Representation of Cinderella in World - Literature review Example

The French version, the most popular one features the godmother, while the German version called Aschenputtel, depicts Cinderella being helped by the tree which he plants on a mother's grave. This tree provides help in the form of white doves and gifts.  One of the Russian versions of Cinderella has a magical doll, who helps Cinderella in her difficult tasks, especially the ones set by Baba Yaga, an old hag who features in many Russian fairytales, while in the European versions, Cinderella has a fairy godmother, who appears mysteriously whenever Cinderella needs her.

The Russian tale features white, red and black riders, whom Cinderella meets in the forest when she is sent there by the stepmother to fetch light, which are generally seen as embodiments of objects in nature.  The white rider is thus identified as Day, the red one as the sun and the black is night. Vasilissa prekrasnaya (1939) which is the Russian version of the fantasy family story of the story ‘Cinderella’ was written by writers O Nechayeva and Vladimir and was directed by Aleksandr Rou (1906 – 1973) In English, the movie is also known as ‘Beautiful Vasilissa’.

The character of Vasilissa is played by V. Sorogozhskaya, whose skill of acting lends softness to the film. ‘Vasilissa prekrasnaya’ is based on a very interesting and popular Russian Folk Tale that is quite different to the European version of ‘Cinderella. The Russian film with English sub-titles is 72 minutes in length, In the Russian version, the story revolves around a father who lived with his three sons. When the time came for marriage both his eldest sons chose regular brides and settled down to a happy married life.

But when the time came for his youngest son Ivanushka, to get married he brought home a frog one day from the dirty marshes, to the surprise and shock of his father and all the other family members. There are many beautiful themes in this story such as love and compassion, belief, trust, and perseverance. The central knot of the story is how Ivanushka finally gets married to the frog who was actually a beautiful princess called Vassillisa who had been cast with a bad spell by the serpent Gorynych just because she refused to marry him.

The monster had become so angry and had changed her into a frog by casting a dreadful spell on her. The themes of love and dedication are very evident because even though Ivanushka saw how repelling Vassillisa looked, yet he loved her so much and did not renounce or desert her. Besides this, Ivanushka shows bravery, perseverance, and commitment in facing and overcoming a lot of obstacles by killing the three-headed dragons and returning Vassillisa to her former beautiful appearance. Clarissa Pinkola Estes sees in this tale as a yearning for liberation on the part of Cinderella, and her eventual independence, when she becomes an assistant to a Russian cloth maker, eventually marrying the Czar.

  While this is one of the themes espoused by modern theorists, in its day the story was hailed for the hope it held out for those ill-treated and other such people.