http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/greenknight.html
In the green knight the father is trapped by a promise he makes to his wife on her deathbed. He promises to give the daughter whatever she wants if it is within his power. This is similar to the donkeyskin tales in that the mother is a partly the troublemaker. The princess wishes for her father to marry a countess whom the princess loves. The Countess and the countess’s daughter pretend to be loving female companions. The king warned his daughter about the females’ two–faced nature but marries the countess as the princess wishes. The father is again at the mercy of the previous wife but unlike the other stories the young princess is also at fault because she fails to listen to good advice and fails to see the inner being. She deludes herself. Another interesting twist is that the father stays or wants to stay devoted to the old wife. He has no wish to remarry. He wishes to remain pure, chaste and steadfast.
After suffering the princess moves to a castle on an island as her father suggests. The parent child conflict is subdued. The princess is no longer fleeing from the lusty father or unjust law. The conflict is the confined to the biological daughter and step-mother/sister. Meloncholic, the princess tells her father that she wants the green knight when he returns from a voyage. The green knight is the green of the churchyard. In other versions the princess is an active agent. She runs away and puts objects into dishes. She arranges a marriage or new life. This princess is much more passive. She is emo and even suicidal. Weird!
Differing from the other tales the prince and not the biological mother comes to the princess’s aid. The Prince or green knight transforms into a bird and flies to the princess when she reads a passage. The magic is not cute and whimsical as in the Perrault and unlike the Grimms it is not firmly connected to the daughter’s virtue. This tale adds in a heavy dose of romantic relationship as the prince actually gets to know Princess before he falls in love. He knows her woes and sorrows and talks to her for 3 visits. It’s a lengthy courtship (plans to wait 3 months for father’s blessing). It is implied that unlike other princesses she has a voice and the prince does want her because she is an object to be gazed at but someone with whom he has meaningful conversations. Awh! Like the other donkeyskin tales the prince falls ill and he is saved through the princess’s cooking. He also recognizes her in the end and the story completely erases the perfect fit motif. I found it unusual that the story is labeled as a Cinderella type as it is more similar to donkeyskin.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Green Knight
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/greenknight.html
In the green knight the father is trapped by a promise he makes to his wife on her deathbed. He promises to give the daughter whatever she wants if it is within his power. This is similar to the donkeyskin tales in that the mother is a partly the troublemaker. The princess wishes for her father to marry a countess whom the princess loves. The Countess and the countess’s daughter pretend to be loving female companions. The king warned his daughter about the females’ two–faced nature but marries the countess as the princess wishes. The father is again at the mercy of the previous wife but unlike the other stories the young princess is also at fault because she fails to listen to good advice and fails to see the inner being. She deludes herself. Another interesting twist is that the father stays or wants to stay devoted to the old wife. He has no wish to remarry. He wishes to remain pure, chaste and steadfast.
After suffering the princess moves to a castle on an island as her father suggests. The parent child conflict is subdued. The princess is no longer fleeing from the lusty father or unjust law. The conflict is the confined to the biological daughter and step-mother/sister. Meloncholic, the princess tells her father that she wants the green knight when he returns from a voyage. The green knight is the green of the churchyard. In other versions the princess is an active agent. She runs away and puts objects into dishes. She arranges a marriage or new life. This princess is much more passive. She is emo and even suicidal. Weird!
Differing from the other tales the prince and not the biological mother comes to the princess’s aid. The Prince or green knight transforms into a bird and flies to the princess when she reads a passage. The magic is not cute and whimsical as in the Perrault and unlike the Grimms it is not firmly connected to the daughter’s virtue. This tale adds in a heavy dose of romantic relationship as the prince actually gets to know Princess before he falls in love. He knows her woes and sorrows and talks to her for 3 visits. It’s a lengthy courtship (plans to wait 3 months for father’s blessing). It is implied that unlike other princesses she has a voice and the prince does want her because she is an object to be gazed at but someone with whom he has meaningful conversations. Awh! Like the other donkeyskin tales the prince falls ill and he is saved through the princess’s cooking. He also recognizes her in the end and the story completely erases the perfect fit motif. I found it unusual that the story is labeled as a Cinderella type as it is more similar to donkeyskin.
