an introduction
Today in America, many Americans are familiar with the tale of Cinderella, or at least a version of Cinderella. Many of them are only familiar with the story that was set forth by Disney in 1950 (Stewart 4), which was actually a revision of this classic tale. The story of Cinderella has been retold and revised since the ninth century when it first appeared in China. Since then, there have been over 700 different versions of Cinderella produced around the world, each with varying plots and characters. Each version of Cinderella maintains the same key elements and only differs on minor details. By reading the numerous re-tellings and revisions of Cinderella throughout the years, one can learn about cultures from around the world as well as their own.
Cinderella was originally a folk tale, a story that is transmitted orally for generations. Folk tales were originally meant to entertain, but “then they became vehicles by which natural phenomena was explained, relationships were explored, or morals were taught” (Kite). Fairy tales, on the other hand, aim to “delve into human behavior through fantasy and offer hope that justice will prevail in the end” (Kite). When this new genre was first introduced in the 17th century, these works were written purely for wealthy adults in France. However, these tales quickly became popular among the peasant class and children as well.
Throughout the centuries there have been many re-tellings and revisions of Cinderella. The earliest known version of this tale originated in China in the ninth century. In this version, Yeh-hsien, the protagonist, is mistreated by her stepmother and later receives advice from a mystical being (a man who descends from the clouds), both of which become common elements among the later versions of Cinderella. Yeh-hsien also dresses up and loses her shoe after spending time with the king, who later finds the shoe. Upon discovering that Yeh-hsien is the owner, he decides to marry her. This early version of Cinderella is significant because it paved the way for the other versions of Cinderella that would later develop throughout the world.
While there were many versions of Cinderella prior to the 17th century, it was not until the reign of Louis XIV in France that “folktales were transformed into a new literary genre, the fairytale” (Cullen 58). During this period, the oral tales that had been passed down for generations were finally written down and recorded for future generations. At this time two major versions of Cinderella appeared in 1698: one by Charles Perrault and the other by Countess d’ Aulnoy, who coined the term “fairy tales” (Cullen 59). Even though these two authors produced their own version of Cinderella at the same time, both authors portrayed Cinderella completely different. In Perrault’s version, Cinderella, the protagonist, is a young girl who is praised by Perrault for her kind and noble behavior. Countess d’ Aulnoy’s version however depicts the protagonist as being a feisty, young girl.
Interestingly, in the 18th century Countess d’ Aulnoy’s version was the most popular and it was not until the 19th century that Perrault’s version, the one that America today is most familiar with, became popular. This version, “Cendrillon ou la Petite Pentoufle de Verre” was later translated into English in 1729 with the title “Cinderella”. Perrault, similar to many other fairy tale authors during his time, wrote this story merely for adults, but by the 18th century the English translations had “watered it down” so that it could be “read by adults and children alike” (Cullen 58). By the 19th century, Perrault’s version was being performed in the pantomime theater and by the 20th century many translations had removed the moral from the end, making it less didactic, and had begun to emphasize Cinderella’s youthful beauty instead of her behavior, which Perrault emphasized (Cullen 69). Overall, as time continued, authors began to revise Perrault’s version of Cinderella, dramatically changing the story along the way.
Despite there being many different versions produced in various different cultures and centuries, all of the Cinderella tales are united in the sense that all of them have four major elements in common. According to Cullen, they all have “[an] abused child, [a] rescue through some reincarnation of the dead mother, recognition, and marriage” (Cullen 58). Patricia Kite, a professor at Yale University, also adds that the heroine is mistreated by her step-family, that there must be “extreme sibling rivalry”, and that it must have a “daughter fleeing an unnatural or misunderstanding father”. While all Cinderella stories do have these elements in common, there still remain substantial differences that makes each unique. For example, the shoe that the protagonist leaves behind is not always used as a means of identification, although that does remain a common element among the revisions of Cinderella today (Cullen 58). Also, it is important to note that the protagonist is not always a female, although this too is a common element among the different versions. These variances are important since they are what make each Cinderella story unique.
