cinderella story summary essay 300 words

A Summary and Analysis of the Cinderella Fairy Tale

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘Cinderella’ is, of course, a classic fairy story, a ‘rags to riches’ tale about a kind-hearted girl who suffers various hardships only to marry the prince of the kingdom. Why is Cinderella called Cinderella? Since she is shunned by the rest of her family (especially the stepsisters), the poor girl sits among the ashes in the chimney corner – hence her cindery name.

The ‘rags to riches’ transformation comes about when Cinders, who wishes to attend the royal ball, has her wish granted and subsequently meets the prince. Although she has to flee the ball and return home – losing one of her slippers in the process – the prince searches for and finds her, thanks to what is perhaps the most romantic shoe-fitting in all of literature. So far, so familiar.

The earliest appearance of the Cinderella story in print was in 1634 in the Pentamerone , a collection of oral folk tales compiled by Giambattista Basile, a Neapolitan soldier, poet, and courtier. Here Cinderella is called Cenerentola.

In 1697, French writer Charles Perrault published the story of Cendrillon, a variation on the story. Perrault added several details now intrinsically associated with the story – notably the pumpkin, the fairy godmother, and the glass slipper – to Basile’s version, which already featured the wicked stepmother and the evil stepsisters, as well as the prince figure (though in Basile’s he is a king rather than a prince) who hunts for the owner of a slipper (though it isn’t glass in Basile’s version). Perrault’s version would form the basis of the hit 1950 Disney film Cinderella , which in turn inspired Kenneth Branagh’s 2015 live-action remake.

But in fact the story is even older than these seventeenth-century versions: ‘Ye Xian’ or ‘Yeh-Shen’ is a Chinese variant of the Cinderella story that dates from the ninth century. A detailed plot summary can be found here .

But even this isn’t the oldest version of the story: a tale dating back to the 1st century BC, more than a thousand years before even the Chinese ‘Ye Xian’, is perhaps the earliest of all Cinderella narratives. The story is about a Thracian courtesan, Rhodopis, who ends up marrying the King of Egypt . It even features a royal figure searching for the owner of a shoe, suggesting that it is the progenitor of all later Cinderella stories.

In the nineteenth century, the Brothers Grimm offered a slightly different version of the tale in Aschenputtel . The Grimms’ retelling of the fairy tale is somewhat … well, grimmer than the Basile or Perrault versions.

At the end of the Grimms’ version of the story, the stepsisters’ eyes are pecked out by birds to punish the sisters for their cruelty towards their sibling – a violent conclusion you won’t find in Disney. In order to try to dupe the prince into thinking they are the wearers of the missing slipper, each of the stepsisters cuts off part of her own foot to make it fit, but the blood that fills the slipper gives the game away. Indeed, the Chinese ‘Ye Xian’ telling of the Cinderella story ends with the stepmother and ugly sisters being crushed to death in their caves by stones. In the Disney film they get off lightly, to say the least.

What’s more, in the Brothers Grimm version of the Cinderella story, the slipper is not glass, but gold. There is disagreement among scholars and commentators as to whether the glass slippers that first appear in Perrault’s version (and, subsequently, in many famous retellings and adaptations of the tale) were the result of Perrault’s mishearing vair (French for ‘squirrel’s fur’) for verre (French for ‘glass’).

The majority of experts reject such a theory. The website Snopes.com states that Perrault intended the slippers to be made of glass all along, and wasn’t acting on an error, while another site suggests that the glass slipper was perhaps ‘an ironic device since it is a fragile thing’, so might be seen as a form of artistic licence.

Interestingly, the ‘error’ theory – that Perrault was not inventing an iconic literary trope but simply mishearing one word for another – appears to have been put about by the French novelist Honoré de Balzac. So, although Perrault added the glass slippers, it was most likely not down to a mishearing (especially since the word vair was not in common use when Perrault was writing) but to creative licence.

