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CASD 1717 – Fall 2024

Literary Fairy tales from Italy and France

In class, we will discuss how myths and folktales contribute to the development of Literary Fairy Tales. (Note: If we read these stories (“Sun, Moon, and Talia” and “Bluebeard”), you can skip the story we looked at below.)

This first story is from the writer Giambattista Basile, whose collection known as Il Penteramone (subtitled: Lo cunto de li cunti, “The Tale of Tales”) which set down many tales being told around Europe and marks some of the oldest versions of these type of stories to be written down. The collection wasn’t published until after his death by his sister Adriana in Naples in 1634. The collection served as one of the inspirations for the Grimms’ project nearly two hundred years later.

Painted illustration of a a group of medieval courtiers including a woman in a long yellow gown with a train, a raised stage with another assortment of courtiers next to a cradle. A young man with a lute stands midway playing a lute.
Page from Il Pentamerone, Giambattista Basile, E. F. Strange, 1911; Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is an old saying, that he who seeks what he should not, finds what he would not.

“How the Tales Came to be Told” – the first line of Basile’s Il Penteramone

The story you’ll be reading from this collection is called “Sun, Moon, and Talia” and is a form of a “Sleeping Beauty” story.

This is a very different story than you might know from Disney and has some extremely troubling elements relating to sexual consent and violence.

Painting of a man on a white horse in the lower left corner accompanied by a large black dog. A tall tree rises near him and a hill in the distance has a castle. A hawk flies in the top right.
Illustration for “Sun, Moon, and Talia” by Warwick Gable, 1911; Public Domain

Read

Sun, Moon, and Talia

Read the Text

Via Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts, edited by D.L. Ashliman

You can read the text linked above or listen to the story below. (Note that the text and the voice recording may differ as this story has been translated.)

Silhouette illustration of a courtyard with a girl in rags, a pumpkin mid transformation and a women with a tall pointy hat and her arms raised
Arthur Rackham, illustration for Cinderella, 1919; Public Domain via WikiMedia Commons

Charles Perrault

Perrault was a French artistocrat, who, in 1697, published Histoires ou contes du temps passé. (Stories of Past times), which is subtitled “avec des moralités” or “with morals.” It also was known as Mother Goose Tales (though Mother Goose became more known for the association with nursery rhymes later on), implying authorship by an imaginary ‘mother’ or nurse figure from whom the tales were first heard. Perrault wrote and embellished these stories and had an enormous impact on later variations.

Charles Perrault’s version of “Cinderella” is closest to the version that was animated by Disney, pumpkin and all. His rendition of Sleeping Beauty retains elements of Basile’s, specifically the evil queen/ogre trying to eat the children.

Read

Bluebeard

Read the Text

Via Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts, edited by D.L. Ashliman

Gallery of various Bluebeard depictions

How might these tales speak to an upper class audience? What about a lower class one?

Go Back
Go on to the Brothers Grimm

Comments

24 responses to “Literary Fairy tales from Italy and France”

  1. Anthea longville Avatar
    Anthea longville

    These tales might speak to an upper class audience through their subjects of power, wealth, social expectation and the shadowy sides of a life of nobility.

    Reply
  2. Naurah Romulus Avatar
    Naurah Romulus

    For the upper class, these stories might highlight the power and control that comes with money and status, showing how the rich can shape their own futures. For the lower class, these stories could be seen as warnings about the dangers of power and wealth, focusing on the risks of trusting those in control.

    Reply
    1. Shiraz Biggie Avatar
      Shiraz Biggie

      The point about the rich shaping their own futures is a good one. Can you be more specific about how that plays out in these two stories?

      Reply
  3. Mahnoor Avatar
    Mahnoor

    Fairy tales speak to an upper-class audience because they are framed to depict themes like nobility and talk about privilege and power that come with being part of the upper class, which often resonates with the main characters. They also speak to a lower-class audience by showing how respecting those in power can get one respect. This can be seen in the story Sun, Moon, and Talia in regards to characters like the chef. Additionally, fairytales like Cinderella give the lower class hope that they can also succeed despite their beginnings. 

    Reply
    1. Shiraz Biggie Avatar
      Shiraz Biggie

      The chef is an interesting character as he makes a choice about who he is respecting in the story. He goes against the person in power (the queen) in favor of respecting himself in making the moral choice. Arguably, you could say that he is respecting the king instead, but the text tells us it is his pity and compassion that has him take the children into hiding.

      Reply
  4. Kateryna Senkovych Avatar
    Kateryna Senkovych

    The two tales speak to the upper-class audience about power and the fact that since they are rich, they can do anything they want. This is also a lot more appealing to the upper-class audience than the lower-class audience. For the lower-class audience, these stories could be painting a picture that all the rich people behave that way.

    Reply
  5. Nitzan Naim Avatar
    Nitzan Naim

    First, I have to say Bluebeard sounds more like a horror movie to me than a fairy tale. I don’t think these tales would speak the same way to audiences today as they did when first written. It might have given hope to the lower class that change was possible, but only through great trials. For the upper class, it could serve as a warning not to underestimate the poor or let cruelty and greed lead to downfall.

    Reply
    1. Shiraz Biggie Avatar
      Shiraz Biggie

      Absolutely, it is more of a horror story! But as we’ll see, many are. There are some theories this story is based on a specific serial killer. True crime of the 17th century!