In the green knight the father is trapped by a promise he makes to his wife on her deathbed. He promises to give the daughter whatever she wants if it is within his power. This is similar to the donkeyskin tales in that the mother is a partly the troublemaker. The princess wishes for her father to marry a countess whom the princess loves. The Countess and the countess’s daughter pretend to be loving female companions. The king warned his daughter about the females’ two–faced nature but marries the countess as the princess wishes. The father is again at the mercy of the previous wife but unlike the other stories the young princess is also at fault because she fails to listen to good advice and fails to see the inner being. She deludes herself. Another interesting twist is that the father stays or wants to stay devoted to the old wife. He has no wish to remarry. He wishes to remain pure, chaste and steadfast.
After suffering the princess moves to a castle on an island as her father suggests. The parent child conflict is subdued. The princess is no longer fleeing from the lusty father or unjust law. The conflict is the confined to the biological daughter and step-mother/sister. Meloncholic, the princess tells her father that she wants the green knight when he returns from a voyage. The green knight is the green of the churchyard. In other versions the princess is an active agent. She runs away and puts objects into dishes. She arranges a marriage or new life. This princess is much more passive. She is emo and even suicidal. Weird!
Differing from the other tales the prince and not the biological mother comes to the princess’s aid. The Prince or green knight transforms into a bird and flies to the princess when she reads a passage. The magic is not cute and whimsical as in the Perrault and unlike the Grimms it is not firmly connected to the daughter’s virtue. This tale adds in a heavy dose of romantic relationship as the prince actually gets to know Princess before he falls in love. He knows her woes and sorrows and talks to her for 3 visits. It’s a lengthy courtship (plans to wait 3 months for father’s blessing). It is implied that unlike other princesses she has a voice and the prince does want her because she is an object to be gazed at but someone with whom he has meaningful conversations. Awh! Like the other donkeyskin tales the prince falls ill and he is saved through the princess’s cooking. He also recognizes her in the end and the story completely erases the perfect fit motif. I found it unusual that the story is labeled as a Cinderella type as it is more similar to donkeyskin.
Ella Enchanted
The version on Cinderella I have enjoyed the most over the years is Ella Enchanted. Before visiting the Sur La Lune sight I did not even realize that Ella Enchanted was a version of the classic Cinderella tale, however the more I thought about it the more they related.
Ella Enchanted approaches CInderella in a new way then most of the versions we have read in class. Although, the female main in the story is beautiful and gracious, her graciousness is a curse given to her by her fairy godmother when she is born. Ella cannot say no to anyone, or refuse a command. The graciousness that is so focused on the other versions of Cinderella as a blessing and what all women should be, is portrayed as the thing Ella struggles most with in the book.
Ella Enchanted still entails the main points of focus of other versions as well. Ella is locked away as a servant, has evil step sisters and an evil stepmother and in the end is saved by prince charming, when the cure is broken by her "one true love".
I am amazed that I did not realize the similarities in stories before now. The slight alteration of graciousness as a curse instead of a blessing is one I find truly interesting. It address how at a point a woman's graciousness becomes subservient.
The Story of Tam and Cam
I chose to discuss the Vietnamese version of Cinderella, "The Story of Tam and Cam". This version is very interesting, because of how different it is from the versions of the story most are familiar with. One main difference with this version is that there is only one step-sister (Cam), who is in this case related to Tam (father is present in the beginning of this story). However, the step-mother, like in other versions is wicked and makes Tam do all the chores. One interesting aspect of this story is that Tam's beauty, which she herself must remind herself via a looking glass (pond), is a major reason for the step-mother's hatred of her. Gilbert and Gubar would make arguments similar to the ones they make with in their article about Snow White.
