Difference between revisions of "Cinderella" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
 
(31 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 +
{{images OK}}{{submitted}}{{approved}}{{Copyedited}}
 +
 
{{Infobox Folk tale
 
{{Infobox Folk tale
 
|Folk_Tale_Name = Cinderella
 
|Folk_Tale_Name = Cinderella
Line 12: Line 14:
 
|Related        =  
 
|Related        =  
 
}}
 
}}
−
'''''Cinderella''''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Cendrillon'', [[German language|German]]: ''Aschenputtel''), is a popular [[fairy tale]] embodying a classic folk tale myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world.<ref>Jack Zipes, ''The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: HELP!, p 444, ISBN 0-393-97636-X</ref> The title character<ref>Although both the story's title and the character's name change in different languages, in English-language folklore "Cinderella" is the archetypal name.</ref> is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances which suddenly change to remarkable fortune. The word "[[wiktionary:cinderella|cinderella]]" has, by analogy, come to mean one whose attributes are unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect. The still-popular story of Cinderella continues to influence popular culture internationally, lending plot elements, allusions, and [[Trope (literature)|trope]]s to a wide variety of media.
+
'''''Cinderella''''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Cendrillon'', [[German language|German]]: ''Aschenputtel''), is a popular [[fairy tale]] embodying a classic folk tale myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances which suddenly change to remarkable fortune. The word "[[wiktionary:cinderella|cinderella]]" has, by analogy, come to mean one whose attributes are unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect.  
 +
{{toc}}
 +
The story is found in [[Brothers Grimm|Grimm's Fairy Tales]], although its origins go much further back into history. A version of it is told in many cultures, which speaks to the universality of the themes found in the story. In modern times, the meaning of the story has changed into primarily one that focuses on Romantic love. In [[class]] societies, the story of the Prince who recognizes Cinderella's true beauty would have implications of social position as well.
  
 
== Origins and history ==
 
== Origins and history ==
−
The Cinderella theme may have well originated in [[classical antiquity]]: The [[Ancient Greece|Greek historian]] [[Strabo]] (''[[Geographica (Strabo)|Geographica]]'' Book 17, 1.33) recorded in the [[1st century B.C.E.]] the tale of the [[Ptolemaic Egypt|Greco-Egyptian]] girl [[Rhodopis]], which is considered the oldest known version of the story.<ref>[http://www.aldokkan.com/art/cinderella.htm "The Egyptian Cinderella"]</ref> <ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PzsHAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PRA11-PA719,M1 "Cinderella"], ''The Every-day Book and Table Book; or, Everlasting Calendar of Popular Amusements, Sports, Pastimes, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs, and Events, Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Days, in Past and Present Times; Forming a Complete History of the Year, Months, and Seasons, and a Perpetual Key to the Almanac, Including Accounts of the Weather, Rules for Health and Conduct, Remarkable and Important Anecdotes, Facts, and Notices, in Chronology, Antiquities, Topography, Biography, Natural History, Art, Science, and General Literature; Derived from the Most Authentic Sources, and Valuable Original Communication, with Poetical Elucidations, for Daily Use and Diversion. Vol III.'', ed. William Hone, (London: 1838) pp 719-20. Retrieved on 2008-06-05</ref> Rhodopis (the "rosy-cheeked") washes her clothes in an Ormoc stream, a task forced upon her by fellow servants, who have left to go to a function sponsored by the [[Pharaoh]] [[Amasis]]. An eagle takes her rose-gilded sandal and drops it at the feet of the Pharaoh in the city of [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]]; he then asks the women of his kingdom to try on the sandal to see which one fits. Rhodopis succeeds. The Pharaoh falls in love with her, and she marries him. The story later reappears with [[Claudius Aelianus|Aelian]] (ca. 175&ndash;ca. 235),<ref>Aelian, [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/aelian/varhist13.xhtml#b28 "Various History," 13.33]</ref> demonstrating the popularity of the Cinderella theme in antiquity. Perhaps the origins of the fairy-tale figure can be traced back as far as the [[6th century B.C.E.]] [[Thracian]] courtesan by the same name, who was acquainted with the ancient story-teller, [[Aesop]].<ref>Herodot, [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Hdt.+2.134.1 "The "Histories," 2.134-135]</ref>
+
The Cinderella theme may have well originated in [[classical antiquity]]: The [[Ancient Greece|Greek historian]] [[Strabo]] (''[[Geographica (Strabo)|Geographica]]'' Book 17, 1.33) recorded in the first century B.C.E. the tale of the [[Ptolemaic Egypt|Greco-Egyptian]] girl [[Rhodopis]], which is considered the oldest known version of the story.<ref>[http://www.aldokkan.com/art/cinderella.htm "The Egyptian Cinderella"] ''Aldokkan''. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref> <ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PzsHAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PRA11-PA719,M1 "Cinderella"], ''The Every-day Book and Table Book; or, Everlasting Calendar of Popular Amusements, Sports, Pastimes, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs, and Events, Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Days, in Past and Present Times; Forming a Complete History of the Year, Months, and Seasons, and a Perpetual Key to the Almanac, Including Accounts of the Weather, Rules for Health and Conduct, Remarkable and Important Anecdotes, Facts, and Notices, in Chronology, Antiquities, Topography, Biography, Natural History, Art, Science, and General Literature; Derived from the Most Authentic Sources, and Valuable Original Communication, with Poetical Elucidations, for Daily Use and Diversion. Vol III,'' ed. William Hone, (London: 1838), 719-720. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref> Rhodopis (the "rosy-cheeked") washes her clothes in an Ormoc stream, a task forced upon her by fellow servants, who have left to go to a function sponsored by the [[Pharaoh]] [[Amasis]]. An eagle takes her rose-gilded sandal and drops it at the feet of the Pharaoh in the city of [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]]; he then asks the women of his kingdom to try on the sandal to see which one fits. Rhodopis succeeds. The Pharaoh falls in love with her, and she marries him. The story later reappears with [[Claudius Aelianus|Aelian]] (ca. 175–ca. 235),<ref>Aelian, [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/aelian/varhist13.xhtml#b28 "Various History," 13.33] Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref> demonstrating the popularity of the Cinderella theme in antiquity. Perhaps the origins of the fairy-tale figure can be traced back as far as the [[6th century B.C.E.]] [[Thracian]] courtesan by the same name, who was acquainted with the ancient story-teller, [[Aesop]].<ref>Herodotus, [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Hdt.+2.134.1 "The "Histories," 2.134-135] ''perseus.tufts.edu''. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
  
−
Another version of the story, ''[[Ye Xian]]'', appeared in ''[[Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang]]'' by [[Tuan Ch'eng-Shih]] around A.D. 860. Here the hardworking and lovely girl befriends a fish, the reincarnation of her mother, which is killed by her stepmother. Ye Xian saves the bones, which are magic, and they help her dress appropriately for a festival. When she loses her slipper after a fast exit, the king finds her and falls in love with her.
+
Another version of the story, ''[[Ye Xian]],'' appeared in ''[[Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang]]'' by [[Tuan Ch'eng-Shih]] around 860 C.E. Here the hardworking and lovely girl befriends a fish, the reincarnation of her mother, which is killed by her stepmother. Ye Xian saves the bones, which are magic, and they help her dress appropriately for a festival. When she loses her slipper after a fast exit, the king finds her and falls in love with her.
  