Roald Dahl updated the fairy tale of Cinderella in 1982 in his R evolting Rhymes. The most significant Dahlian detail in his verse retelling of the tale comes near the end, when one of the stepsisters replaces the glass slipper with her own shoe. But even though the shoe subsequently fits the sister’s foot perfectly (as you’d expect), the prince declines to marry her and instead – cuts her head off.

The tyrannical prince does the same to the other stepsister, and Cinderella’s head would have been done for too, had her fairy godmother not intervened and saved her – granting Cinderella’s wish to be married to an ordinary husband rather than a prince who would, let’s face it, make Prince Joffrey look like Oliver Twist.

So that’s a happy ending, just not the one you find in traditional fairy tales.

Before the Disney film of 1950, and long before the 2015 Kenneth Branagh remake, there were many film adaptations, the first of which (from 1899) can be seen here .

If you enjoyed this post, you might find something of literary interest in our summary of the curious history of ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ , 25 great facts about children’s books and our surprising facts about Aladdin and the Arabian Nights .

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20 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of the Cinderella Fairy Tale”

Reblogged this on Língua Inglesa .

I always enjoy your posts. Just the sort of facts I find fascinating. Thank you. Kris http://www.awritersden.wordpress.com

We just covered the Brothers Grimm and their grusome tales in the Romantic Period of our senior English lit section. Students are mesmerized by the cruelty and violence of the original fairy tales. One of my favorite versions is Ever After with Drew Barrymore. In the beginning of the film the glass slipper is shown and it is golden glass–which solves both theories of the famous shoe.

I love the Ever After version of this tale as well. The Brothers Grimm tend to be too grim for me. :)

Nice post! I love researching this sort of thing. One of my favorite Cinderella adaptions (shadow puppets) is from 1922 by Lotte Reiniger. You can find it on YouTube.

Interesting to see how far back the story goes. But I thought there was a version (though I can’t remember where) where the stepsisters are forced to dance on hot coals until they died?

This ending seems familiar – though I can’t remember which version it was exactly. Maybe I should reread my old fairytale books. By the way, why are so many suprised about the cruelty in the original fairytales? I’ ve grown up with them and especially the Disney version appeared always too nice in my opinion.

You might be thinking of a version of Snow White where the stepmother is forced to dance in red hot iron shoes until she died.

Reblogged this on Getting Lit Fit .

Huh. Interesting as always.

Reblogged this on your worst nightmare and commented: So gosh-darn cool.

Reblogged this on justthetraveller and commented: Well, that’s New to me.

Reblogged this on Wyldwood Books and commented: Yet another interesting and informative post from interestingliterature.com

I knew of Pentamerone from my time at university along with the Grimm version (which I thoroughly enjoyed), but knew little of the earlier versions. Great reading.

Reblogged this on Beyond The Beyond.. .

Such an intersting post. Loved it.

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Reblogged this on Be Yourself Here!:) and commented: Never Knew this before!

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Fiction | Short Story | Middle Grade | Published in 1812

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Cinderella Summary

Summary Charles Perrault

Cinderella is a fairy tale written by Charles Perrault. This is a story about a poor girl's passivity in the form of abuse that ends with a reward by a fairy godmother and wins a prince's heart. It's a gentle reminder to remain kind to everyone.

Further study Cinderella Book Cinderella Analysis Cinderella Characters Charles Perrault Biography

Once upon a time, there was a nobleman who re-married. His second wife was the most haughty and vain woman in the world. With her former husband, she had two daughters, who were exactly like her in all things. A nobleman, just like her, had a young daughter from his first marriage. She was likewise sweet and good just like her mother.

As soon as the wedding ceremony ended, the girl's stepmother began to show her real face. She couldn't stand her good qualities because she made her daughters appear more odious. She gave her the meanest and dirtiest work in the house - washing the dishes, tables, cleaning her and her daughter's chambers. She made her sleep in a garret, on a wretched straw bed, while her stepsisters got fine rooms with the most comfortable beds and large mirrors.