Another thing to be aware of in this version is how nature and animals are really the driving force behind most of the action of this story. Whereas nature plays an important role in both Grimms and Perrault's versions, it is the major focus in the Vietnamese version. In the story, Tam is told by "The Goddess of Mercy" (the fairy godmother figure) that she must take care of a fish. The fish is killed, and a hen (important that it is a bird) helps her find the bones of the fish. She wishes on the bones for gold and a dress. I find it interesting that this character that up until this point has been "pure" and self-sacraficing, would wish for such superficial things. The ball that everyone is attending is The Festival of Autumn (note again nature), and Tam is only able to go to the festival, because the Sparrows help her finish her chores (like the animals in Grimms).
Another very important difference, is the fact that the story does not end after the wedding between the King and Tam. Tam is killed by her sister, but undergoes a transfiguration. She becomes a bird, and sings to the King, who in this case recognizes that Tam's spirit is inside the bird. This singing bird transfiguration is like that of the Juniper Tree, because all who hear it find the song so beautiful. Cam kills the bird, and Tam's spirit transfers to a magnificent piece of fruit. She comes out of the fruit each day to do chores, the King finds her and is happy. After this, Tam again acts in a way that is not expected of her. She is directly responsible for the demise of both her stepmother and stepsister. She tricks Cam into being boiled in a pot of water, and her mother as a result is blinded.
This story is full of supernatural elements, and therefore it was a very enjoyable story to read. Unlike many versions, which have lost a lot of magical elements (except for the fairy godmother figure), this one does not shy into the realistic realm at all. The focus on the magical elements really capitvate the readers attention ( and surprises them), but most importantly help drive the story forward to its conclusion and moral which is essentially that people will get what they deserve.
For those interested the url is: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/tam.html
Another thing to be aware of in this version is how nature and animals are really the driving force behind most of the action of this story. Whereas nature plays an important role in both Grimms and Perrault's versions, it is the major focus in the Vietnamese version. In the story, Tam is told by "The Goddess of Mercy" (the fairy godmother figure) that she must take care of a fish. The fish is killed, and a hen (important that it is a bird) helps her find the bones of the fish. She wishes on the bones for gold and a dress. I find it interesting that this character that up until this point has been "pure" and self-sacraficing, would wish for such superficial things. The ball that everyone is attending is The Festival of Autumn (note again nature), and Tam is only able to go to the festival, because the Sparrows help her finish her chores (like the animals in Grimms).
Another very important difference, is the fact that the story does not end after the wedding between the King and Tam. Tam is killed by her sister, but undergoes a transfiguration. She becomes a bird, and sings to the King, who in this case recognizes that Tam's spirit is inside the bird. This singing bird transfiguration is like that of the Juniper Tree, because all who hear it find the song so beautiful. Cam kills the bird, and Tam's spirit transfers to a magnificent piece of fruit. She comes out of the fruit each day to do chores, the King finds her and is happy. After this, Tam again acts in a way that is not expected of her. She is directly responsible for the demise of both her stepmother and stepsister. She tricks Cam into being boiled in a pot of water, and her mother as a result is blinded.
This story is full of supernatural elements, and therefore it was a very enjoyable story to read. Unlike many versions, which have lost a lot of magical elements (except for the fairy godmother figure), this one does not shy into the realistic realm at all. The focus on the magical elements really capitvate the readers attention ( and surprises them), but most importantly help drive the story forward to its conclusion and moral which is essentially that people will get what they deserve.
For those interested the url is: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/tam.html
Cinderella Rabbit
I chose the "Cinderella Rabbit" illustration because it reminded me of my favorite childhood story book: Angelina Ballerina. Angelina was a mouse, and this is clearly not a mouse... but the animals dressed in courtly clothes sparked something in my memory. I like this illustration because it clearly places magic back into the notion of the fairy tale. Joosen argues that many tales are being disenchanted because of society's stress on realism. In choosing to portray Cinderella and her Prince as enchanted rabbits, the illustrator makes the story very unreal, pulling magic to the forefront.Even the landscape and the colors of the illustration portray a sense of magic. The "man in the moon" looks down on Cinderella and the Prince as they race from the ball. In looking at the other illustrations, not all of them evoke happiness or enchantment. My favorite aspect of fairy tales (at least contemporary-ish ones) is their happy endings. In a world of chaos and disappointment, fairy tales allow children (and apparently college students, such as myself) to escape into a magical world where anything is impossible and the characters always live "happily ever after."
