Throughout history, stories were used to convey a message to the audience. These stories reflected issues in society during their time. The Cinderella tale is one that may be as old as 5,000 years. Each version of the tale was influenced by the time in history that it was told or written down. Two popular versions of this tale were written by the Grimm Brothers in in 1634 and Charles Perrault in 1697. The two versions of the Cinderella story by Charles Perrault and the Grimm Brothers differ in the plot and its message to the audience.
The plots of the two different folktales of Cinderella differ in type of help the main character receives to overcome the obstacles and hardships in her life. In the version by Perrault, Cinderella is helped …show more content…
In the story, when she inquires whether she is able to attend the ball, her stepsisters tell her that she is not presentable and would be mocked by others. After the stepsisters leave for the ball, she cries about her misfortune. Her fairy godmother appears to her and helps her overcome the obstacles that prevent her from attending the ball. Her fairy godmother magically transforms her clothes and appearance to prevent her from being mocked and recognized by the stepmother and stepsisters. “Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and , at the same instant, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all best with jewels” (pg. 3). Animals and a pumpkin transform into a carriage and footmen to transport her to the palace. In the version by the Grimm Brothers, the main character, Aschenputtel, is given magical help from birds living in a tree she planted next to her mother’s grave. In this tale, when she needs help, she calls out to the birds and the tree to assist her. When she cries at her mother’s grave about not being able to attend the ball because of her appearance, the birds come …show more content…
In 1804, the First French Empire under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte began its conquest of Germany. During this time, the Grimm Brothers were compiling their stories for the book, Children’s and Household Stories. The feelings of resentment that developed from the conquering of Germany were reflected in this folktale. The French were invading their lands and victimizing the Germans. This is similar to the stepsisters that victimized Aschenputtel. In this story, the stepsisters came into her home and took over. “The new wife brought two daughters home with her, and they were beautiful and fair in appearance, but at heart were black and ugly” (p. 12). The stepsisters move in and take what is rightfully hers. “They took away her pretty dresses, and put on her an old gray kirtle, and have her wooden shoes to wear”(p.12). This reflected the situation in Germany. The French moved in and took over what the Germans believed rightfully belonged to them during this time period. Unlike Perrault, the Grimm Brothers resented those that come in and mistreat others. They believed that people needed to be punished for their wrongdoings. This is the message that is conveyed in their folktale. In the end, pigeons peck out the eyes of the stepsisters. The Grimm Brothers deviated from Perrault’s happily ever after version due to the
The plots of the two different folktales of Cinderella differ in type of help the main character receives to overcome the obstacles and hardships in her life. In the version by Perrault, Cinderella is helped …show more content…
In the story, when she inquires whether she is able to attend the ball, her stepsisters tell her that she is not presentable and would be mocked by others. After the stepsisters leave for the ball, she cries about her misfortune. Her fairy godmother appears to her and helps her overcome the obstacles that prevent her from attending the ball. Her fairy godmother magically transforms her clothes and appearance to prevent her from being mocked and recognized by the stepmother and stepsisters. “Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and , at the same instant, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all best with jewels” (pg. 3). Animals and a pumpkin transform into a carriage and footmen to transport her to the palace. In the version by the Grimm Brothers, the main character, Aschenputtel, is given magical help from birds living in a tree she planted next to her mother’s grave. In this tale, when she needs help, she calls out to the birds and the tree to assist her. When she cries at her mother’s grave about not being able to attend the ball because of her appearance, the birds come …show more content…
In 1804, the First French Empire under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte began its conquest of Germany. During this time, the Grimm Brothers were compiling their stories for the book, Children’s and Household Stories. The feelings of resentment that developed from the conquering of Germany were reflected in this folktale. The French were invading their lands and victimizing the Germans. This is similar to the stepsisters that victimized Aschenputtel. In this story, the stepsisters came into her home and took over. “The new wife brought two daughters home with her, and they were beautiful and fair in appearance, but at heart were black and ugly” (p. 12). The stepsisters move in and take what is rightfully hers. “They took away her pretty dresses, and put on her an old gray kirtle, and have her wooden shoes to wear”(p.12). This reflected the situation in Germany. The French moved in and took over what the Germans believed rightfully belonged to them during this time period. Unlike Perrault, the Grimm Brothers resented those that come in and mistreat others. They believed that people needed to be punished for their wrongdoings. This is the message that is conveyed in their folktale. In the end, pigeons peck out the eyes of the stepsisters. The Grimm Brothers deviated from Perrault’s happily ever after version due to the