Fairy Tale Desires to Rise Into a Higher Class

The similarities between Charles Perrault's "Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper" and Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's "Aschenputtel" are many. Certainly both tales provide an inside view as to how pre 20th century folk viewed their chances of rising to a new social class. Many viewed this ascension as virtually impossible and in need of magic to ascend the trans-social barriers. These well known fairy tales have been told in many countries around the world with many variables; and they have been transmuted throughout the years to suit various audiences. Most notably, the primary connecting threads between these tales is how the lower socioeconomic and social classes view themselves as being virtually "stuck" with little or no way to raise themselves to higher social classes.

Both stories provide an inside view of what can be perceived as the values needed to ascend the social ladder. But, even with the natural beauty, intelligence, courage, and the common sense that both Cinderella and Aschenputtel exhibit, they are still unable to attend the ball due to their situation, and both require magical intervention to achieve what they most desire. Furthermore, both tales show that even with all their natural gifts, it's possible to be reduced to the lowly stature of a cinder winch solely due to circumstance.

Primary similarities between both "Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper" and "Aschenputtel" are that both tales feature oppressed children who find themselves at the mercy of an uncaring and unloving stepmother and tormented by cruel stepsisters; these stories suggest that indeed good does triumph over evil, and all good things come to those who wait. Both tales also deliver the same message in the sense that a woman's beauty, charm, and graciousness is a treasure, in that, these will always be sought after and admired by the opposite sex. Furthermore, both tales provide an inside look at what values, traits, and morals are considered desirable by the upper middle classes and aristocratic societies, which they aspire to.

Unquestionably, the Grimm's tale is the darkest between the two as denoted by Aschenputtel's sisters cutting their feet in an attempt to wear the slipper to marry the prince (Aschenputtel p 63) and ending with Aschenputtel's sisters being blinded by the magical birds which helped her throughout (Aschenputtel p 64). In contrast, Cinderella's first actions upon acknowledgement of her newfound stature in life were to grant forgiveness to the very sisters, which caused her so much pain.