      Reply
  6. Anifat Abumislimova Avatar
    Anifat Abumislimova

    To be honest, these two tales are scary tales, even with happy endings. These tales might speak to an upper class audience about rich people, big houses, fancy things, kings/ queens as upper class people can relate to them as they might think that they can do whatever they want with lower class people. For a lower class audience, it might speak about the fact that at the end of the story, the rich/bad person is punished.

    Reply
    1. Shiraz Biggie Avatar
      Shiraz Biggie

      Do you think it’s also a warning to the rich about this kind of behavior?

      Reply
  7. Sofia Buttaro Avatar
    Sofia Buttaro

    In “Sun, Moon, and Talia” this tale speaks to an upper class audience because it upholds their views on fate, high society, and the effects of their actions. The main character, Talia, is a princess, which fits perfectly with the upper class’s concern with royalty. This may be perceived by the upper class as supporting their own social systems. For a lower class audience, It might draw attention to instances of power abuse and serve as an escape from the ruling class and a critique of them. For the upper class, “Bluebeard” serves as a warning about the risks of having too much power, the moral pitfalls of dominance, and the results of marrying for money.It gives a message of optimism that even the most powerful may be brought to justice, while also criticizing their use of money in a tempting yet deadly way for the lower classes.

    Reply
  8. Brittany Giler Avatar
    Brittany Giler

    These tales speak to an upper class by Emphasis on Refinement and Elegance, they adapted to highlight the beauty, sophistication, and refinement of the characters. These tales speak to a lower class with relatable characters and Situations, tales could be adapted to feature characters and situations that lower-class audiences could identify with.

    Reply
    1. Shiraz Biggie Avatar
      Shiraz Biggie

      Where do you see refinement and elegance here, particularly in Bluebeard?

      Reply
  9. Alexa Mendez Avatar
    Alexa Mendez

    These fairytales are definitely targeting upper class audience because they mention wealth and power and sophistication. Also because of the details such as the houses, fancy things, kings and queens.

    Reply
  10. Selina Chen Avatar
    Selina Chen

    For an upper-class audience, these tales may reinforce ideas of power, wealth, and control while for a lower-class audience, these stories might evoke themes of exploitation and caution.

    Reply
  11. Amna Syeda Avatar
    Amna Syeda

    Bluebeard is about a rich man who hides his wives’ murders, and Sun, Moon, and Talia involves a king exploiting a sleeping woman. These tales highlight the dangers of unchecked power, privilege, and corruption within elite circles.

    Reply
  12. Michelle Cortes Rodriguez Avatar
    Michelle Cortes Rodriguez

    How might these tales speak to an upper class audience? What about a lower class one?

    These tales speak to an upper class audience because it talks about wealth and power. Based on the illustration you can see kings , queens, houses and the clothing they have on.

    Reply
  13. Amy Khait Avatar
    Amy Khait

    Fairytales speak to a upper class audience through showcasing royalty and nobility, such as kings, queens, princesses and more, which the upper class can relate to. Fairytales depict power and privilege of the royal upper class. Fairytales also speak to the lower class by showing that you can achieve success like the upper class and can also gain the respect of the upper class. It gives the lower class hope that this type of lifestyle can be possible. However, it also shows the hostile way that the lower class can be treated. This portrays an image that all upper class people do this to the lower class and can make it seem more difficult to achieve.

    Reply
  14. Tory Sen Avatar
    Tory Sen

    Fairy tales appeal to individuals of all socioeconomic groups because they emphasize elegance, delicacy, and refinement. Their portrayal of appealing individuals and events supports concepts of power and control using reinforcement. They demonstrate the exquisite beauty and sophistication of the figures for affluent spectators. To viewers at a better socioeconomic level, they show the beauty and refinement of the figures. They could, however, cause viewers from lower socioeconomic levels to think about being wary and taken advantage of.

    Reply
  15. Victoria Lucenti Avatar
    Victoria Lucenti

    These fairytales can speak to an upper class audience as the overall theme portrayed wealth, royalty and status of power, and the refinement of beauty and power(control). These factors within the theme play a major role that can connect to the upper class audience, but can also relate to the lower class audience as well as it truly does shape a “wary” meaning of how these factors affect our lives, and in this case, the upper class society that may take advantage of what they have and how they use it, which can be see throughout these tales.

    Reply
  16. VANESSA Avatar
    VANESSA

    How might these tales speak to an upper class audience? What about a lower class one?

    The tales speak to an upper class audience because they usually talk about all the wealth they have in the stories. Stories are made to be relatable to their audience. In the Bluebeard article right away we read that the man has fine houses and gold. These are materialistic things in which the wealthy usually mention and usually make it seem like having all these things bring happiness. The stories may speak to the lower class by demonstrating that “having it all” doesn’t necessarily mean that you are happy, sometimes what one has is just enough.

    Reply
  17. Kaylee Pontone Avatar
    Kaylee Pontone

    I think stories might speak to different classes in terms of visuals such as castles or clothing they are wearing, since I do feel that most class commentary goes over the heads of a young child audience.

    Reply
  18. Jaylyn Calles Avatar
    Jaylyn Calles

    These tales speak to an upper class audience because they’ll be able to relate more to the stories being told. The lower class would read these stories and desire the live the upper class lives.

    Reply
  19. Amna Syeda Avatar
    Amna Syeda

    For an upper-class audience, these tales might focus on power and control, like Bluebeard’s danger of unchecked power or Sun, Moon, and Talia’s themes of fate and social roles. For a lower-class audience, the stories may highlight struggles with authority and the hope for a better life. Bluebeard could represent fear of exploitation, while Sun, Moon, and Talia might show the desire to escape hardship.

    Reply

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