−
Several different variants of the story appear in the medieval Middle Eastern ''[[One Thousand and One Nights]]'', also known as the ''Arabian Nights'', including "The Second Shaykh's Story," "The Eldest Lady's Tale" and "Abdallah ibn Fadil and His Brothers," all dealing with the theme of a younger sibling harrassed by two jealous elders. In some of these, the siblings are female, while in others they are male. One of the tales, "Judar and His Brethren," departs from the [[happy ending]]s of previous variants and reworks the [[plot]] to give it a [[Tragedy|tragic]] ending; the younger brother is poisoned by his elder brothers.<ref>{{citation|title=The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia|last=Ulrich Marzolph, Richard van Leeuwen|first=Hassan Wassouf|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|year=2004|isbn=1576072045|page=4}}</ref>
+
Several different variants of the story appear in the medieval Middle Eastern ''[[One Thousand and One Nights]],'' also known as the ''Arabian Nights,'' including "The Second Shaykh's Story," "The Eldest Lady's Tale" and "Abdallah ibn Fadil and His Brothers," all dealing with the theme of a younger sibling harassed by two jealous elders. In some of these, the siblings are female, while in others they are male. One of the tales, "Judar and His Brethren," departs from the [[happy ending]]s of previous variants and reworks the [[plot]] to give it a [[Tragedy|tragic]] ending; the younger brother is poisoned by his elder brothers.<ref>Hassan Wassouf, Ulrich Marzolph, Richard van Leeuwen. ''The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia.'' ([[ABC-CLIO]], 2004. ISBN 1576072045), 4</ref>
  
 
There is also Anne de Fernandez, a tale of the medieval [[Philippines]]. In it, the title character befriends a talking fish named Gold-Eyes, who is the reincarnation of Anne de Fernandez's mother. Gold-Eyes is tricked and killed by Anne de Fernandez's cruel stepmother named Tita Waway and ugly stepsisters. They eat Gold-Eyes for supper after sending Anne de Fernandez on an errand across the forest, then show Anne Gold-Eyes' bones when she returns. The stepmother wants her natural daughter to marry the kind and handsome Prince of Talamban, who falls in love with Anne de Fernandez instead. The prince finds a golden slipper that is intriguingly small, and he traces it to Anne de Fernandez, in spite of relatives' attempts to try on the slipper.  
 
There is also Anne de Fernandez, a tale of the medieval [[Philippines]]. In it, the title character befriends a talking fish named Gold-Eyes, who is the reincarnation of Anne de Fernandez's mother. Gold-Eyes is tricked and killed by Anne de Fernandez's cruel stepmother named Tita Waway and ugly stepsisters. They eat Gold-Eyes for supper after sending Anne de Fernandez on an errand across the forest, then show Anne Gold-Eyes' bones when she returns. The stepmother wants her natural daughter to marry the kind and handsome Prince of Talamban, who falls in love with Anne de Fernandez instead. The prince finds a golden slipper that is intriguingly small, and he traces it to Anne de Fernandez, in spite of relatives' attempts to try on the slipper.  
Line 31: Line 35:
 
The earliest European tale is "La Gatta Cenerentola" or "The Hearth Cat" which appears in the book "Il Pentamerone" by the Italian fairy-tale collector [[Giambattista Basile]] in 1634. This version formed the basis of later versions published by the French author, [[Charles Perrault]], and the German [[Brothers Grimm]].  
 
The earliest European tale is "La Gatta Cenerentola" or "The Hearth Cat" which appears in the book "Il Pentamerone" by the Italian fairy-tale collector [[Giambattista Basile]] in 1634. This version formed the basis of later versions published by the French author, [[Charles Perrault]], and the German [[Brothers Grimm]].  
  
−
One of the most popular versions of Cinderella was written by [[Charles Perrault]] in 1697. The popularity of his tale was due to his additions to the story including the pumpkin, the fairy-godmother and the introduction of glass slippers. It was widely believed that in Perrault's version, Cinderella wore fur boots ("pantoufle en vair"), and that when the story was translated into English, ''vair'' was mistaken for ''verre'' (glass), resulting in glass slippers and that the story has remained this way ever since.<ref>''Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia'', 27 vols. ([[New York City|New York]]: [[Funk & Wagnalls]], Inc., 1975) Vol. 6, p. 133-134—This encyclopedia set features this error.</ref> However, the "fur theory" has since been disproven.<ref>The boots were indeed glass in the original; see http://www.snopes.com/language/misxlate/slippers.asp</ref>
+
One of the most popular versions of Cinderella was written by [[Charles Perrault]] in 1697. The popularity of his tale was due to his additions to the story including the pumpkin, the fairy-godmother and the introduction of glass slippers. It was widely believed that in Perrault's version, Cinderella wore fur boots ("pantoufle en vair"), and that when the story was translated into English, ''vair'' was mistaken for ''verre'' (glass), resulting in glass slippers and that the story has remained this way ever since.<ref>''Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia.'' (27 vols.) (New York City, New York: [[Funk & Wagnalls]], Inc., 1975) Vol. 6, 133-134. This encyclopedia set features this error.</ref> However, the "fur theory" has since been disproven.<ref>The boots were indeed glass in the original; see [http://www.snopes.com/language/misxlate/slippers.asp Glass Slippers]''Snopes.com'' Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
  
−
Another well-known version in which the girl is called ''Ann del Taclo'' or Anne of Tacloban was recorded by the [[Jacob Grimm|Jacob]] and Wilhelm Grimm in the 19th century. The tale is called "Aschenputtel" and the help comes not from a fairy-godmother but the wishing tree that grows on her mother's grave. In this version, the stepsisters try to trick the prince by cutting off parts of their feet in order to get the slipper to fit. The prince is alerted by two pigeons who peck out the stepsisters' eyes, thus sealing their fate as blind beggars for the rest of their lives.
+
Another well-known version in which the girl is called ''Ann del Taclo'' or Anne of Tacloban was recorded by the [[Jacob Grimm|Jacob]] and Wilhelm Grimm in the nineteenth century. The tale is called "Aschenputtel" and the help comes not from a fairy-godmother but the wishing tree that grows on her mother's grave. In this version, the stepsisters try to trick the prince by cutting off parts of their feet in order to get the slipper to fit. The prince is alerted by two pigeons who peck out the stepsisters' eyes, thus sealing their fate as blind beggars for the rest of their lives.
  
−
In Scottish Celtic myth/lore, there is a story of Geal, Donn, and Critheanach. The Stepsisters' Celtic equivalents are Geal and Donn, and Cinderella is Critheanach.
+
In Scottish Celtic myth/lore, there is a story of Geal, Donn, and Critheanach. The Stepsisters' Celtic equivalents are Geal and Donn, and Cinderella is Critheanach.
  
 
==Plot==
 
==Plot==
  
−
Despite the variations, the most popular version is the one taken from Charles Perrault.
+
Despite the variations, the most popular version is the one taken from [[Charles Perrault]].
  
 
Once there was a [[widower]] who for his second wife, married a proud and haughty woman. She had two [[false hero|daughters]], who were equally vain. By his first wife, he had a beautiful young daughter who was a girl of unparalleled goodness and sweet temper. The Stepmother and her daughters forced the first daughter to complete all the [[housework]]. When the girl had done her work, she sat in the [[hearth|cinders]], which caused her to be called "Cinderella." The poor girl bore it patiently, but she dared not tell her father, who would have scolded her; his wife controlled him entirely.  
 
