Those who have studied children’s literature are also worth studying from our vantage point. There is evidence that even in the mid-1800s there were people attempting to find the original version of Cinderella, where it originated, and how it has changed forms over the years. In 1893, there was an effort to compile 133 versions of Cinderella. From the 21st century, we must look investigate how they selected these items, who was omitted, and with what kinds of biases they developed this collection.

While this collection is not as fully formed as the 1893 collection was, you will be able to view these images as you might in person. We have also provided numerous links to other collections akin to ours. With this, we hope to inspire you to pursue these collections to your heart’s desire. Included in these links is another digitization collection called the Cinderella Project.

History

Cinderella is a story that was first written down in ninth century China, and has evolved into different versions of the story as it migrated across the globe (Bettelheim 236). The best known version, is Perrault's Cinderella, which was turned into the Disney movie. The Brother's Grimm wrote down "Aschenputtel," which is known for its gorey ending. Much can be read from Cinderella and it's variations. Bettelheim relates the sibiling rivalry to one of the oldest's rivarlies between Cain and Abel (Bettelheim 237). Within The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairytales, Bettelheim analyzes how the different variations reveal particular insights about the cultures that created them. For more information about this book, see the LibGuide on Fairytales.

Cinderella in Special Collections

Within this digitized collection, we have provided five copies of Cinderella, demonstrating the differences and similarities between the texts. With more time, I would have liked to undergo a throughout investigation of where stories began, how they changed over time, and compare that to the types of Cinderella stories that are told to children in the 21st century. These copies were published between 1820 and 1886, vary in detail, expense, and technologies used to produce the materials.

Beginning in 1820, the UW libraries has a cut and an uncut version of Cinderella. These copies were published and distributed at the same time as their uncut selves. The stories were printed as you can view in the uncut version, arranged on a single sheet of paper allowing the customer to cut and sew a cover on. The cut copy of Cinderella has been rebound in blue paper wrappers.

The stories within Special Collections remain very similar, all variations on Perrault's Cinderella. In this story, Cinderella is a passive figure who is ordered around by her step-family. She recieves help from her fairygodmother and is able to attend the Prince's ball, where she meets and falls in love.