"She slept in a sorry garret, on a wretched straw bed, while her sisters slept in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, on beds of the very newest fashion, and where they had looking glasses so large that they could see themselves at their full length from head to foot."

The poor girl patiently endured all and didn't dare to complain to her father, who would scold her, because he was under the influence of his new wife. Only then, the girl would lose her father's love and support, so she endured it all bravely and with a smile.

When she finished all the work, she would sit in the ashes, so everyone in the house called her Cinderella. Even such, in an old torn wardrobe and stained with ashes, was much more beautiful than her stepsisters, who were always nicely dressed.

One day, the young prince decided to have a royal ball. All important persons in the kingdom were invited. Two of Cinderella's half-sisters were also invited. This brought misery to Cinderella as she now had to work all the time. It was necessary that she arranged all the clothes, put decorations on the dresses, and make her stepsisters look as beautiful as possible. Everyone was focused on the ball.

When they chose what they would wear, each time they called Cinderella to beautify them. Although always dirty and poorly dressed, she had good taste and knew how to make beautiful hairstyles.

"As she was doing this, they said to her, "Cinderella, would you not like to go to the ball?"

"Alas!" said she, "you only jeer me; it is not for such as I am to go to such a place."

"You are quite right," they replied. "It would make the people laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball."

Someone else, after much teasing and everything, would be mad, but Cinderella was always good-hearted and not angry. She tried to make them as beautiful as possible. Finally, that long-awaited day has come. Her stepsisters got ready and went to the ball, and Cinderella watched them sadly. Then she started crying.

Her fairy godmother appeared and asked why she was crying. When Cinderella told her, her godmother asked her if she would also like to go to the ball. Cinderella said that she would very much like it and a good fairy answered that she would help her because she is a very good girl and she deserves it.

First, she told her to go to the garden and pick one pumpkin. Cinderella did that and she couldn't understand how the pumpkin would help her get to the royal ball. The good fairy carved a pumpkin and turned it into beautiful gilded carriages with her magic wand. Then they went to the mousetrap, where they found six mice. Cinderella lifted the lid of the mousetrap, and the fairy touched the mice one by one with a wand and turned them into six beautiful horses.

"She then went to look into her mousetrap, where she found six mice, all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the trapdoor. She gave each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, and the mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse, which altogether made a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse colored dapple gray."

Cinderella found a rat and the good fairy turned the rat into a beautiful boy who became the coachman of this magical carriage. After that, Cinderella went to bring six lizards, which the fairy turned into six footmen in suits with golden threads. The new footmen immediately climbed into the carriage and behaved with as much dignity as if they had always done so.

Cinderella was delighted with the prepared carriages. The only thing that didn't fit into this perfect picture was the tattered clothes she was wearing.

"Her godmother then touched her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes turned into cloth of gold and silver, all beset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world."

Satisfied, Cinderella climbed into the carriage and was ready to go to the royal ball. Her godmother told her to have a good time, but that she should not stay longer than midnight. If she stays even a minute longer, the carriage will turn into a pumpkin, horses into mice, footmen into lizards, and her beautiful dress into ordinary rags. Cinderella promised to leave before midnight and left with the biggest smile on her face.

The king's son was informed that a very beautiful unknown princess had arrived, so he hurried to meet her. He took her hand as she got out of the carriage. He led her to the ceremonial hall where the guests were. When she came in, everyone silenced, the dancing stopped, and the musicians stopped playing - everyone was so amazed by the beauty and great looks of the unknown girl.

Everyone watched Cinderella with enthusiasm. Even the king was delighted with her beauty and whispered to the queen that he had not seen such a beautiful princess for a long time. All the ladies at the ball watched her so that the next day they could make the same hairstyle and sew the same dress.

The prince took Cinderella to the most honorable place to sit. Then he invited her to dance. She was so beautiful while dancing that everyone in the hall admired her. Even when the dinner arrived, the prince did not taste a bite. He watched the beautiful, unknown princess all the time. During that time, Cinderella sat next to her half-sisters and talked amicably. They were both amazed because no one knew this princess.