Once there was a [[widower]] who for his second wife, married a proud and haughty woman. She had two [[false hero|daughters]], who were equally vain. By his first wife, he had a beautiful young daughter who was a girl of unparalleled goodness and sweet temper. The Stepmother and her daughters forced the first daughter to complete all the [[housework]]. When the girl had done her work, she sat in the [[hearth|cinders]], which caused her to be called "Cinderella." The poor girl bore it patiently, but she dared not tell her father, who would have scolded her; his wife controlled him entirely.  
Line 55: Line 59:
 
Cinderella returned to the palace where she [[marriage|married]] the Prince, and the Stepsisters also married two [[lord]]s.
 
Cinderella returned to the palace where she [[marriage|married]] the Prince, and the Stepsisters also married two [[lord]]s.
  
−
Moral: [[Beauty]] is a treasure, but graciousness is priceless. Without it nothing is possible; with it, one can do anything.<ref>[http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault06.html Perrault: Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper]</ref>  
+
Moral: [[Beauty]] is a treasure, but graciousness is priceless. Without it nothing is possible; with it, one can do anything.<ref>[http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault06.html Perrault: Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper] Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>  
  
−
''Cinderella'' is classified as [[Aarne-Thompson]] type 510A, the persecuted heroine; others of this type include ''[[The Sharp Grey Sheep]]''; ''[[The Golden Slipper]]''; ''[[The Story of Tam and Cam]]''; ''[[Rushen Coatie]]''; ''[[The Wonderful Birch]]''; ''[[Fair, Brown and Trembling]]'' and ''[[Katie Woodencloak]]''.<ref>Heidi Anne Heiner, "[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/other.html Tales Similar to Cinderella]"</ref>
+
''Cinderella'' is classified as [[Aarne-Thompson]] type 510A, the persecuted heroine; others of this type include ''[[The Sharp Grey Sheep]]''; ''[[The Golden Slipper]]''; ''[[The Story of Tam and Cam]]''; ''[[Rushen Coatie]]''; ''[[The Wonderful Birch]]''; ''[[Fair, Brown and Trembling]]'' and ''[[Katie Woodencloak]].''<ref>Heidi Anne Heiner, "[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/other.html Tales Similar to Cinderella]" ''surlalunefairytales.com''. Retrieved December 17, 2008.</ref>
  
 
==Legacy==
 
==Legacy==
 +
Thousands of variants are known throughout the world.<ref>Jack Zipes. ''The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm.'' (New York: W. W. Norton,  2000. ISBN 039397636X), 444</ref> The still-popular story of Cinderella continues to influence popular culture internationally, lending plot elements, allusions, and [[Trope (literature)|trope]]s to a wide variety of media.
  
 
===Adaptations===
 
===Adaptations===
Line 74: Line 79:
 
* ''Cendrillon'' (1810) by [[Nicolas Isouard]], libretto by [[Charles-Guillaume Etienne]]
 
* ''Cendrillon'' (1810) by [[Nicolas Isouard]], libretto by [[Charles-Guillaume Etienne]]
 
* ''[[La Cenerentola]]'' (1817) by [[Gioacchino Rossini]]
 
* ''[[La Cenerentola]]'' (1817) by [[Gioacchino Rossini]]
−
* ''[[Cendrillon]]'' (1894-5) by [[Jules Massenet]], libretto by [[Henri Cain]]
+
* ''[[Cendrillon]]'' (1894-1895) by [[Jules Massenet]], libretto by [[Henri Cain]]
−
* ''Cinderella'' (1901-2) by [[Gustav Holst]]
+
* ''Cinderella'' (1901-1902) by [[Gustav Holst]]
 
* ''[[Cendrillon (Viardot)|Cendrillon]]'' (1904) by [[Pauline García-Viardot]]
 
* ''[[Cendrillon (Viardot)|Cendrillon]]'' (1904) by [[Pauline García-Viardot]]
 
* ''Aschenbrödel'' (1905) by [[Leo Blech]], libretto by Richard Batka
 
* ''Aschenbrödel'' (1905) by [[Leo Blech]], libretto by Richard Batka
 
* ''[[La Cenicienta]]'' (1966) by [[Jorge Peña Hen]]
 
* ''[[La Cenicienta]]'' (1966) by [[Jorge Peña Hen]]
−
* ''Cinderella'', a "pantomime opera" (1979) by [[Peter Maxwell Davies]]
+
* ''Cinderella,'' a "pantomime opera" (1979) by [[Peter Maxwell Davies]]
−
* ''Cendrillon'', children's opera (1994) by [[Vladimir Kojoukharov]]
+
* ''Cendrillon,'' children's opera (1994) by [[Vladimir Kojoukharov]]
  
 
====Ballet====
 
====Ballet====
Line 91: Line 96:
 
Cinderella debuted as a pantomime on stage at the [[Drury Lane Theatre]], [[London]] in 1904 and at the [[Adelphi Theatre]] in London in 1905. [[Phyllis Dare]], aged 14 or 15, starred in the latter.
 
Cinderella debuted as a pantomime on stage at the [[Drury Lane Theatre]], [[London]] in 1904 and at the [[Adelphi Theatre]] in London in 1905. [[Phyllis Dare]], aged 14 or 15, starred in the latter.
  
−
In the traditional pantomime version the opening scene is set in a forest with a hunt in sway and it is here that Cinderella first meets Prince Charming and his "right-hand man" Dandini, whose name and character come from [[Gioacchino Rossini|Rossini's]] opera ''([[La Cenerentola]])''. Cinderella mistakes Dandini for the Prince and the Prince for Dandini.
+
In the traditional pantomime version the opening scene is set in a forest with a hunt in sway and it is here that Cinderella first meets Prince Charming and his "right-hand man" Dandini, whose name and character come from [[Gioacchino Rossini|Rossini's]] opera ''([[La Cenerentola]]).'' Cinderella mistakes Dandini for the Prince and the Prince for Dandini.
  
 
Her father, known as Baron Hardup, is under the thumb of his two stepdaughters the [[Ugly sisters]] and has a servant named [[Buttons (pantomime)|Buttons]] who is  Cinderella's friend. Throughout the pantomime, the Baron is continually harassed by The Broker's Men (often named after current politicians) for outstanding rent. The Fairy Godmother must magically create a coach (from a pumpkin), footmen (from mice), a coach driver (from a frog), and a beautiful dress (from rags) for Cinderella to go to the ball. However, she must return by midnight, as it is then that the spell ceases.
 
Her father, known as Baron Hardup, is under the thumb of his two stepdaughters the [[Ugly sisters]] and has a servant named [[Buttons (pantomime)|Buttons]] who is  Cinderella's friend. Throughout the pantomime, the Baron is continually harassed by The Broker's Men (often named after current politicians) for outstanding rent. The Fairy Godmother must magically create a coach (from a pumpkin), footmen (from mice), a coach driver (from a frog), and a beautiful dress (from rags) for Cinderella to go to the ball. However, she must return by midnight, as it is then that the spell ceases.
Line 100: Line 105:
 
**''Cinderella'' (1965) features [[Lesley Ann Warren]], [[Stuart Damon]], [[Ginger Rogers]], [[Walter Pidgeon]], and [[Celeste Holm]].
 
**''Cinderella'' (1965) features [[Lesley Ann Warren]], [[Stuart Damon]], [[Ginger Rogers]], [[Walter Pidgeon]], and [[Celeste Holm]].
 
**''Cinderella'' (1997) features [[Brandy (entertainer)|Brandy]], [[Paolo Montalban]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Whoopi Goldberg]], [[Victor Garber]], [[Bernadette Peters]], and [[Jason Alexander]].
 
