Cinderella is the central character of a fairy tale.
Cinderella is a fictional character who stars in a fairy tale , also known by that name ( “Cinderella” or “Cinderella” ). That is why the term can appear as a proper noun.
However, the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) recognizes a meaning of the concept as a common noun, whose meaning derives from the aforementioned literary work. Cinderella is the name given to someone who suffers contempt or who suffers from postponements and deprivations in an unjust manner .
The Tale of Cinderella
As we mentioned above, “Cinderella” is a fairy tale because it includes spells or enchantments. It can also be considered a folk tale because, in its beginnings, it was transmitted orally.
It is believed that the story originated in Ancient Egypt , where the archetype of the story is also present in other cultural expressions. In addition, narratives of this type, with similar plots and characters, can be found in Ancient Greece , the Roman Empire , Persia and China .
The Italian Giambattista Basile ( 1566 – 1632 ) is credited as a pioneer in the publication of the written short story. The possibly most famous version, however, appeared in 1697 and was written by the Frenchman Charles Perrault ( 1628 – 1703 ).
Another variant of “Cinderella” that achieved enormous popularity was the one created by the German brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm . In this case, the work dates back to 1812 .
In "Cinderella," the intervention of a fairy godmother with her spells is key.
The story
Although there are differences in each story, the general plot revolves around Cinderella , the daughter of a noble widower. This man married for the second time to a woman who already had two daughters.
Cinderella , in this setting, is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. They force her to do housework and dress in rags. Cinderella 's life changes after the party organized by the monarch of the kingdom where she lives so that his son (the prince) can choose his future wife. For this purpose, the king invites all the young women of the region.
At first, the stepmother prevents Cinderella from attending the event. However, Cinderella 's fairy godmother appears, and uses her powers to turn a pumpkin into a carriage; rodents and lizards into horses and coachmen; and the girl's clothes into a luxurious dress. So Cinderella goes to the ball, but with the warning that the enchantment will end at midnight.
At the celebration, Cinderella falls in love with the prince. In the seconds before midnight, she must rush out before the spell ends and loses her shoe. The prince, eager to find the girl again, picks up the shoe and makes all the young girls try it on, looking for its owner (i.e. Cinderella ).
When he finally discovers Cinderella , he is surprised by her appearance . Until the fairy godmother appears again, uses her magic again and the prince confirms the identity of his beloved, whom he then marries.
Cinderella as a common noun
In colloquial language, the idea of Cinderella refers to someone or something that is unjustly relegated . A Cinderella, then, suffers contempt or marginalization.
For example : “The Cinderella of the tournament surprised again by defeating the current champion” , “At work I was the Cinderella, but over time I was able to demonstrate my worth and I earned everyone's respect” .