Cinderella By Charles Perrault

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Recommended: A modern perspective on gender roles in fairy tales

Cinderella is a classic fairy-tale, a rags to riches story about a kind hearted girl who suffers various hardships only to marry the prince of the kingdom and find her happily ever after. Like many fairy tales, the story of Cinderella establishes the ideologies of the real world and produces a viable metaphor included in the story. However, if the text is perceived in a feminist point of view, it can be seen that, in fact, the story represents much more. The story of Cinderella by Charles Perrault, when perceived in a feminist point of view suggest a deeper message through its attempts to clarify the relationships between man and women, and the daily life struggles one must face in a lifetime. This story, when viewed in a feminist point of …show more content…

This is evident during the fairy-tale in which Cinderella was “employed in the meanest work of the house. She scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and cleaned madam's chamber, and those of misses, her daughters” (Perrault 1). This is a perfect example of feminism in Cinderella because in the real world women are perceived as the workers of the house and Cinderella is doing stereotypical woman jobs in that quote. From this point of view, the tale is stating that a woman’s right of feeling should devote herself for the good of others. The qualities of Cinderella are now overlooked in a feminist point of view in which she is beautiful, quiet, nurturing, and subordinate. Cinderella is perceived as a slave and someone who does traditional woman labour in a feminist point of view and overlook her good qualities. The story allows for no solidarity among women and Cinderella is portrayed as a woman that is essentially prisoned to her work and chores. Also, Cinderella during the fairy-tale lives inside a kingdom that is pervasively patriarchal. Cinderella lives in a kingdom that is male-centered and controlled, this is evident during the play when the king’s son had a ball and all women are to come stating “It happened that the king's son gave a ball,

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