Perrault's Cinderell The Fairytale Of Cinderella

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The fairytale of Cinderella is among the most popular and enduring classic stories. It exists in a variety of versions written by authors from different countries and cultures. The story exhibits various themes that are relevant to the field of humanities, including cruelty, injustice, ambition of girls to marry a wealthy prince, the desire to be loved and cherished, and beauty and grace. In all the versions, the story revolves around a beautiful and kind girl, who suffers cruelty in the hands of her step sisters, but she is eventually rewarded for her patience. Her rescue and fortune comes by the help of magical assistance from fairy beings, in one case a fairy godmother and in another a fairy hazel tree. Beauty is a predominant theme in this story, and it is shown to be more than facial fairness to encompass a kind heart and graciousness. For instance, a lot …show more content…

Beauty is shown to emanate both from the body and the heart. Therefore, the more effective story must show that the beauty not only benefits the girl, but also other people in the society. In Perrault’s work, Cinderella ends up reconciling with her sisters and showing them love, stating that she always wished they could love her (Perrault, 1889). On the other hand, the Grimm brothers include the punishment of the evil sisters with blindness (J. Grimm & W. Grimm, 1857). Although the story rewards the beauty in Cinderella, it fails to promote forgiveness, which is a virtue associated with beautiful souls. Therefore, considering such factors, it appears that Perrault’s “Cendrillon” is more effective in demonstrating the beauty that permeates a woman’s entire life and extends graciousness to others around