"There was immediately a profound silence. Everyone stopped dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so entranced was everyone with the singular beauties of the unknown newcomer.

Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of, "How beautiful she is! How beautiful she is!""

While having fun, Cinderella heard the clock tick fifteen minutes to midnight. She quickly got up from her seat, bowed to everyone, and hurried to the exit. When she got home, she looked for her godmother to thank her for everything and to tell her that the prince had invited her to come to the ball the next day. While she was telling her godmother how she spent her time at the ball, her half-sisters arrived home.

""You stayed such a long time!" she cried, gaping, rubbing her eyes and stretching herself as if she had been sleeping; she had not, however, had any manner of inclination to sleep while they were away from home.

"If you had been at the ball," said one of her sisters, "you would not have been tired with it. The finest princess was there, the most beautiful that mortal eyes have ever seen. She showed us a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons.""

Cinderella was beside herself when she heard their stories of an unknown princess. She asked them if they knew the name of the beautiful princess, and they told her that no one knows and that the prince himself tried in every way to find out who she was, but that he didn't succeed. Cinderella just laughed sweetly. When she asked one of the sisters to lend her a dress so that she could go to the ball and see that beautiful princess for herself, they just laughed. They didn't want to lend their dresses to "dirty Cinderwench", as they called her.

The next day, the stepsisters got dressed again and went to the ball, and this time Cinderella was even more beautifully and lavishly dressed. The prince was by her side all evening. She had so much fun that she forgot what her godmother had told her. She forgot to watch what time it was and not to stay longer than midnight. Then suddenly she heard the clock ticking midnight. She quickly got up and ran out of the hall, and the young prince followed her, but he couldn't reach her.

While she was running, a glass shoe fell off her foot, which the prince carefully took. Panting, Cinderella arrived home without a carriage or footman, in her usual rites. Of the lavish dress and everything, she was left with only one glass shoe, the same as the one she lost.

The prince ordered that this beautiful girl needs to be found, so he questioned the guards, but they claimed that no beautiful princess passed by them, but only an ordinary girl, in tattered clothes. She certainly didn't look like a princess.

When her half-sisters returned, Cinderella asked them how they had spent their time and whether a beautiful princess was there. They told her that she was and that she was even more beautiful this time, but that she ran out of the hall at midnight and that she lost a glass shoe. They also told her that the prince was looking for her and that he fell very much in love with the mysterious beautiful princess.

The prince announced throughout the kingdom that he would marry the girl to whom the glass shoe would fit. And so all the princesses and duchesses, and even the other girls in the court, began to try on this famous shoe, but in vain. One day the procession came to Cinderella's house. Her two half-sisters tried it. They did their best to put their foot into a small shoe, but they didn't succeed.

"Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew that it was her slipper, said to them, laughing, "Let me see if it will not fit me.""

Then, Cinderella asked if she could try on a glass shoe. The two girls started laughing out loud and making fun of her. The man who brought the shoe looked carefully at Cinderella's face and saw that she was very beautiful. He was ordered to try on the shoe by all the girls in every house, so he took Cinderella and sat her down on a chair. He brought the shoe to her little foot and it fit her effortlessly. The sisters were amazed. Cinderella then took out the other shoe and put it on.

Then a good fairy appeared and touched Cinderella's shoulder with her magic wand. Her dress became even brighter than the one she wore to the balls. Then her half-sisters realized that Cinderella was actually that beautiful unknown princess. They fell to their knees and begged her to forgive them for always being evil and behaving badly towards her. Cinderella, who has always been good-hearted, passed over everything with a smile this time as well. She hugged her half-sisters and said that she forgives them with all her heart and that from now on she wants to live with them in harmony and love.

Then they took Cinderella, so beautifully dressed, to the prince. Now he liked her even more and after a few days, they got married. Cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, brought her half-sisters to the court, and on the same day, they married two of the king's courtiers.