“Rashin-Coatie”
(From http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html)
I chose to discuss “Rashin-Coatie”, the Scottish version of Cinderella because it not only contained some aspects of the Grimm version and the Perrault version discussed, but was also unique in itself. For starters the Scottish version has a (biological) mother, father, and two (biological) daughters, one of whom is the Cinderella character in the story. One thing that I found interesting was that the “bonnie lassie “ (the Cinderella character) does not receive her nickname until after she escaped from her evil family, and it is not given to her by her evil family as a means of degradation, but rather receives the nickname as she makes herself a “coatie” out of rashes with her magical, talking calf friend.
In a way, the magical aspect in “Rashin-Coatie“ combines that of the Grimm version and the Perrault version. For instance, the Perrault version includes the fairy grandmother who creates clothes for Cinderella. The red calf serves a similar purpose in that he says that “he would give her clothes” to go to the kirk. Both, the Grimm and Scottish, versions also contain a magical bird. The bird in “Rashin-Coatie” is the character which tells the prince where he can find his true love, the true fit, Rashin-Coatie, and ultimately stops him from marrying the henwife.
There is a lack of suspense in the Scottish version in that Rashin-Coatie is not in a time crunch to get back (she chooses to so she can “look after the dinner”), yet regains that suspense aspect when the prince almost marries the wrong girl.
Another similiarity between the Grimm version and “Rashin-Coatie” is that the prince recognizes the Cinderella-character’s face, as well as seeing that the shoe fits.
Lastly, one moral or message portrayed in this version that was not portrayed in either the Grimim or Perrault versions was the value of one’s word or keeping a promise. For instance, “He[the prince] knew it was not the lady that he wanted; but, because he had promised to marry whoever the shoe fitted, he had to keep his promise.”
Assignment 5- 24.Feb 2009
Hi Alex, Jasmine, Alexandria, Allison and Tim,
Here is your assignment for this week.
Look through the websites suggested below and find a version of Cinderella or even an illustration of her, that has not been talked about in class as yet.
1. D. L. Ashliman's folktale site:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html
2. the Sur La Lune fairy tale site:
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/
3. the Cinderella Project at the Univ. of Mississippi:
http://www.usm.edu/english/fairytales/cinderella/cinderella.html
Having selected the story/illustration, you are to elaborate on the reason you picked that particular story/illustration.
You could talk about how the story is different from what you have read so far and how these differences could be interesting in the light of our current discussions in class.
If you have selected an illustration, mention what about it grabbed you, what about it is different from other illustrations known to you and whether it contradicts or proves any of what we have discussed in class so far.
Posts are to be sent in by Midnight on Tuesday and comments to a minimum of two other posts are to be in by Midnight on Wednesday.
Here is your assignment for this week.
Look through the websites suggested below and find a version of Cinderella or even an illustration of her, that has not been talked about in class as yet.
1. D. L. Ashliman's folktale site:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html
2. the Sur La Lune fairy tale site:
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/
3. the Cinderella Project at the Univ. of Mississippi:
http://www.usm.edu/english/fairytales/cinderella/cinderella.html
Having selected the story/illustration, you are to elaborate on the reason you picked that particular story/illustration.
You could talk about how the story is different from what you have read so far and how these differences could be interesting in the light of our current discussions in class.
If you have selected an illustration, mention what about it grabbed you, what about it is different from other illustrations known to you and whether it contradicts or proves any of what we have discussed in class so far.
Posts are to be sent in by Midnight on Tuesday and comments to a minimum of two other posts are to be in by Midnight on Wednesday.
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