godmother, The identifying item: Glass slippers The Conclusion: The prince and Cinderella get married and live happily ever after. |
The 1950 movie, Cinderella, was the 5th animated movie released by Disney. It is an adapted version of Charles Perrault tale, which tells the story of Ella, a young girl left with an evil step-mother and two ugly step sisters after the death of her father. Now known as Cinderella, the young lady seeks help of talking animals, as well as a fairy godmother to attended a royal ball, in which she meets her future husband – the prince. At midnight, the magic wears off, causing Cinderella to flee the ball, in her hurry, she leaves behind a shoe. The prince finds the shoe, and sets off to find Cinderella, having females of the village try on the shoe. Although the evil step sisters do not fit into the shoe, Cinderella does, and they get married. This story is often criticised by parents and literacy lovers because it appears the story encourages gender roles, and encourages the statement that you cannot be truly happy until you are loved and married. However, it is argued that it is much more innocent than the story produced by Grimm Brothers, and provides a moral that behaving well will cause good things to happen to you. After the film was created, Cinderella became 1 of 7 of the original Disney Princesses franchise, owned by the Walt Disney Company, whom are still today profiting millions and millions of dollars due to the merchandising. Earlier this year, the Disney company recreated the Cinderella story into a live-action movie.
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Disney's 1950 movie Cinderella featured many songs. One of which was Biddidi-Bobbidi-Boo, which received three academy award nominations, indicating the success of the movie.
Brother's Grimm: Aschepella
German brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are most well known for their violent and gruesome versions of popular and innocent children’s fairy tales that are loved today. In the 19th century, they published their tale of Cinderella: Aschenputtel. Other well known stories they have created include Hansel and Grettle, snow white, and Rapunzel, many of which feature horrific deaths, and sexual references, which would be disallowed to be viewed by children in today’s society. |
Grimm’s version features the evil stepmother, two step sisters and Cinderella’s father. Alternative to both Disney and Charles Perrault’s version (discussed bellow), the sisters are described as “beautiful…but vile at heart”. Alternative to a ball, a festival is held by the king l, in which all “beautiful young girls” were invited in hopes to find his son a wife. There were three festivals held, in which Cinderella escaped from the prince in all. However, on the final ball, the prince smeared the staircase with pitch, causing Cinderella to leave her golden shoe behind. Cinderella’s curfew, in which the magic would fade was in the “evening”. As an alternative to the well-known fairy god mother, Cinderella requests a branch from her father on what of his working trips. She plants the branch on her mother’s grave, and waters it with her tears. The branch attracts two white pigeons, which grant her wishes. One of the most surprising differences of Grimm’s version is that the two step sisters both cut part of their foot off in order to fit in the Cinderella’s shoe. The story ends quite gruesomely, the two sisters have their eyes pecked out by birds at Cinderella’s wedding. They are forced to live a life of blind, and as result of their behaviour. Grim’s version frequently mentions birds, and it is though they are a Symbolism of their freedom and beauty. This story of cinderella is arguably not appropriate for children's of todays society, due to obvious violence. However, many believe that Grimm's version provides a much more accurate moral than that of Disney and Charles Perrault. For example, Cinderella is not perceived to be beautiful, but the step sisters are - this indicates to readers that you can never judge a book by it's cover.
Charles Perrault (French): The Glass Slipper
Charles Perrault’s version of Cinderella is very similar to that of Disney’s version, however it does have some differences. Perrault’s version portrays Cinderella to be beautiful, and good: “the best creature in the world”, and to be “a hundred times more beautiful than her sisters”, and thoroughly emphasis this throughout the tale. This is the contrast to Grimm’s version, whom introduce the step sisters as beautiful, but with a vile heart. Perrault’s version also contains a lot more description and detail than Grimm’s version, allowing the tale to be much easier to engage in. Cinderella’s father is alive, and viewed as a bad character, as his evil wife “governed him entirely”. Perrault’s version was the first to introduce the Godmother, the pumpkins, rats and lizards whom transfer into Cinderella’s horse and cart, which Disney adapted in their version, however, there is no evidence that Cinderella is friends with these animals. Similar to Grimm’s version, Perrault has Cinderella attend multiple balls, and she looses her glass slipper at the second. Unlike any of the other stories explored above, Cinderella immediately forgives her step sisters, and finds them both husbands. Perhaps the most important and unique part of Perrault’s version is a poem at the end of the tale:
“Beauty in a woman is a rare treasure that will always be admired. Graciousness, however, is priceless and of even greater value. This is what Cinderella's godmother gave to her when she taught her to behave like a queen. Young women, in the winning of a heart, graciousness is more important than a beautiful hairdo. It is a true gift of the fairies. Without it nothing is possible; with it, one can do anything.” |
Charles Perrault was a French poet and Writer, born in Paris in 1628. As well as Cinderella, he wrote other stories, many of which Disney modified, such as Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots. His version of Cinderella was first published in 1697 under the title “Cendrillon”.
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