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The Story of Cinderella – Grimm’s Fairy Tale

The Story of Cinderella

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a beautiful and pious girl named Cinderella. She was the only child of a wealthy man and his beloved wife. Sadly, Cinderella's mother fell ill and passed away, leaving her daughter with words of wisdom and love: “Dear child, be good and pious, and then the good God will always protect thee, and I will look down on thee from heaven and be near thee.” Cinderella was heartbroken by her mother's death, but she remained faithful to her mother's words and visited her grave every day to pray and weep.

As time passed, winter arrived and covered her mother's grave with a white sheet of snow. When spring came, the man remarried a woman who had two daughters of her own. They were beautiful on the outside but wicked and cruel in their hearts. The stepmother and stepsisters were jealous of Cinderella's beauty and kind nature, so they treated her poorly and forced her to do all the housework.

They took away her nice clothes, made her wear an old grey bed-gown, and gave her wooden shoes. The wicked stepsisters mocked her and called her names like "kitchen-wench" and "Cinderella," which means " little cinder girl ." Despite their mistreatment, Cinderella remained good and worked tirelessly, doing everything that was asked of her.

Her life was a daily struggle, from waking up before dawn to carrying water and chopping wood, to cooking and cleaning until late at night. Her stepsisters made her life even more miserable by pouring out her peas and lentils into the ashes, forcing her to pick them out one by one. Cinderella had no bed to sleep in and was forced to rest on the cold floor by the fireplace, which made her look dusty and dirty all the time.

One day, Cinderella's father was going to the fair, and he asked his stepdaughters what gifts they wanted him to bring back for them. They asked for beautiful dresses, pearls, and jewels. When he asked Cinderella, she simply replied, "Father, break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on your way home."

On his way home from the market, Cinderella’s father bought beautiful dresses, pearls, and jewels for his two step-daughters. As he rode through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him, knocking off his hat. He broke off the branch and took it with him. Upon his arrival, he gave his step-daughters the gifts they had asked for, but for Cinderella, he gave her the hazel branch.

Cinderella thanked her father, went to her mother’s grave, planted the branch on it, and wept so much that her tears watered it. The branch grew into a handsome tree, and three times a day, Cinderella would sit beneath it, weep, and pray. A little white bird always came and if Cinderella expressed a wish, the bird would throw down to her what she had wished for.

Meanwhile, the King had appointed a festival to last three days, and all the beautiful young girls in the country were invited so that the Prince could choose a bride. When Cinderella's stepsisters learned of the festival, they asked her to comb their hair, brush their shoes, and fasten their buckles. Cinderella obeyed but wept, wishing she could attend the dance as well. She begged her stepmother to allow her to go, but her stepmother refused, saying she was dirty and had no suitable clothes or shoes.

As Cinderella continued to plead, her stepmother made a deal: if she could pick out a dish of lentils from the ashes in two hours, she could go to the festival. Cinderella went to the garden, called upon the birds, and recited, “You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick:

"Sort through the ash, winged friends of mine, Help me find the lentils, pure and fine."

Then, to Cinderella's surprise, two white pigeons flew in through the kitchen window followed by turtle-doves and birds of all kinds, fluttering and chirping as they landed among the ashes. The pigeons nodded their heads and began pecking at the grains, and the other birds soon joined in, picking the good ones and leaving the bad. In no time, they had gathered all the good grains into a dish and flew away as quickly as they had come.

Cinderella was overjoyed and took the dish to her stepmother, hoping it would convince her to let her attend the festival. But her stepmother was unimpressed and set Cinderella another impossible task. She was to pick two dishes of lentils out of the ashes in one hour. Cinderella knew it was hopeless, but then she remembered the birds that had helped her before. So she went out into the garden and cried out to them for help.

"Select the finest from the rest, And gather what is truly blessed."

