“Cinderella: Not so Morally Superior Critique”

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Evelyn Duron Period 3 9/22/12 “Cinderella: Not so Morally Superior Critique” Cinderella is a story most of us know. The story of Cinderella has been retold many different ways in countries all around the world but the one we frequently think of when it comes to Cinderella is Disney’s rendition. In Elisabeth Panttaja’s critique, “Cinderella: Not so Morally Superior,” she critiques “Ashputtle,” the Grimm’s version of Cinderella. Although Panttaja argues that Cinderella triumphs in marrying the prince because she uses magic, there is indications that magic did not place the prince under a spell. In the Grimm’s version of Cinderella (628-633), the day of the wedding Ashputtle begs to go. Her stepmother dumps a bowlful of lentils in the ashes and says that she will be allowed to go if she can pick up the lentils from the ashes in two hours. Ashputtle asks two doves to help her pick up the lentils. They help her, but once she is done, the stepmother again throws lentils in the ashes. (629). The doves once again come to Ashputtle’s aid but in the end the stepmother breaks her promise and Ashputtle is not allowed to go. (629). Once everyone leaves to the wedding, she goes and weeps at her mother’s grave. There, Ashputtle asks the hazel tree for a dress, “to throw her down silver and gold”. (Grimm 630). The doves give her a dress laced with silver and gold. Ashputtle puts on the dress and she is off to the wedding at the castle. There she meets the prince and he does not let her go until she sneaks away. For the next two days Ashputtle does the same thing but each time the dresses get more beautiful. On the third day as she sneaks away, her slipper falls of. Then the prince announces that he will find his mystery maiden. Eventually he gets to Ashputtle’s house. The two stepsisters try the slipper on first and in the process to make the slipper fit their mother makes
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