Cinderella is a well beloved folktale following the life of a kind hearted heroine trapped in an abusive household, yet despite the obstacles faced, she manages to attend a ball and eventually receives her happily ever after. The story has been reinterpreted in numerous countries where it is estimated that there are nearly seven hundred versions out there. With the continuous popularity of Cinderella, there has been much criticism concerning the representation of Cinderella and the effects it has
Cinderella Told Through the Centuries: Reshaping Gender Stereotypes From the parlours of the French aristocracy, to the folk tales of Germany’s middle class, and now to every child in America, the tale of Cinderella is a relic that has been passed down through the generations. Although the backbone of Cinderella has been relatively consistent, different authors have retold the story to further relate to the audience of the time, which in turn, created a different impression of how appropriate gender
controversial. In the case of Cinderella, I believe that it symbolizes the role of women in society and the characteristics that women should have. In Bruno Bettelheim's article "'Cinderella:' A Story of Sibling Rivalry and Oedipal Conflicts," he depicts the fairytale as a case of sibling rivalry. Feminist Madonna Kolbenschlag, says in her article "A Feminist View of `Cinderella,'" that the fairytale represents women's role in society. Karol Kelley's article "A Modern Cinderella," also claims that the fairytale
In "Cinderella" by Charles Perrault, the story depicts an imaginative fairytale through the hardships of a mistreated daughter and the magic of a fairy; in essence, Cinderella demonstrates that focusing on materialism is more important and more effective other than working up the path to majesty. Cinderella is a character who is often mistreated by her stepmother and god sisters. Bearing unsuitable personalities, they treat her harshly, leaving all of the chores to her. However, she admits that her
tale, Cinderella, embodies patriarchal views and shows little respect for women unless they are being portrayed as princesses. "Glass," a modern retelling of Cinderella, by Francesca Lia Block, sees the old tale of Cinderella from a new feminist light whilst not challenging the original structure of the story. Feminist retellings of old tales try to turn misogynistic messages around. The article, "Feminist Frauds on the Fairies? Didacticism and Liberation in Recent Retellings of Cinderella," by Karlyn
relationships with gender roles and the place of women in society. The movies, women’s magazines and even some women’s schools supported the notion that decent women took naturally to homemaking and mothering (Schulman). Like others of her generation, Sexton was frustrated by this fixed feminine role society was encouraging. Her poem “Cinderella” is an example of her views, and it also introduces a new topic of how out of touch with reality fairy tales often are. In “Cinderella”, Anne Sexton uses
Cinderella: An Outdated, Lying, Anti-Feminist Tale? Anne Sexton was a junior-college dropout who, inspired by emotional distress, became a poet. She won the Pulitzer Prize as well as three honorary doctorates. Her poems usually dealt with intensely personal, often feminist, subject matter due to her tortured relationships with gender roles and the place of women in society. The movies, women’s magazines and even some women’s schools supported the notion that decent women took naturally to homemaking
Since Cinderella is completely defined by her actions, by the value of beauty and by the influence of male figures, her characteristics are ultimately dependent upon the gender norms and societal structures in which she lives. In Cinderella by the Brothers Grimm, Cinderella appears to victimize herself by letting herself be subject to the humiliation from her stepmother; she is completely reliant on the prince to save her from the awful living situation and luckily ends up as a princess surrounded
treated equally. “Cinderella” does not portray women as equal to men, rather it suggests that a woman’s value highly depends on a man and teaches girls to become patient victims. For instance, it places attention on a woman’s chastity, beauty, passiveness, as the story accepts abuse, discourages powerful women, and insists on a double standard. In “Cinderella”, a woman’s worth is identified with her chastity. As Cinderella’s glass slipper is the most famous symbol in “Cinderella”, it is also the most
treated equally. The progressive movement of feminism is not being properly represented in the fairytale “Cinderella” as it supports the idea that a woman’s value highly depends on a man and continuous abuse. As Cinderella’s glass slipper is the most famous symbol in “Cinderella”, it is also the most sexist. In Perrault’s version, the prince uses the glass slipper as the only proof that Cinderella was truly the princess he danced with at the ball