Oh how I love the Grimms’ Brothers! Their fairy tales are always so awesome because they have a sense of religion and have such interesting fates of the wrong-doers. To me, Grimms’ fairy tales are timeless and classic, and this version of Cinderella is my absolute favorite version!
“Grimms’ Fairy Tales have a strange sense of justice. Sure, the wicked get punished—except for when they don’t. Cannibals and incestuous fathers often go free, while wicked stepmothers and stepsisters almost always die horrible, gory deaths” (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008).
This quote from the Shmoop website is so true. Grimms’ fairy tales always do have some sort of fate and revenge, but this fate and revenge is sometimes taken to the next level, with gruesome details, which is not something you would particularly expect from Cinderella!
Let’s start with a short summary of this story. Basically this version of cinderella contains three different grand balls. Cinderella wants to go to these balls, but it seems impossible for her to go with all of the chores her mother has her complete before she leaves. Let’s be honest here, if her stepmother was to actually let her go to the ball at the end of the day, these tasks would not have been impossible to complete. It is suggested that in this version, the mother knows Cinderella will not be able to complete these tasks on time.
To her stepmother’s dismay, little birds come and help Cinderella complete her chores so she can go to the ball. Although Cinderella does complete her chores with the help of these birds, her stepmother still does not let her attend the grand ball– Shocker! At this point I am thinking oh how evil the stepmother is, but as I keep reading, I find out there is revenge for this evil stepmother, and also her evil stepsisters who also did not treat her right.
At the end of the story, Cinderella ends up going to the ball, meeting the Prince, and getting married. On the day of the wedding, Cinderella’s evil stepmother and stepsisters show up to the wedding to share in Cinderella’s fortune… such guts they have! Have no fear… Cinderella’s pigeon friends who have been helping her throughout the story notice the step-people, and swoop down and end up pecking out the stepmother and stepsisters eyes! For all of their wrong doings and mistreatment of Cinderella, they had to endure pain and blindness for the rest of their life. I think it is safe to say that justice was served, and they got what they deserved! WooHoo!
Shmoop Editorial Team. “Grimms’ Fairy Tales Theme of Justice and Judgment.” Shmoop. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 6 Dec. 2016.
Justice and Revenge in Fairy Tales 