**''Cinderella'' (1997) features [[Brandy (entertainer)|Brandy]], [[Paolo Montalban]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Whoopi Goldberg]], [[Victor Garber]], [[Bernadette Peters]], and [[Jason Alexander]].
−
*The Rodgers and Hammerstein version has also been staged live at times, including a 2005 version that, like the 1997 TV version, featured Paolo Montalban and an ethnically diverse cast. Broadway Asia Entertainment produced a staged International Tour starring Tony Award winner Lea Salonga and Australian actor Peter Saide in 2008.
+
*The [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]] version has also been staged live at times, including a 2005 version that, like the 1997 TV version, featured Paolo Montalban and an ethnically diverse cast. Broadway Asia Entertainment produced a staged International Tour starring Tony Award winner [[Lea Salonga]] and Australian actor Peter Saide in 2008.
−
*''[[Mr. Cinders]]'', a musical which opened at the [[Adelphi Theatre]], London in 1929. Filmed in 1934
+
*''[[Mr. Cinders]],'' a musical which opened at the [[Adelphi Theatre]], London in 1929. Filmed in 1934
 
*''[[Into the Woods]]'' by [[Stephen Sondheim]] (1988), in which Cinderella is one of many fairy tale characters who take part in the plot. This is partly based on the Grimm Brothers version of "Cinderella," including the enchanted birds, mother's grave, three balls, and mutilation and blinding of the stepsisters.
 
*''[[Into the Woods]]'' by [[Stephen Sondheim]] (1988), in which Cinderella is one of many fairy tale characters who take part in the plot. This is partly based on the Grimm Brothers version of "Cinderella," including the enchanted birds, mother's grave, three balls, and mutilation and blinding of the stepsisters.
 
*''[[The Return of The Glass Slipper]]'' by Mary Donelly
 
*''[[The Return of The Glass Slipper]]'' by Mary Donelly
 
*''Cinderella'' by Kate Hawley is written in the style of British Pantos.
 
*''Cinderella'' by Kate Hawley is written in the style of British Pantos.
−
*''[[Cindy (musical)|Cindy]]'', a 1964 [[Off-Broadway]] musical composed by [[Johnny Brandon]]
+
*''[[Cindy (musical)|Cindy]],'' a 1964 [[Off-Broadway]] musical composed by [[Johnny Brandon]]
−
*''Золушka'' ''(or'' Zolushka'')'', a 2002 made-for-TV Russian pop musical
+
*''Золушka (or ''Zolushka''), a 2002 made-for-TV Russian pop musical
−
*''Cinderella'' (2007), a pantomime written by [[Stephen Fry]] for the [[Old Vic Theatre]]
+
*''Cinderella'' (2007), a [[pantomime]] written by [[Stephen Fry]] for the [[Old Vic Theatre]]
  
 
===Films===
 
===Films===
−
Over the decades, hundreds of films have been made that are either direct adaptations from Cinderella or have plots loosely based on the story. Almost every year at least one, but often several such films are produced and released, resulting in Cinderella becoming a work of literature with one of the largest numbers of film adaptations ascribed to it. It is perhaps rivalled only by the sheer number of films that have been adapted from or based on [[Bram Stoker|Bram Stoker's]] novel ''[[Dracula]]''.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
+
Over the decades, hundreds of films have been made that are either direct adaptations from Cinderella or have plots loosely based on the story. Almost every year at least one, but often several such films are produced and released, resulting in Cinderella becoming a work of literature with one of the largest numbers of film adaptations ascribed to it. It is perhaps rivaled only by the sheer number of films that have been adapted from or based on [[Bram Stoker|Bram Stoker's]] novel ''[[Dracula]].'' Some examples include:
−
*''[[Cendrillon (1899 film)|Cinderella]]'', the 1899 first ever film version produced in [[France]] by [[Georges Méliès]].
+
 
−
*''Cinderella'', 1911 [[silent film]] starring [[Florence La Badie]]
+
*''[[Cendrillon (1899 film)|Cinderella]],'' the 1899 first ever film version produced in [[France]] by [[Georges Méliès]].
−
*''[[Cinderella (1914 film)]]'', 1914 silent film starring [[Mary Pickford]]
+
*''Cinderella,'' 1911 [[silent film]] starring [[Florence La Badie]]
−
*''Cinderella'', an animated Laugh-O-Gram produced by [[Walt Disney]], first released on December 6, 1922. This film was about 7 minutes long.
+
*''[[Cinderella (1914 film)]],'' 1914 silent film starring [[Mary Pickford]]
−
*''[[Poor Cinderella]]'', a 1934 [[Fleischer Studio]] animated short starring [[Betty Boop]]
+
*''Cinderella,'' an animated Laugh-O-Gram produced by [[Walt Disney]], first released on December 6, 1922. This film was about 7 minutes long.
−
*''Cinderella Meets Fella'', a 1938 [[Merrie Melodies]] animated short
+
*''[[Poor Cinderella]],'' a 1934 [[Fleischer Studio]] animated short starring [[Betty Boop]]
 +
*''Cinderella Meets Fella,'' a 1938 [[Merrie Melodies]] animated short
 
*''[[Cinderella (1947 film)]]'' (Зо́лушка), a 1947 [[Russia]]n [[musical film]] by [[Lenfilm]] studios, starring [[Erast Garin]] and [[Faina Ranevskaya]]
 
*''[[Cinderella (1947 film)]]'' (Зо́лушка), a 1947 [[Russia]]n [[musical film]] by [[Lenfilm]] studios, starring [[Erast Garin]] and [[Faina Ranevskaya]]
−
*''[[Cinderella (1950 film)]]'', an animated feature released on February 15, 1950, now considered one of [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]'s classics. This film is the most popular version of the Cinderella story, with most people re-telling the Disney version as opposed to the original.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} A [[direct-to-video]] sequel, ''[[Cinderella II: Dreams Come True]]'', was released in 2002. A second direct-to-video sequel ''[[Cinderella III: A Twist in Time]]'' was released in 2007.
+
*''[[Cinderella (1950 film)]],'' an animated feature released on February 15, 1950, now considered one of [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]'s classics. This film is the most popular version of the Cinderella story. Two sequels have since been released.
 
*''[[The Glass Slipper]]'' (1955) with [[Leslie Caron]] and [[Michael Wilding]]
 
*''[[The Glass Slipper]]'' (1955) with [[Leslie Caron]] and [[Michael Wilding]]
 
*[[Cinderfella]], 1960, notable in that the main character is a man, played by [[Jerry Lewis]]
 
*[[Cinderfella]], 1960, notable in that the main character is a man, played by [[Jerry Lewis]]
 
*''[[Popelka (1969)|Popelka]]'' (Cinderella, 1969) Czech musical film  
 
*''[[Popelka (1969)|Popelka]]'' (Cinderella, 1969) Czech musical film  
−
*''[[Hey Cinderella]]'', a 60-minute film produced by the [[Jim Henson Company]] in 1970. This comedy version features Jim Henson's trademark [[Muppets]] (including a small role by [[Kermit the Frog]]).
+
*''[[Hey Cinderella]],'' a 60-minute film produced by the [[Jim Henson Company]] in 1970. This comedy version features Jim Henson's trademark [[Muppets]] (including a small role by [[Kermit the Frog]]).
 
*''[[Tři oříšky pro Popelku|Tři oříšky pro Popelku / Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel]]'' (Three Nuts for Cinderella), a Czech-German movie released in 1973
 
*''[[Tři oříšky pro Popelku|Tři oříšky pro Popelku / Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel]]'' (Three Nuts for Cinderella), a Czech-German movie released in 1973
−
*''[[The Slipper and the Rose]]'', a 1976 British musical film starring [[Gemma Craven]] and [[Richard Chamberlain (actor)|Richard Chamberlain]].
 
