| Synopsis: |
"Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale representing a myth-element of unjust oppression followed by triumphant compensation. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune. The story was first published by Charles Perrault in 1697, and later by the Brothers Grimm in their folk tale collection Grimms' Fairy Tales. Although both the story's title and the character's name change in different languages, in English-language folklore "Cinderella" is the archetypal name. The word "cinderella" has, by analogy, come to mean one whose attributes were unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect. |