The Story Of Sleeping Beauty

720 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Fairytales and their impact on human development

BEDILU
Addis Bedilu
Tiffany Langston
English 2 Pre-Ap
5/14/2014
Change is inevitable….or is it?
Why do folk’s tales exist? To preach a moral to people? Or is it to simply entertain? Like the Disney animated classic Sleeping beauty and its predecessors did. This story of the sleeping beauty horrified children throughout the ages yet as time went by it became more sanitized and cleaned up. But ironically the more it became kid friendly the more popular it became. As society changed the morals and ideals that the folk tales were trying to explain changed as well, as a result the story changed. What changed the story but kept true to its lore at the same time can be attributed to combination of social, economic and historical factors.
How do changes in society reflect the changes in the commercialization of the story? They answer how society views certain issues, class, race, status and gender all of these come into play when the story is being crafted. For example in the earlier renditions of Sleeping Beauty such as The Sun Moon and Talia both the main love interest and central antagonist of the story are both female. BUT the central players Talia FATHER and the wise MEN at the beginning are the ones who dictate Talia's fate at the beginning. The queen presents herself as a villain’s interests and the King is the hero who holds both women’s fate in his palms this first edition of the modern sleeping beauty debuted in 1634. A time of kings and absolute monarchy’s but as time went on by 1697 the sleeping Beauty according to Perrault changed certain things such as the queen being an ogress. A mother who took the throne from her s...

... middle of paper ...

...oited by the royalty, those concepts did not exist yet. By the time Disney got around to it the tide of morals meant that girls must be presented as lady’s none of the sexual desire stuff of the more ancient versions. The story had to revolve around the selfless prince rescuing his bride to be all good Christian values. However even with those changes the story maintained things that survived the course of history. The damsel who needs to be saved and the role of Man saving the women.
As a result of the varying circumstances that helped evolve the story the popularity of the sleeping Beauty soared causing it to become a worldwide phenomenon. As opposed to its relative obscurity of the earlier versions one has to ask if the story didn't change would we even have the story today?

Show More
Related

  • The Princess Paradox Analysis

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    In James Poniewozik's "The Princess Paradox" (323-325) the author explains how the idea of a feminist, independent woman becoming a fairy tale princess is a paradox and that society is engaging in a paradox through the belief of it. He utilizes the recent bout of Cinderella retellings to show the paradox of how girls cannot be both completely independent and a fairytale princess, and yet society perpetuates the paradox through believing that this is not only possible, but realistically attainable as well. Poniewozik exposes the contradictions that surround these new Cinderellas to defy these "realistic" stories that society has come to embrace. By showing how truly constrictive and illogical these fantasies are, Poniewozik also shows how hypocritical society has become for idolizing them and why this new princess is a true paradox.

    Read More

  • The Wonder Of Imagination In Deborah Ross's Escape From Wonderland

    1114 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “Escape from Wonderland” by Deborah Ross, the writer explains how the fictional characters are admired. Although they seem to be sending a bigger message to young girls. The writer talks about drawing a line between fantasy and reality. In the end Ross’s objective is to show how some Disney characters break the femininity and imagination tradition. Which can have an effect in children and how they value their own ability to have unique visions. By comparing Alice in Wonderland (1951), The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991) to heroines like Arabella from The female Quixote. “Charlotte Lennox’s (The Female Quixote illustrates both these conservative and progressive plot patterns, for it both draws upon and criticizes earlier romances, which themselves often both celebrate and punished female imagination and expressiveness. Therefore, like Disney’s movies today, which also use material from romance and fairy-tale tradition”, (pg. 473, Escape from Wonderland). Young women may not only begin to fantasize about a grandeur life more exciting than reality but to be disappointed with society in the workplace and relationships. For example, Meredith from Brave she is a princess that wishes to have a different life than what her mother has planned for her. She refuses to get married and have the duties of a princess. She wants to have adventures and be

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Anne Sexton And The Brothers Grimm's Cinderella