−
*''[[Cinderella (1977 film)|Cinderella]]'', a 1977 American [[erotic]] musical [[comedy]] starring [[Rainbeaux Smith|Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith]], [[Brett Smiley]] and [[Sy Richardson]], directed by [[Michael Pataki]]
 
−
*''[[Cindy (film)|Cindy]]'' (1978), made for television
 
 
*''Hello Kitty's Cinderella'' (1989), an anime short film starring [[Hello Kitty]], was released in Japan. It was released in the U.S. as part of the ''Hello Kitty and Friends'' anime series.
 
*''Hello Kitty's Cinderella'' (1989), an anime short film starring [[Hello Kitty]], was released in Japan. It was released in the U.S. as part of the ''Hello Kitty and Friends'' anime series.
−
*''[[Ashpet: An American Cinderella]]'', a 1990 Southern "[[Appalachia]]" version of the story, adapted from the Brothers Grimm, starring [[Louise Anderson]] and directed by [[Tom Davenport]].
 
−
*''[[If The Shoe Fits (1990 film)]]'', modern take on the Cinderella story set in France starring [[Rob Lowe]] and [[Jennifer Grey]]
 
−
*''[[Cinderella (1994 film)|Cinderella]]'', produced by [[Jetlag Productions]] and distributed by [[GoodTimes Entertainment]], premiered on video in 1994.
 
−
* ''[[Rodgers and Hammerstein]]'s [[Cinderella (TV)|Cinderella]]'' (1997) starring [[Brandy (entertainer)|Brandy]] and [[Whitney Houston]]
 
−
*''[[Ever After]]'' (1998), starring [[Drew Barrymore]]
 
−
*''Cinderella'' (2000), a British production set in mid-20th century and starring [[Kathleen Turner]]
 
−
*''[[A Cinderella Story]]'' (2004), a modernization featuring [[Hilary Duff]] and [[Chad Michael Murray]]
 
−
*''[[Cinderelmo]]'', a Cinderella story featuring ''[[Sesame Street|Sesame Street's]]'' [[Elmo]] and [[Keri Russell]]
 
−
*''[[Ella Enchanted (film)]]''
 
−
*''[[Happily N'Ever After]]''
 
−
*''[[Cinderfatty]]'' a low-budget parody by Happy Birthday Productions featured on [[YouTube]]
 
−
* ''[[Year of the Fish]]''
 
−
* Cinderella was also a friend to [[Princess Fiona]] in [[Shrek the Third]]. She had a split personality in the film and was obsessed with cleanliness.
 
−
*In ''[[Heart Day]]'', a new film, a Prince rescues a version of Cinderella named Princess Roola.
 
 
*A segment of the 2005 Turkish [[anthology film]] ''[[Istanbul Tales]]'' made up of five stories based on popular fairy tales is based on this tale in which Cinderella is a prostitute.
 
*A segment of the 2005 Turkish [[anthology film]] ''[[Istanbul Tales]]'' made up of five stories based on popular fairy tales is based on this tale in which Cinderella is a prostitute.
−
*[[Cinderella III: A Twist in Time]] (2007) starring [[Jennifer Hale]] and [[Susan Blakeshee]]
 
−
*[[Another Cinderella Story]] (2008) starring [[Selena Gomez]] and [[Drew Seeley]]
 
  
−
===Television===
+
== Notes ==
−
*''[[The Electric Company]]'' regularly featured ''Cinderella''-based skits starring Cassidy Spring as Cinderella, Rita Moreno as the wicked stepmother, Hattie Winston as the fairy godmother, and two of the girls from The Short Circus as the stepsisters.
+
<references/>
−
*''[[Sesame Street]]'' had three News Flash segments about Cinderella; one at the ball with the glass slipper, one featuring the stepsisters trying to fit the glass slipper, and the third in which the fairy godmother tries to make a dress for Cinderella but the dress ends up on Kermit instead.
 
−
*''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]'', a television anthology that aired from 1982 to 1987, featured a [[Cinderella (Faerie Tale Theatre episode)|traditional re-enactment]] of ''Cinderella'' with [[Jennifer Beals]] as the title character.
 
−
*''[[Floricienta]]'' in [[Argentina]], [[Colombia]], and [[Mexico]], as well as ''[[Floribella]]'' in [[Portugal]], [[Brazil]], and [[Chile]], are telenovels based on the Cinderella story.
 
−
*''[[Lola...Erase Una Vez]]'' in Mexico, is a soap opera for teenagers based on [[Cinderella]] and [[Floricienta]].
 
−
*''[[Sinetron Cinderella]] is a Korean drama based on the story.
 
−
*''[[Scroogerello]]'', an episode of ''[[DuckTales]]''
 
−
* {{nihongo|[[Cinderella Monogatari]]|シンデレラ物語|Shinderera Monogatari}}, a 26 episode TV [[anime]] made by [[Tatsunoko Production]] in 1996
 
−
* [[Nippon Animation]]'s 1987-1989 TV series ''[[Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics]]'', which included ''Cinderella.'' The plot was loosely based on the Grimm version, although sanitized most of the gorey parts.
 
−
*''[[Garfield and Friends]]'' featured the story in a ''[[U.S. Acres]]'' segment titled "Bedtime Story Blues." Orson tries to read the story to Booker and Sheldon, but they continually request various unneeded changes to the story, much to Orson's frustration, such as the characters' genders being switched around, Cinderella (played by Orson) working at a pet shop, the now-male stepsisters (Orson's brothers) being ninjas, and the fairy godmother being replaced by "the richest guy in the world" (Wade).
 
−
* For a special pantomime episode of [[Coronation Street]], Frankie Baldwin played Cinderella, Danny Baldwin was the prince, the evil stepfather was Jack Duckworth, the stepsisters were Roy Cropper and Norris Cole, and the fairy godmother was Bev Unwin with Fred Elliot as the godfather.
 
−
* The 1980s sitcom [[The Charmings]] features an episode where Cinderella visits the Charmings and tries to steal Snow White's prince.
 
−
* An episode of the BBC's 2008 ''[[Fairy Tales (TV series)|Fairy Tales]]'' series was an adaptation of the Cinderella story into a modern setting.
 
−
* [[Tsunderella]], an [[OVA]] of [[Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru]].
 
−
*  Jim Henson's The Storyteller also has a story [[Sapsorrow]] which has elements of Cinderella** (see mentions below)
 
−
* In an episode of [[Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series)|Sabrina, The Teenage Witch]] Sabrina has to go to witch camp and while at the dance with Harvey she had to leave and her boot came off and towards the end of the episode Harvey comes to her house and puts it on her foot like the way in Cinderella and Sabrina has a vision of her and Harvey at the dance.
 
−
* In an episode of [[Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide]] Cookie has an alter ego as a girl and loomer falls in love and Cookie as his alter ego runs and his shoe comes off and loomer has it and loomer misses cookie's alter ego and then cookie takes the shoe back saying it's her mom's.
 