To her amazement, the white pigeons and turtle-doves, as well as all the other birds in the sky, came whirring and crowding in once more. They landed amongst the ashes and began picking the good seeds into the dishes. Cinderella watched in awe as they finished the task in half an hour and flew away again. She brought the dishes to her stepmother, hoping it would finally convince her to let her go to the festival, but her stepmother remained cold-hearted and cruel.

"All this will not help thee; thou goest not with us, for thou hast no clothes and canst not dance; we should be ashamed of thee!" Her stepmother turned her back on Cinderella and left with her two daughters, leaving Cinderella alone once more.

As no one was at home, Cinderella went to her mother’s grave beneath the hazel-tree and cried out,

"My little tree, please do shiver, And let silver and gold flow like a river."

To her surprise, the bird threw a beautiful dress made of gold and silver, along with embroidered silk slippers. She quickly put on the dress and went to the festival. Her step-sisters and stepmother did not recognize her, thinking that she was a foreign princess because of her stunning appearance. They never once thought that she could be Cinderella, believing that she was still at home in the dirt, picking lentils out of the ashes. The prince was captivated by her beauty and danced with her all night. He would dance with no other maiden, and if anyone else came to invite her, he said, “This is my partner.”

After dancing until evening, Cinderella wanted to go home, but the prince offered to escort her. She managed to escape him, however, and ran into the pigeon-house. The prince waited until her father came and told him that the stranger maiden had leapt into the pigeon-house. The old man thought it might be Cinderella and tried to find her. They searched inside the pigeon-house, but no one was there. When they arrived home, Cinderella was lying in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp was burning on the mantle-piece. She had quickly jumped down from the back of the pigeon-house and run to the little hazel-tree. There, she had taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them on her mother’s grave. The bird had taken them away, and she had put on her grey gown, hiding in the kitchen.

The next day, when the festival began again and her parents and step-sisters had gone, Cinderella went to the hazel-tree and said,

The next day, the bird brought down a dress even more beautiful than the one Cinderella wore the day before. She appeared at the festival, stunning everyone with her beauty. The prince eagerly waited for her and danced only with her. Whenever someone else invited her to dance, he quickly claimed her as his own partner. As the evening drew to a close, Cinderella wished to leave, but the King's son followed her to discover where she lived.

Cinderella ran away from him and into the garden behind her house. There stood a tall, beautiful tree with magnificent pears hanging from it. She climbed up the tree so nimbly that the King's son could not keep up with her. He waited until her father arrived and said to him, "The stranger-maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed up the pear-tree."

Cinderella's father thought that it might be her and had the tree cut down with an axe. However, when they searched the tree, there was no one there. Cinderella had jumped down on the other side of the tree and made her way back to the kitchen, where she lay in the ashes as usual. She had taken the beautiful dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree and put on her grey gown.

On the third day, when her family had left for the festival, Cinderella went to her mother's grave and recited the same spell as before. The bird threw down a dress more splendid and magnificent than any before, with golden slippers to match. At the festival, no one knew what to say when they saw Cinderella in her stunning dress. The King's son danced only with her and refused to allow anyone else to dance with her, insisting that she was his partner.

As evening fell, Cinderella knew she had to leave the grand ball, and the Prince desperately wanted to follow her, but she escaped too quickly for him to catch up. However, the Prince had a plan. He smeared the entire staircase with pitch, and as Cinderella ran down it, her left slipper got stuck. The Prince picked it up, and it was small, delicate, and made of pure gold.

The next day, the Prince went to Cinderella's home with the slipper and announced that he would marry only the woman whose foot fit this golden slipper. The two stepsisters were thrilled, as they believed they had pretty feet. The older stepsister tried the slipper on in her room with her mother by her side. She could not fit her big toe in it, and the shoe was too small for her. Her mother gave her a knife and told her to cut off her toe, saying, "When you become Queen, you won't have to walk anywhere." The stepsister cut off her toe, forced her foot into the shoe, and swallowed her pain before going to the Prince. He took her on his horse and rode away with her as his bride.