    1358 Words  | 3 Pages

    As the world has transformed and progressed throughout history, so have its stories and legends, namely the infamous tale of Cinderella. With countless versions and adaptations, numerous authors from around the world have written this beauty’s tale with their own twists and additions to it. And while many may have a unique or interesting way of telling her story, Anne Sexton and The Brother’s Grimm’s Cinderellas show the effects cultures from different time periods can have on a timeless tale, effects such as changing the story’s moral. While Sexton chooses to keep some elements of her version, such as the story, the same as the Brothers Grimm version, she changes the format and context, and adds her own commentary to transform the story’s

    Read More

  • Differences Between Sleeping Beauty And A Kiss In Time

    1073 Words  | 3 Pages

    We all know the story of Sleeping Beauty right? About how she pricked her finger on a spinning wheel only to fall asleep and be woken up 100 years later by true love's kiss. Well, what if I were to tell you that instead of waking up 100 years later, she woke up 316 years later and was forced to live in modern times? That’s what happened to Princess Talia of Euphrasia in Alex Flinn’s, A Kiss In Time. Both the original Sleeping Beauty, by the Brothers Grimm, and A Kiss In Time have several similarities, but they also have many differences. Some of those differences are that Talia was woken up several hundred years later by a modern boy, she ended up getting kidnapped by the witch, and in the end her kingdom was turned into something quite unusual and new.

    Read More

  • The Little Mermaid: Hans Christian Andersen vs Walt Disney

    2433 Words  | 5 Pages

    Although Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” published in 1837, contains many patronizing nineteenth-century attitudes towards women, a value system that at least acknowledges the legitimacy of femininity shapes the fairytale. Unfortunately, Walt Disney’s 1989 film version of “The Little Mermaid” eliminates the values that affirm femininity in the original story (Trites 145)

    Read More

  • Essay

    526 Words  | 2 Pages

    While Catherine Breillat’s “Sleeping Beauty” does stay true to the original Brother’s Grimm tale in its archetype, she does stray from the original version in many ways in order to convey a message. In comparison to her film “Bluebeard”, “Sleeping Beauty” was much more explicit, with graphic sexual scenes. Additionally, this tale is different in that the main character is not the dainty frail princess we usually see in classic fairytales, but a tomboy who wants to referred to as “Vladmir” and has sexual encounters with another woman. Breillat contrasts the lesbian sex scene where Anastasia is laughing and enjoying herself with her having sex with Peter where she cries throughout it and puts her face down in a pillow after it is done.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Donkey Skin

    1934 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout history it is known that fairy tales were written to teach children lessons about life in a way they could understand and that is fun and unique. Authors of fairy tales put simple lessons into the stories so the children could understand them easily while reading. Whether this be a lesson to be nice to all people, like in Cinderella, or to not judge someone by their appearance, like in Donkey Skin, both by Charles Perrault. Each fairytale has a moral that can be found throughout reading the stories that teach children right from wrong while letting them use their imaginations to discover that moral. The good and the bad lets them express their thoughts openly, rather it be their negative thoughts through the villian or their

    Read More

  • The Perfect Moral Example

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fairy tales portray wonderful, elaborate, and colorful worlds as well as chilling, frightening, dark worlds in which ugly beasts are transformed into princes and evil persons are turned to stones and good persons back to flesh (Guroian). Fairytales have long been a part of our world and have taken several forms ranging from simple bedtime stories to intricate plays, musicals, and movies. However, these seemingly simple stories are about much more than pixie dust and poisoned apples. One could compare fairytales to the new Chef Boyardee; Chef Boyardee hides vegetables in its ravioli while fairytales hide society’s morals and many life lessons in these outwardly simple children stories. Because of this fairytales have long been instruments used to instruct children on the morals of their culture. They use stories to teach children that the rude and cruel do not succeed in life in the long run. They teach children that they should strive to be kind, caring, and giving like the longsuffering protagonists of the fairytale stories. Also, they teach that good does ultimately defeat evil. Fairy tales are not just simple bedtime stories; they have long been introducing cultural moral values into young children.