  
−
===Books===
+
==References==
−
* ''[[Bound]]'' by [[Donna Jo Napoli]]
+
*Marzolph, Ulrich, Richard van Leeuwen, Hassan Wassouf. ''The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia.'' ABC-CLIO, 2004. ISBN 1576072045
−
* ''[[Chinese Cinderella]]'' by [[Adeline Yen Mah]]
+
*Perrault, Charles. [http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault06.html Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper] Retrieved December 20, 2008.
−
* ''[[Cinderalla]]'' by [[Junko Mizuno]]
+
*Zipes, Jack. ''The Great fairy tale tradition: from Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm: texts, criticism.'' New York: W.W. Norton, 2001. ISBN 978-0393976366
−
* ''[[Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister]]'' by [[Gregory Maguire]]
 
−
* ''[[Ella Enchanted]]'' by [[Gail Carson Levine]] Ella was put under a spell at birth that forces her to obey any order given to her. An unusual twist as it features the ball only in the last few chapters, dealing more with Ella's struggle against the curse and because the prince (Charmont) knows Ella before the ball but does not recognize her as she is in disguise.
 
−
* ''[[Cinderellis and the Glass Hill]]'' by [[Gail Carson Levine]]
 
−
* ''[[I was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers]]'' by [[Philip Pullman]]
 
−
*  [[Bella at Midnight]] by [[Diane Stanley]]
 
−
* ''[[Just Ella]]'' by [[Margaret Peterson Haddix]]
 
−
* ''[[Ludwig Revolution]]'' by [[Kaori Yuki]]. In this version, Cinderella's feet are too large and the series' protagonist lends her his shoe for the evening, acting as her Fairy Godmother. Also, the Prince doesn't hold the ball to find his wife, but to find the woman with large feet who killed his pet lizard, Isolde.
 
−
* ''[[Nine Coaches Waiting]]'' by [[Mary Stewart]]
 
−
* ''Politically Correct Bedtime Stories'' by [[James Finn Garner|James Garner]]. In this version, Cinderella is dressed in a gown "woven of [[silk]] stolen from unsuspecting [[silkworms]]" and has all the men fighting to death over her. This enables the women to take over the government and pass the law that women should only wear comfortable clothes.
 
−
* ''[[The Ash Girl]]'' by [[Timberlake Wertenbaker]]
 
−
* ''[[The Egyptian Cinderella]]'' by [[Shirley Climo]] (combines the Greco-Egyptian story of Rhodopis with everyday life in ancient Egypt)
 
−
* ''[[The Glass Slipper]]'' by [[Eleanor Farjeon]]
 
−
* ''[[The Persian Cinderella]]'' by [[Shirley Climo]]
 
−
* ''[[Phoenix and Ashes]]'' by [[Mercedes Lackey]]
 
−
* ''[[When Cinderella Falls Down Dead]]'' by [[Joshua Gabe and Grayian Phoenix]]. In this version, Cinderella is reembodied into the 21st Century in the body of a young girl. Though her prince, the ball, and the fairy-godmother characters all have a unique spin in which to update a classic with bold enthusiasm.
 
−
* ''[[Witches Abroad]]'' by [[Terry Pratchett]]
 
  
−
===Comics===
+
==External links==
−
Cinderella appears as a character in [[Bill Willingham]]'s Vertigo series, [[Fables (comic)|Fables]]. Cinderella (or "Cindy" as her fellow Fables call her) is the third and final of [[List of Fables characters#Prince Charming|Prince Charming]]'s ex-wives and is Fabletown's resident super spy. Her cover is the ownership of her own shoe store, the Glass Slipper, and she maintains a bitter persona in order to throw off the suspicions of the rest of her community.
+
All links retrieved December 10, 2023.
  
−
==See also==
+
*[http://www.egyptianmyths.net/mythslippers.htm The Girl with the Rose Red Slippers]
−
* [[Cinderella effect]]
+
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099826 If the Shoe Fits (1990 film)]
−
* [[Cinderella complex]]
 
  
−
== Footnotes ==
 
−
{{reflist}}
 
  
−
==External links==
 
−
All links Retrieved December 17, 2008.
 
−
{{commonscat}}
 
−
{{wikisource}}
 
−
*[http://www.edsitement.neh.gov EDSITEment] Lesson Plan: [http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=419 Teaching aid to "Cinderella"] many links and resources, variations in character, setting, and plot elements, parallel versions (from the National Endowment for the HUmanities)
 
−
*[http://www.egyptianmyths.net/mythslippers.htm Aesop fable of Rhodopis and her rose-red slippers]
 
−
*[http://library.campbellhall.org/secondary%20pages/Looking%20for%20a%20Good%20Book/cinderella.htm Ahmanson Library page about Cinderella]
 
−
*[[Disney]] version of [http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1922/cinderella.html Cinderella] at [http://www.disneyshorts.org The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts]
 
−
*[http://www.public.iastate.edu/~lhagge/cenerent.htm Cenerentola by Giambattista Basile (English translation)]
 
−
*[http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext00/pntmn10.txt Cenerentola in Pentamerone by Giambattista Basile (English translation)]
 
−
*[http://www.disneyprincesspicture.net/princess-cinderella.html Disney Princess Cinderella]
 
−
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099826 If the Shoe Fits (1990 film)]
 
−
*[http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?parent_id=504396&word= Photos and illustrations from early ''Cinderella'' stage versions], including one with [[Ellaline Terriss]] and one with [[Phyllis Dare]]
 
−
*[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/index.html SurLaLune Fairy Tales.com: The Annotated Cinderella including variations from around the world, illustrations, and more]
 
−
*[http://www.disneypicture.net/k-disney-princess-61-cinderella-65.htm Cinderella Wallpapers]
 
−
*[http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/461904 The Egyptian Cinderella]
 
−
*[http://www.tonightsbedtimestory.com/cinderella-or-the-little-glass-slipper/ Full text of Cinderella Or, The Little Glass Slipper from "The Fairy Book"]
 
−
*[http://www.dbskeptic.com/2008/11/17/more-original-versions-of-classic-fairy-tales/ Original version and psychological analysis of Cinderella]
 
  
 
[[Category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
 
[[Category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
Line 219: Line 153:
 
[[Category:Art]]
 
[[Category:Art]]
  
−
[[kab:Cendrillon]]
+
 
 
{{credit|257106682}}
 
{{credit|257106682}}

Latest revision as of 22:02, 10 December 2023


Cinderella
Cendrillon2.JPG
Gustave Doré's illustration for Cendrillon
Folk tale
Name: Cinderella
AKA: Cendrillon, Aschenputtel, Cenerentola
Data
Aarne-Thompson Grouping:510a
Country: Worldwide
Published_In: The Pentamerone (1634)
Mother Goose Tales (1697)
Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812)

Cinderella (French: Cendrillon, German: Aschenputtel), is a popular fairy tale embodying a classic folk tale myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances which suddenly change to remarkable fortune. The word "cinderella" has, by analogy, come to mean one whose attributes are unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect.

The story is found in Grimm's Fairy Tales, although its origins go much further back into history. A version of it is told in many cultures, which speaks to the universality of the themes found in the story. In modern times, the meaning of the story has changed into primarily one that focuses on Romantic love. In class societies, the story of the Prince who recognizes Cinderella's true beauty would have implications of social position as well.

