Brothers Grimm Cinderella example essay topic

"The Grimm Brothers Cinderella", Ever After, a Cinderella Story: In Ever After, a Cinderella Story there are several differences and a few similarities to "The Brothers Grimm Cinderella". Some of these differences include the gender role in Cinderella's character; roll of those who aid her. One similarity is the fate of the villains. The Brothers Grimm faithfully gathered tales from German and Scandinavian languages, mythologies, and literature, but how accurate is of the story of the Cinder girl? As we begin with Ever After, we find the Grande Dame, her majesty, calls for the company of the Brothers Grimm.

She begins by letting them know that there are a few bits and pieces that left out of their version of the Cinder girl. She pulls out a glass slipper, indicating her record of the story will be right, and begins with the phrase the Grimm's use, "Once upon a time, there lived a young girl, who loved her father very much". With a movie, in contrast to a short story, there is more opportunity for character development. There is also time to explore the gender role of a woman and what is expected of her. In the first scene, little Danielle, (Cinderella) is getting ready to meet her new stepmother and sister. A boy who mocks her about looking like a girl taunts her at the window.

She quickly states she can still whip him, indicating a tomboyish little girl who isn't afraid of a boy. As Danielle grows to womanhood we see she becomes a very intelligent and independent woman. One way this is shown is by her educating the prince on the principle of servants, ultimately freeing some slaves that were sold by the king. The other women in this scene are impressed, and just the same the prince is taken back, becoming more intrigued of Danielle. Yet in the Grimm's tale, Cinderella's character is depicted as a young woman who is also a servant to her stepmother and sisters. She is a passive, humble woman who obeys the meaningless tasks of picking peas and lentils out of the ashes.

She doesn't meet the prince until the night of the ball. It seems that in today's storytelling audiences would like to see a stronger, more independent woman, some one who can stick up for herself within the boundaries she must live. Today's audiences yearn for a romantic developed relationship. This is definitely a sign of the times changing. In 1812, when the "Grimm's Cinderella" was published, this was the ideal fairy tale for women of that day. In 1998 Ever After, the ideal Cinderella character has liberated herself.

She has an opinion, a stance on important issues, and the right to stand up for herself. In the Grimm tale we see various supernatural powers intervening to the aid of Cinderella. When the branch Cinderella planted at her mother's grave had grown into a handsome tree, a little white bird would throw down to Cinderella whatever she wished. It is also the birds that help peck the lentils out of the ashes so she can go to the ball. In contrast there are no supernatural powers that intervene for Danielle, just her fellow friends who are servants, and Leonardo de Vinci. Both Cinderella's arrive at the ball, wearing their beautiful gowns.

Danielle's gown, made by Da Vinci, has wings. This gives the appearance of an angel, as the ball is a masquerade. Danielle dressed, as this supernatural being will have the strength for the task at hand. Even though Danielle's character is more independent and reveals a stronger woman, she still needs help along the way. It brings the evolution of the character of Cinderella further to the present, even though the story is of old.

The story's ending is happily ever after, in both the Grimm, and Ever After. We see the prince ends up marrying Cinderella. Judgment falls in place on those whom it should, the evil step mother and step sisters. Grimm's version has the stepsisters eye's being pecked out by birds. In Ever After, the punishment for the stepmother and one of the stepsisters is to be sold as servants and wash clothes. This gives both stories a feeling of justice to those who treated our beloved Cinderella with hatred and meanness.

The happily ever after being a lifetime of happiness with the prince, and knowing that evil will never be gratified no matter what generation this tale is told. Has the "Ever After" version of Cinderella been a corrected version of Brothers Grimm? After watching "Ever After", Visually, and emotionally you are drawn more to the character of Cinderella, making the tale more moving than that of the short story. The story of Cinderella is ever changing its boundaries with who Cinderella is as a character. But for many generations to come, there will be a "Cinderella Story" to be told. An underdog who will become victorious, villains who will not be rewarded for their evil ways, and a "Happily Ever After.".