Blue Beard written by Charles Perrault is one of my favourite tales...

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Опубликовано: 21.04.2023, 15:27

Автор: МБЦ

Blue Beard written by Charles Perrault is one of my favourite tales, because it makes you think about relationships between people. One can say that it’s not a fairy tale for children but for adults.

So, what was Bluebeard's secret? Why did he kill his wives? How did it all begin and why did it finish that way? After all, the tale ends with a not quite traditional «and they lived happily ever after». The main character is killed, his surviving wife becomes a rich widow and remarries (in her new home she must forget all the horrors of her past family life). So, what was hidden in the locked room? What secrets were kept there? There are many theories and opinions on this subject. There is also the theme of psychic trauma, deeply buried, hidden from human eyes and locked. The theme of hiding one's powerlessness. There are associations with the Greek myth of Pandora. Biblical themes of Adam and Eve. Really, there's a lot of stuff, for all tastes.

But what if there is no secret? That's right, the secret is that there is no secret, and never was. Bluebeard believes he has supremacy and power over the woman. There is something mysterious, incomprehensible, known only to him and locked in a room. It is a secret, the possession of which gives him power over others (especially his wife). To assert his power, he tests the woman for obedience, but makes a mistake. His miscalculation is monstrous. Finally, the first wife opens the room and finds it empty, completely empty. There is nothing, no secret. Domination is only a mirage, an illusion; the emptiness of the room proves it. A profound realization arrives that all grounds for a sense of superiority are wrong. Bluebeard cannot come to terms with this. The emptiness of the room becomes a trigger and a call to action. The action happens. The room fills with death and with murder. The door slams shut with a noise. A change takes place, but in essence everything remains as it was. Bluebeard has no power to control, to dominate, no real grounds for superiority...another wife turns the key in the keyhole... At the end, the hero dies because he miscalculated his powers. Times are changing, and attitudes toward women must change. What is the tale about? What a mysterious code is hidden in it?

We can summarize that «Bluebeard» is a story about a man's thirst for power and an unreasonable sense of superiority, a story about a man's anxieties, the fear of losing his dominant position...and the inevitable changes, about a change of perspective on the role of women in family, male life and society or the theme of male vulnerability, helplessness...He defended as best he could, but did not survive...

Anastasia Shinkevich

The Magic Land of Charles Perrault

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Опубликовано: 21.04.2023, 15:23

Автор: МБЦ

Charles Perrault was an outstanding French storyteller who gave the world such fairy tales as «Donkeyskin», «Tom Thumb», «Little Red Riding Hood», «Cat in Boots», «Sleeping Beauty», «Cinderella» and others. He is considered the founder of the literary fairy tale genre, although he didn't start creating fairy tale works until he was 60 years old.

Our family is very fond of his fairy tales. When I was a child, my mother read the book «The Fairy Tales of Mother Goose» by C. Perrault. This collection brought the writer world fame and a world of magic and goodness to me. The family tradition of reading fairy tales by Charles Perrault is continuing today. My little daughter listens to this author's tales with great pleasure.

She is impressed by the magical colorful folk story written by the talented author. She follows the adventures of the characters in the tale with interest. Her child’s attention is attracted by the scenes of the fairy tale, where good wins over evil. She wants to be like the princess and Cinderella.

Fairy tale characters by Perrault are understandable to a little girl. They are simple and unambiguous. Little Red Riding Hood is a kind and caring granddaughter, and the Wolf is evil and treacherous. The Puss in Boots is a clever and quick-witted friend. Cinderella is a hard-working and obedient stepdaughter. The Prince is brave and caring.

The little girl likes to discuss heroes who have been punished for their vices. She learns from the stories of fairy tales that virtue wins and vices are punished. It gives her confidence that the real world is good and happy.

Every Charles Perrault fairy tale has given my daughter a favorite character, but the favorites are The Cat (in Boots), Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.

She loves the Sleeping Beauty most of all. She likes the magical plot in which the magic of an evil witch plunges the kingdom into sleep and the castle is covered by a dense wall of plants. (This happens because of a simple spindle that pricked the princess.) My daughter also loves this tale because it has a good ending. (The prince in love saves the princess and the kingdom.)

