We have not yet started discussing Cinderella in class, but it is fun to prepare for the presentation on Thursday and study the tales. The Grimm version seems to be the one we are most accustomed to hearing in American culture, although most of us grew up hearing and seeing the Disney version and there are some definite differences between the two.
The portrayal of the characters themselves has some differences. The father dies in the Disney version but not in the Grimm's tale. In Grimm's tale he remarries and is still around to witness the cruel treatment that Cinderella recieves from the stepmother and daughters. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all. Another difference in the characters is that in the Grimm tale, the stepsisters were beautiful and fair to look at, but their hearts were foul and black. In Disney's version the stepsisters are physically unattractive as well as being mean. I personally love the old Rodger's and Hammerstein's version starring Lesley Ann Warren where one stepsister had a nervous eye twitch and the other had a creaky knee. (If any blog readers have not seen that version be sure to rent it because it is the best!)
The fairy godmother character that appears in the Disney version and many other versions that we have seen is totally absent in the Grimm version. Instead, in Grimm's tale, Cinderella has a magical tree out by her mother's grave. Special birds live in this tree and when she goes out to talk to them they make beautiful dresses appear for Cinderella. Later, when the Prince has been fooled by the stepsisters by mutilating their feet to fit the golden shoe, these same special birds tell him about the false brides. So there is no fairy godmother in Grimm's tale but I wonder if the magical doves are what gave Disney the idea for all the birdies in his version that help Cinderella fix up her beautiful dress. In Disney's modern day version called "Enchanted" the birds and mice from the city come to help her clean up the guy's apartment and it is hilarious. Here is the link to that clip from "Enchanted"..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb2si7fClqA&feature=PlayList&p=898B711AAD5C8436&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=55
I'm looking forward to presenting and discussing the many versions of Cinderella in class!
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did you present yet? im doing a paper and this helps alot thank you. what are some ov your sourses?
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