    Read More

  • Female Roles and Stereotypes in Disney Animated Films

    676 Words  | 2 Pages

    Snow White (1937), Cinderella (1950), and Sleeping Beauty (1959) were the first Disney princesses in the era. All three princess were portrayed as helpless or a damsel in distress, who were saved by a prince's sword or kiss. Cinderella, in particular, was a prime example of this stereotype. Living with her neglectful stepmother and sisters, she was repressed from all of the daily activities her step family would partake in. She was regularly tormented and made to slave around; cleaning and cooking for her spoiled family members. She didn't have the self esteem to stick up for herself. All three of these princesses had secondary characters to care for them, to have a happy ending and "marry the prince". The godmother in Cinderella magically giving her a dress, carriage and glass slippers, and the house mice helping her as well. Snow White has the seven dwarfs, and Sleeping Beauty had her three fairy godmothers.

    Read More

  • Brothers Grimm

    1833 Words  | 4 Pages

    During the 19th century, Grimm’s fairytales were strongly disapproved of due to harsh, gruesome details and plots. One American educator from 1885 stated, “The folktales mirror all too loyally the entire medieval worldview and culture with all its stark prejudice, its crudeness and barbarities.” As childre...

    Read More

  • Compare and Contrast: Beauty and Beast

    1361 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most modern fairytales are expected to have happy endings and be appropriate for children, nonetheless, in past centuries most were gruesome. Consequently, fairytales have been modified throughout time. The stories “Beauty and the Beast” by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont and “The Summer and Winter Garden” by Jacob and Wilherm Grimm share similarities and differences. The two stories are distinct because of the peculiar year they have been written in. LePrince de Beaumont’s story is written in London of 1783 and Grimm’s in Germany of 1812. At the time, wealthy people in London, were educated and had nannies who would read to their children; whereas, in Germany, the Grimm brothers created their own interpretation into a short story. Because many high class parents in 18th century London would not be able to spend time with their children, nannies would read “Beauty and the Beast” to them since they were intended for children and considered appropriate. In “The Summer and Winter Garden,” the Grimm’s’ story was mostly based to entertain misbehaved children and teach them the valuable lesson that everyone should be treated with kindness. The Grimm brothers’ goal in rewriting this short story is to better children’s behavior which worked quite well. Since these stories have been re-written for children, it would be safe to say the reason why parents expose the two stories to their children is because they both portray the same moral: good things happen to good people. The two interpretations of “Beauty and the Beast,” although written in separate countries, share important similarities and differences even though the authors have different interpretations and came from different cultures.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Sleeping Beauty And Sleeping Beauty

    1417 Words  | 3 Pages

    In many classic stories, youth often equates to beauty; as old age does to a scornful, maybe even evil person. A well known example of this being the differences between Princess aurora (also known as Briar-Rose) and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. I watched Sleeping Beauty as child over 10 years ago, and I saw Maleficent about 2 years ago when it came to theaters. When I first viewed these two Disney versions of the story, I never knew the original version of “Sleeping Beauty.” When I watched Maleficent I wanted to believe that was closer to the original story because it was more engaging and it was not about a set in stone princess and villain. Disney’s Sleeping Beauty is more faithful to the original tale it was based on, but Maleficent is a far better and interesting spin of the story.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Fairytales

    1612 Words  | 4 Pages

    I am writing this paper because I was assigned to write it as a class project. Along the way I realized the importance of sharing the real meanings of all these stories. Stories are important because in the society we live in things are constantly changing. Fairytales change but the base of the story always remain the same no matter how many times it has been retold. It’s important to reveal the true meanings of these stories, even with its dark characteristics, because the world is dark .Children need to know that there are people that have told stories relatable to what they are going through. Fairytales help the development of children; it helps their maturity as they confront someone else’s tough situations, instilling hope of a more positive ou...

    Read More

  • Use of Supernatural Elements in Literature

    3356 Words  | 7 Pages

    Zipes, Jack. Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk & Fairy Tales. Revised and expanded ed. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1979. Print

    Read More

  • Folk Tales

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    When you where a kid did your parents ever tell you stories about your culture or about your family’s values? Chances are they where telling you a folk tale. Folk tales are stories passed down usually by word of mouth but often they are written down. Folk tales teach a valuable life lesson while entertaining the reader or in some cases the listener. This essay will give examples of three folk tales and go into depth on how they teach lessons and still remain entertaining for children and even adults.

    Read More

More about The Story Of Sleeping Beauty

Open Document