In my opinion, the art of Ch. Perrault is relevant and in demand. His fairy tales teach not to lose hope, but to hope for the best. Remember, no matter how hard it is, there is always a way out of a difficult situation. Resentment and revenge do not lead to a good result. You should not waste your life on this harmful feeling. Only the power of love has a powerful ability to defeat evil.

The author's loyalty to folklore traditions, in which the folk experience and wisdom of life are hidden, make the tales interesting for modern readers. I am sure that the family tradition of reading fairy tales by Ch. Perrault will continue in the future.

Natalya Krasnikova

Essay about the work «Puss in Boots» dedicated to the 395th anniversary of Charles Perrault

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Опубликовано: 21.04.2023, 15:21

Автор: МБЦ

«Puss in Boots» is a famous fairy tale by the French writer Charles Perrault. An interesting and unusual plot attracts us as readers.

The image of the Cat symbolizes a person who independently controls his own destiny, does not give up before any life difficulties. Puss in Boots, unlike his master, evokes sympathy, although he is not a strictly positive character. Like the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood, he is endowed with speech and sharpness, but at the same time he does not have the ability to turn around. The magical power of this amazing character lies in a pair of boots, putting on which he turns into a cunning resourceful hero. Puss in Boots is akin to the images of Thumb and the good fairy who helps Cinderella go to the ball. In the character of a magical character, the reader sees the features of a cunning and rogue. The Marquis de Carabas owes his happiness entirely to his pet, which he almost ate. Thus, “Puss in Boots” is an amazing fairy tale in which intelligence and ingenuity take up over life's difficulties. The poor son of a miller becomes the rich son-in-law of the king, and the Cat finds a calm, carefree life thanks to his efforts.

I recommend everyone to read this book.

My favorite fairy tale by Charles Perrault "Riquet with the Tuft"

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Опубликовано: 09.03.2023, 14:15

Автор: МБЦ

Essay by Sofia Lukina

The fairy tale "Riquet with the Tuft" is included in the collection "Tales of Mother Goose". The fairy tale is based on a plot that the author came up with without borrowing motifs from folklore, as when creating his other works. The fairy tale has become very popular in many countries, however, it seems to me that it has not gained such great popularity in Russia. This work belongs to the group of fairy tales. The work traces the spirit of the seventeenth century through the description of clothes, customs, etiquette at the court of the king.

The fairy tale tells us about the story of  Riquet with the tuft who was born unattractive, however smart and reasonable as well as about the birth of an incredibly beautiful princess but to the same extent silly. However, internal personality traits are valued much more than a beautiful appearance. This idea is represented in the fairy tale not only through the main characters but also through the princess's older sister. The beauty of the princess attracted attention only for a short time and all the suitors went to the unattractive sister because she was a great conversationalist and could maintain a dialogue. Already here we see one of the main thoughts of the fairy tale. The author shows that you should not worry about the opinions of other people. There is something in every person that someone else will definitely like. Everyone is not perfect, but it is important to be yourself. After all beauty is a rather controversial concept - and what to understand by an ideal everyone decides for himself.

The meeting of the girl and the prince in the forest is a turning point in the fairy tale. Riquet being a kind and bright nature gives the princess a brilliant mind hoping that she will marry him in a year. However, the girl in turn does not give him the beauty that the prophecy promised. And this makes the story even more interesting. The second thought that the author wanted to convey is tolerance and purposefulness. Of course, you can discuss the fact that the prince could have waited so long in vain and been refused but do not forget that we see the fairy tale through the prism of experience and children will understand it differently.

At the end of the work the characters meet again. The girl still doubts, but she brought him beauty as a gift. I liked the idea that the princess after reflecting on the constancy of her admirer, his modesty and all the wonderful properties of his mind and soul ceases to notice his external features.

Love can significantly affect a person's appearance: at such moments he blooms like a flower and becomes the most beautiful in your eyes.

I like this fairy tale the most. It intertwines ideas about self-acceptance, living in harmony with oneself, spiritual beauty and the power of love. Charles Perrault masterfully put so many important topics into a small work. The most important thing is that reading “Riquet with the Tuft” in different periods of life, it will be perceived differently and in some way, even if quite imperceptibly, affect your life.