Reading and studying the different versions of Cinderella produced from different cultures and different time periods, is not only beneficial, but important as well. Each version reflects the culture that produced it, thus exposing and teaching one about cultures from around the world. By analyzing the multi-cultural versions of Cinderella “the storyteller, or author, gives us a snapshot of the food, festival, clothing, and traditions of the area” it originates from (Kite). The more one is exposed to these cultural versions, the more they are able to recognize the differences, which are “obvious features of the specific culture from which the tale derives” (Stewart 8). In addition, one can also learn about their own culture as well as they begin to compare the different versions to the one produced by their own country and time period.
The tale of Cinderella has been around for nearly twelve centuries. Since its origination in ninth century China, it has been retold and revised numerous times by various cultures. Despite the fact that Cinderella had been around for centuries prior to Perrault, he was the one who made Cinderella into a fairy tale and it is his version that Cinderella continues to be retold and revised by numerous authors today. Each revision or retelling of Cinderella must maintain the four key elements in order for it to be considered a Cinderella story. However, each culture’s version of Cinderella is unique in its plot and characters. Reading and analyzing the different versions of this classic fairy tale is not only an interesting endeavor but also a highly beneficial one as the reader begins to expand their worldview and is exposed to different cultures, ways of life and ideology.
Works Cited
Bottigheimer, Ruth B. “Fairy Tales and Folk-tales.” International Companion Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. London: Routledge, 1996. Print.
Cullen, Bonnie. “For Whom The Shoe Fits: Cinderella in the Hands of Victorian Writers and Illustrators.” The Lion and the Unicorn27.1 (2003): 57-82. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
“Folk Literature.” Cassell’s Encyclopedia of World Literature. 1953. Print.
Kite, Patricia W. "09.01.04: Cinderella: A Cross-cultural Story." 09.01.04: Cinderella: A Cross-cultural Story. Yale University, 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
Stewart, Michelle Pagni. “How Can This Be Cinderella If There Is No Glass Slipper? Native American ‘Fairy Tales’.” Studies in American Indian Literatures 2000:3. JSTOR Journals. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
Cinderella was originally a folk tale, a story that is transmitted orally for generations. Folk tales were originally meant to entertain, but “then they became vehicles by which natural phenomena was explained, relationships were explored, or morals were taught” (Kite). Fairy tales, on the other hand, aim to “delve into human behavior through fantasy and offer hope that justice will prevail in the end” (Kite). When this new genre was first introduced in the 17th century, these works were written purely for wealthy adults in France. However, these tales quickly became popular among the peasant class and children as well.
Throughout the centuries there have been many re-tellings and revisions of Cinderella. The earliest known version of this tale originated in China in the ninth century. In this version, Yeh-hsien, the protagonist, is mistreated by her stepmother and later receives advice from a mystical being (a man who descends from the clouds), both of which become common elements among the later versions of Cinderella. Yeh-hsien also dresses up and loses her shoe after spending time with the king, who later finds the shoe. Upon discovering that Yeh-hsien is the owner, he decides to marry her. This early version of Cinderella is significant because it paved the way for the other versions of Cinderella that would later develop throughout the world.
While there were many versions of Cinderella prior to the 17th century, it was not until the reign of Louis XIV in France that “folktales were transformed into a new literary genre, the fairytale” (Cullen 58). During this period, the oral tales that had been passed down for generations were finally written down and recorded for future generations. At this time two major versions of Cinderella appeared in 1698: one by Charles Perrault and the other by Countess d’ Aulnoy, who coined the term “fairy tales” (Cullen 59). Even though these two authors produced their own version of Cinderella at the same time, both authors portrayed Cinderella completely different. In Perrault’s version, Cinderella, the protagonist, is a young girl who is praised by Perrault for her kind and noble behavior. Countess d’ Aulnoy’s version however depicts the protagonist as being a feisty, young girl.
