Modern Day Fairy Tale Research Paper

Growing up I was very much a Disney fan. I loved watching the movies, reading the books and the rare trip to Disneyland made my year. As I grew older and realized the beloved Disney tales were not the originals, I immediately wanted to find them. I searched high and low until eventually my parents purchased a hardbound leather edition of The Grimm’s Fairytales for my birthday. I remember sitting down as soon as we got home to start reading the collection. The stark realization that these were not the Disney versions was immediate. For my semester project I would like to explore the evolution of the fairytales from the original tale to modern day adaptions and how they transformed to fit the changing times. The first fairy tale I would like to cover is Beauty and the Beast. The earliest version of tale is from the second century and is known as “Cupid and Psyche. However, the most widely know version is La Belle et La Bete, published in 1756, by French novelist, Madame Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (Tartar, 58). The tale was to instruct young children on their manners, behavior and good breeding. Over time the tale has been adapted for literature, film, television and the theater. I would like to explore the versions including the tale by Madam de Beaumont (1756), the Disney adaption (1991) and the television show Beauty and the …show more content…
Cinderella’s tale dates back to 850 A.D. and has had many versions as nearly every culture has adapted the story (Tartar, 28). The tale of a little working girl who eventually catches the eye of the handsome prince ending in marriage has fascinated young girls for generations. The tale covers not only a rags to riches theme but family dynamics and sibling rivalry. I would like to explore the Brother Grimm tale (1812), the Disney adaption (1950), the movie version entitled Pretty Woman (1990), Cinderella staring Brandy (1997) and ending with A Cinderella Story