Origins and history

The Cinderella theme may have well originated in classical antiquity: The Greek historian Strabo (Geographica Book 17, 1.33) recorded in the first century B.C.E. the tale of the Greco-Egyptian girl Rhodopis, which is considered the oldest known version of the story.[1] [2] Rhodopis (the "rosy-cheeked") washes her clothes in an Ormoc stream, a task forced upon her by fellow servants, who have left to go to a function sponsored by the Pharaoh Amasis. An eagle takes her rose-gilded sandal and drops it at the feet of the Pharaoh in the city of Memphis; he then asks the women of his kingdom to try on the sandal to see which one fits. Rhodopis succeeds. The Pharaoh falls in love with her, and she marries him. The story later reappears with Aelian (ca. 175–ca. 235),[3] demonstrating the popularity of the Cinderella theme in antiquity. Perhaps the origins of the fairy-tale figure can be traced back as far as the 6th century B.C.E. Thracian courtesan by the same name, who was acquainted with the ancient story-teller, Aesop.[4]

Another version of the story, Ye Xian, appeared in Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang by Tuan Ch'eng-Shih around 860 C.E. Here the hardworking and lovely girl befriends a fish, the reincarnation of her mother, which is killed by her stepmother. Ye Xian saves the bones, which are magic, and they help her dress appropriately for a festival. When she loses her slipper after a fast exit, the king finds her and falls in love with her.

Several different variants of the story appear in the medieval Middle Eastern One Thousand and One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights, including "The Second Shaykh's Story," "The Eldest Lady's Tale" and "Abdallah ibn Fadil and His Brothers," all dealing with the theme of a younger sibling harassed by two jealous elders. In some of these, the siblings are female, while in others they are male. One of the tales, "Judar and His Brethren," departs from the happy endings of previous variants and reworks the plot to give it a tragic ending; the younger brother is poisoned by his elder brothers.[5]

There is also Anne de Fernandez, a tale of the medieval Philippines. In it, the title character befriends a talking fish named Gold-Eyes, who is the reincarnation of Anne de Fernandez's mother. Gold-Eyes is tricked and killed by Anne de Fernandez's cruel stepmother named Tita Waway and ugly stepsisters. They eat Gold-Eyes for supper after sending Anne de Fernandez on an errand across the forest, then show Anne Gold-Eyes' bones when she returns. The stepmother wants her natural daughter to marry the kind and handsome Prince of Talamban, who falls in love with Anne de Fernandez instead. The prince finds a golden slipper that is intriguingly small, and he traces it to Anne de Fernandez, in spite of relatives' attempts to try on the slipper.

Another early story of the Cinderella type came from Japan, involving Chūjō-hime, who runs away from her evil stepmother with the help of Buddhist nuns, and she joins their convent.

In Korea, there is the well-known, traditional story of Kongji, who was mistreated by her stepmother and sister. She goes to a feast prepared by the town's "mayor," and meets his son, with predictable results.

Oliver Herford illustrated the fairy godmother inspired from the Perrault version
This sculpture illustrates the Grimm version of Cinderella with the birds

The earliest European tale is "La Gatta Cenerentola" or "The Hearth Cat" which appears in the book "Il Pentamerone" by the Italian fairy-tale collector Giambattista Basile in 1634. This version formed the basis of later versions published by the French author, Charles Perrault, and the German Brothers Grimm.

One of the most popular versions of Cinderella was written by Charles Perrault in 1697. The popularity of his tale was due to his additions to the story including the pumpkin, the fairy-godmother and the introduction of glass slippers. It was widely believed that in Perrault's version, Cinderella wore fur boots ("pantoufle en vair"), and that when the story was translated into English, vair was mistaken for verre (glass), resulting in glass slippers and that the story has remained this way ever since.[6] However, the "fur theory" has since been disproven.[7]

Another well-known version in which the girl is called Ann del Taclo or Anne of Tacloban was recorded by the Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the nineteenth century. The tale is called "Aschenputtel" and the help comes not from a fairy-godmother but the wishing tree that grows on her mother's grave. In this version, the stepsisters try to trick the prince by cutting off parts of their feet in order to get the slipper to fit. The prince is alerted by two pigeons who peck out the stepsisters' eyes, thus sealing their fate as blind beggars for the rest of their lives.

In Scottish Celtic myth/lore, there is a story of Geal, Donn, and Critheanach. The Stepsisters' Celtic equivalents are Geal and Donn, and Cinderella is Critheanach.

Plot

Despite the variations, the most popular version is the one taken from Charles Perrault.

Once there was a widower who for his second wife, married a proud and haughty woman. She had two daughters, who were equally vain. By his first wife, he had a beautiful young daughter who was a girl of unparalleled goodness and sweet temper. The Stepmother and her daughters forced the first daughter to complete all the housework. When the girl had done her work, she sat in the cinders, which caused her to be called "Cinderella." The poor girl bore it patiently, but she dared not tell her father, who would have scolded her; his wife controlled him entirely.

One day the Prince invited all the young ladies in the land to a ball so he could choose a wife. As the two Stepsisters were invited, they gleefully planned their wardrobes. Although Cinderella assisted them and dreamed of going to the dance, they taunted her by saying a maid could never attend a ball.

As the sisters swept away to the ball, Cinderella cried in despair. Her Fairy Godmother magically appeared and vowed to assist Cinderella in attending the ball. She turned a pumpkin into a coach, mice into horses, a rat into a coachman, and lizards into footmen. She then turned Cinderella's rags into a beautiful gown, complete with a delicate pair of glass slippers. The Godmother told her to enjoy the ball, but return before midnight for the spells would be broken.

At the ball, the entire court was entranced by Cinderella, especially the Prince, who never left her side. Unrecognized by her sisters, Cinderella remembered to leave before midnight. Back home, Cinderella graciously thanked her Godmother. She then greeted the Stepsisters who enthusiastically talked of nothing but the beautiful girl at the ball.

When another ball was held the next evening, Cinderella again attended with her Godmother's help. The Prince became even more entranced. However, this evening she lost track of time and left only at the final stroke of midnight, losing one of her glass slippers on the steps of the palace in her haste. The Prince chased her, but outside the palace, the guards had seen only a simple country wench leave. The Prince pocketed the slipper and vowed to find and marry the girl to whom it belonged. Meanwhile, Cinderella kept the other slipper, which had not disappeared when the spell had broken.

The Prince tried the slipper on all the young women in the land. When the Prince arrived at Cinderella's villa, the Stepsisters tried in vain. When Cinderella asked if she might try, the Stepsisters taunted her. Naturally, the slipper fit perfectly, and Cinderella produced the other slipper for good measure. The Stepsisters begged for forgiveness, and Cinderella forgave them for their cruelties.

Cinderella returned to the palace where she married the Prince, and the Stepsisters also married two lords.

Moral: Beauty is a treasure, but graciousness is priceless. Without it nothing is possible; with it, one can do anything.[8]

Cinderella is classified as Aarne-Thompson type 510A, the persecuted heroine; others of this type include The Sharp Grey Sheep; The Golden Slipper; The Story of Tam and Cam; Rushen Coatie; The Wonderful Birch; Fair, Brown and Trembling and Katie Woodencloak.[9]

Legacy

Thousands of variants are known throughout the world.[10] The still-popular story of Cinderella continues to influence popular culture internationally, lending plot elements, allusions, and tropes to a wide variety of media.