The Fairy Tale of Cinderella

As they passed the hazel tree on the way home, the two pigeons sang:

"Behold, within the shoe there's blood, Too small it is, this is no dud, The true bride is still yet to come, Turn and seek, don't be undone."

The Prince saw blood streaming from her foot and realized she was not the true bride. He turned his horse around and took her back home, where he announced that she was not the one. The other stepsister then tried on the shoe in her chamber, managing to get her toes safely inside, but her heel was too large for the shoe. Her mother gave her a knife and told her to cut off a bit of her heel, saying, "When you become Queen, you won't have to walk anywhere." The stepsister cut a bit of her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, and swallowed her pain before going to the Prince. He took her on his horse and rode away with her as his bride.

As they passed the hazel tree, the two pigeons sang once more:

The Prince looked down and saw the blood dripping from Cinderella's shoe, staining her white stocking. He turned his horse around and brought the false bride back. "This is not the right one," he said. "Do you have no other daughter?" "No," the man replied. "There is only a little kitchen-wench left by my late wife, but she can't be the bride." However, the Prince insisted on seeing her, and Cinderella had to be called.

After washing her hands and face, Cinderella approached the Prince, who handed her the golden shoe. She sat down, removed her heavy wooden shoe, and slipped her foot into the delicate shoe, which fit perfectly. As she stood up, the Prince recognized the beautiful maiden he had danced with and exclaimed, "That is the true bride!"

The stepmother and stepsisters were horrified and filled with rage. The Prince, however, took Cinderella on his horse and rode away with her. As they passed the hazel tree, the two white doves cried out,

"Turn and glance, turn and glance, No blood stains her shoe, The shoe fits her perfectly, The true bride is riding with you."

The two doves then flew down and placed themselves on Cinderella's shoulders, one on the right and one on the left, and remained sitting there.

When the wedding with the Prince had to be celebrated, the two false sisters came and wanted to share Cinderella's good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder sister was at the right side and the younger at the left. The pigeons pecked out one eye of each of them. Afterwards, as they came back, the elder was at the left and the younger at the right, and the pigeons pecked out the other eye of each.

And so, for their wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness as long as they lived. But Cinderella married the Prince and lived happily ever after.

The Story of Cinderella – Grimm’s Fairy Tale -

The Moral Lesson of "Cinderella"

"Cinderella" is a classic fairy tale with several important themes and lessons. Here are some of the key messages that can be taken from the story:

1. Kindness and compassion

One of the main themes of "Cinderella" is the importance of kindness and compassion. Cinderella is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, but she remains kind and gentle throughout. This kindness is rewarded when her fairy godmother appears and helps her attend the ball. In the end, Cinderella's goodness is recognized by the prince, who chooses her as his bride.

2. Perseverance and resilience

Cinderella is faced with many obstacles throughout the story, but she never gives up. Despite being treated poorly by her family, she remains hopeful and determined. This resilience is rewarded when she is able to attend the ball and ultimately marry the prince.

3. Inner beauty

Another important lesson in "Cinderella" is that inner beauty is more important than outward appearance. Cinderella is kind, gentle, and loving, and these qualities make her attractive to the prince. In contrast, her stepsisters are vain and cruel, and their ugly personalities make them unattractive.

4. Good triumphs over evil

The stepmother and stepsisters in "Cinderella" represent evil, and they are ultimately punished for their cruelty. Cinderella, on the other hand, represents good, and she is rewarded for her kindness and perseverance.

Overall, "Cinderella" teaches important lessons about kindness, perseverance, inner beauty, and the triumph of good over evil.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Cinderella — An Analysis of Anne Sexton’s “Cinderella”

An Analysis of Anne Sexton's "Cinderella"

Categories: Cinderella Fairy Tale

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Words: 567 |

Published: Mar 20, 2024

Words: 567 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Gender and power dynamics, sexuality and desire, social commentary.

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Cinderella Essay Examples

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