Interestingly, in the 18th century Countess d’ Aulnoy’s version was the most popular and it was not until the 19th century that Perrault’s version, the one that America today is most familiar with, became popular. This version, “Cendrillon ou la Petite Pentoufle de Verre” was later translated into English in 1729 with the title “Cinderella”. Perrault, similar to many other fairy tale authors during his time, wrote this story merely for adults, but by the 18th century the English translations had “watered it down” so that it could be “read by adults and children alike” (Cullen 58). By the 19th century, Perrault’s version was being performed in the pantomime theater and by the 20th century many translations had removed the moral from the end, making it less didactic, and had begun to emphasize Cinderella’s youthful beauty instead of her behavior, which Perrault emphasized (Cullen 69). Overall, as time continued, authors began to revise Perrault’s version of Cinderella, dramatically changing the story along the way.
Despite there being many different versions produced in various different cultures and centuries, all of the Cinderella tales are united in the sense that all of them have four major elements in common. According to Cullen, they all have “[an] abused child, [a] rescue through some reincarnation of the dead mother, recognition, and marriage” (Cullen 58). Patricia Kite, a professor at Yale University, also adds that the heroine is mistreated by her step-family, that there must be “extreme sibling rivalry”, and that it must have a “daughter fleeing an unnatural or misunderstanding father”. While all Cinderella stories do have these elements in common, there still remain substantial differences that makes each unique. For example, the shoe that the protagonist leaves behind is not always used as a means of identification, although that does remain a common element among the revisions of Cinderella today (Cullen 58). Also, it is important to note that the protagonist is not always a female, although this too is a common element among the different versions. These variances are important since they are what make each Cinderella story unique.
Reading and studying the different versions of Cinderella produced from different cultures and different time periods, is not only beneficial, but important as well. Each version reflects the culture that produced it, thus exposing and teaching one about cultures from around the world. By analyzing the multi-cultural versions of Cinderella “the storyteller, or author, gives us a snapshot of the food, festival, clothing, and traditions of the area” it originates from (Kite). The more one is exposed to these cultural versions, the more they are able to recognize the differences, which are “obvious features of the specific culture from which the tale derives” (Stewart 8). In addition, one can also learn about their own culture as well as they begin to compare the different versions to the one produced by their own country and time period.
The tale of Cinderella has been around for nearly twelve centuries. Since its origination in ninth century China, it has been retold and revised numerous times by various cultures. Despite the fact that Cinderella had been around for centuries prior to Perrault, he was the one who made Cinderella into a fairy tale and it is his version that Cinderella continues to be retold and revised by numerous authors today. Each revision or retelling of Cinderella must maintain the four key elements in order for it to be considered a Cinderella story. However, each culture’s version of Cinderella is unique in its plot and characters. Reading and analyzing the different versions of this classic fairy tale is not only an interesting endeavor but also a highly beneficial one as the reader begins to expand their worldview and is exposed to different cultures, ways of life and ideology.
Works Cited
Bottigheimer, Ruth B. “Fairy Tales and Folk-tales.” International Companion Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. London: Routledge, 1996. Print.
Cullen, Bonnie. “For Whom The Shoe Fits: Cinderella in the Hands of Victorian Writers and Illustrators.” The Lion and the Unicorn27.1 (2003): 57-82. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
“Folk Literature.” Cassell’s Encyclopedia of World Literature. 1953. Print.
Kite, Patricia W. "09.01.04: Cinderella: A Cross-cultural Story." 09.01.04: Cinderella: A Cross-cultural Story. Yale University, 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
Stewart, Michelle Pagni. “How Can This Be Cinderella If There Is No Glass Slipper? Native American ‘Fairy Tales’.” Studies in American Indian Literatures 2000:3. JSTOR Journals. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.