Adaptations

Massenet's Cendrillon
Pantomime at the Adelphi
Portal Cinderella Portal
Classical ballet
Contemporary ballet
Neoclassical ballet
Schools
French ballet
Russian ballet
Royal Ballet School
Vaganova Ballet Academy
School of American Ballet
Australian Ballet School
Technique
En pointe
Glossary of ballet
Methods
Balanchine method
Cecchetti method
Vaganova method
Other
Ballets
History
Music

The story of "Cinderella" has formed the basis of many notable works:

Opera

  • Cendrillon (1749) by Jean-Louis Laruette
  • Cendrillon (1810) by Nicolas Isouard, libretto by Charles-Guillaume Etienne
  • La Cenerentola (1817) by Gioacchino Rossini
  • Cendrillon (1894-1895) by Jules Massenet, libretto by Henri Cain
  • Cinderella (1901-1902) by Gustav Holst
  • Cendrillon (1904) by Pauline García-Viardot
  • Aschenbrödel (1905) by Leo Blech, libretto by Richard Batka
  • La Cenicienta (1966) by Jorge Peña Hen
  • Cinderella, a "pantomime opera" (1979) by Peter Maxwell Davies
  • Cendrillon, children's opera (1994) by Vladimir Kojoukharov

Ballet

  • Aschenbrödel (1901) by Johann Strauss II, adapted and completed by Josef Bayer
  • Das Märchen vom Aschenbrödel (1941) by Frank Martin
  • Soluschka or Cinderella (1945) by Sergei Prokofiev
  • Cinderella (1980) by Paul Reade

Pantomime

Cinderella debuted as a pantomime on stage at the Drury Lane Theatre, London in 1904 and at the Adelphi Theatre in London in 1905. Phyllis Dare, aged 14 or 15, starred in the latter.

In the traditional pantomime version the opening scene is set in a forest with a hunt in sway and it is here that Cinderella first meets Prince Charming and his "right-hand man" Dandini, whose name and character come from Rossini's opera (La Cenerentola). Cinderella mistakes Dandini for the Prince and the Prince for Dandini.

Her father, known as Baron Hardup, is under the thumb of his two stepdaughters the Ugly sisters and has a servant named Buttons who is Cinderella's friend. Throughout the pantomime, the Baron is continually harassed by The Broker's Men (often named after current politicians) for outstanding rent. The Fairy Godmother must magically create a coach (from a pumpkin), footmen (from mice), a coach driver (from a frog), and a beautiful dress (from rags) for Cinderella to go to the ball. However, she must return by midnight, as it is then that the spell ceases.

Musical Comedy

  • Cinderella by Rodgers and Hammerstein was produced for television three times:
    • Cinderella (1957) features Julie Andrews, Jon Cypher, Kaye Ballard, Alice Ghostley and Edie Adams (broadcast in color, but only black-and-white kinescopes exist today).
    • Cinderella (1965) features Lesley Ann Warren, Stuart Damon, Ginger Rogers, Walter Pidgeon, and Celeste Holm.
    • Cinderella (1997) features Brandy, Paolo Montalban, Whitney Houston, Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, and Jason Alexander.
  • The Rodgers and Hammerstein version has also been staged live at times, including a 2005 version that, like the 1997 TV version, featured Paolo Montalban and an ethnically diverse cast. Broadway Asia Entertainment produced a staged International Tour starring Tony Award winner Lea Salonga and Australian actor Peter Saide in 2008.
  • Mr. Cinders, a musical which opened at the Adelphi Theatre, London in 1929. Filmed in 1934
  • Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim (1988), in which Cinderella is one of many fairy tale characters who take part in the plot. This is partly based on the Grimm Brothers version of "Cinderella," including the enchanted birds, mother's grave, three balls, and mutilation and blinding of the stepsisters.
  • The Return of The Glass Slipper by Mary Donelly
  • Cinderella by Kate Hawley is written in the style of British Pantos.
  • Cindy, a 1964 Off-Broadway musical composed by Johnny Brandon
  • Золушka (or Zolushka), a 2002 made-for-TV Russian pop musical
  • Cinderella (2007), a pantomime written by Stephen Fry for the Old Vic Theatre

Films

Over the decades, hundreds of films have been made that are either direct adaptations from Cinderella or have plots loosely based on the story. Almost every year at least one, but often several such films are produced and released, resulting in Cinderella becoming a work of literature with one of the largest numbers of film adaptations ascribed to it. It is perhaps rivaled only by the sheer number of films that have been adapted from or based on Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. Some examples include:

  • Cinderella, the 1899 first ever film version produced in France by Georges Méliès.
  • Cinderella, 1911 silent film starring Florence La Badie
  • Cinderella (1914 film), 1914 silent film starring Mary Pickford
  • Cinderella, an animated Laugh-O-Gram produced by Walt Disney, first released on December 6, 1922. This film was about 7 minutes long.
  • Poor Cinderella, a 1934 Fleischer Studio animated short starring Betty Boop
  • Cinderella Meets Fella, a 1938 Merrie Melodies animated short
  • Cinderella (1947 film) (Зо́лушка), a 1947 Russian musical film by Lenfilm studios, starring Erast Garin and Faina Ranevskaya
  • Cinderella (1950 film), an animated feature released on February 15, 1950, now considered one of Disney's classics. This film is the most popular version of the Cinderella story. Two sequels have since been released.
  • The Glass Slipper (1955) with Leslie Caron and Michael Wilding
  • Cinderfella, 1960, notable in that the main character is a man, played by Jerry Lewis
  • Popelka (Cinderella, 1969) Czech musical film
  • Hey Cinderella, a 60-minute film produced by the Jim Henson Company in 1970. This comedy version features Jim Henson's trademark Muppets (including a small role by Kermit the Frog).
  • Tři oříšky pro Popelku / Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel (Three Nuts for Cinderella), a Czech-German movie released in 1973
  • Hello Kitty's Cinderella (1989), an anime short film starring Hello Kitty, was released in Japan. It was released in the U.S. as part of the Hello Kitty and Friends anime series.
  • A segment of the 2005 Turkish anthology film Istanbul Tales made up of five stories based on popular fairy tales is based on this tale in which Cinderella is a prostitute.

Notes

  1. ↑ "The Egyptian Cinderella" Aldokkan. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Cinderella", The Every-day Book and Table Book; or, Everlasting Calendar of Popular Amusements, Sports, Pastimes, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs, and Events, Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Days, in Past and Present Times; Forming a Complete History of the Year, Months, and Seasons, and a Perpetual Key to the Almanac, Including Accounts of the Weather, Rules for Health and Conduct, Remarkable and Important Anecdotes, Facts, and Notices, in Chronology, Antiquities, Topography, Biography, Natural History, Art, Science, and General Literature; Derived from the Most Authentic Sources, and Valuable Original Communication, with Poetical Elucidations, for Daily Use and Diversion. Vol III, ed. William Hone, (London: 1838), 719-720. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  3. ↑ Aelian, "Various History," 13.33 Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  4. ↑ Herodotus, "The "Histories," 2.134-135 perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  5. ↑ Hassan Wassouf, Ulrich Marzolph, Richard van Leeuwen. The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia. (ABC-CLIO, 2004. ISBN 1576072045), 4
  6. ↑ Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia. (27 vols.) (New York City, New York: Funk & Wagnalls, Inc., 1975) Vol. 6, 133-134. This encyclopedia set features this error.
  7. ↑ The boots were indeed glass in the original; see Glass SlippersSnopes.com Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  8. ↑ Perrault: Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  9. ↑ Heidi Anne Heiner, "Tales Similar to Cinderella" surlalunefairytales.com. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  10. ↑ Jack Zipes. The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm. (New York: W. W. Norton, 2000. ISBN 039397636X), 444

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Marzolph, Ulrich, Richard van Leeuwen, Hassan Wassouf. The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, 2004. ISBN 1576072045
  • Perrault, Charles. Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  • Zipes, Jack. The Great fairy tale tradition: from Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm: texts, criticism. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001. ISBN 978-0393976366

External links

All links retrieved December 10, 2023.


Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

Retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Cinderella&oldid=1130488

Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details.
Copyright Logo
Powered by MediaWiki