Herbie Murray
The tale of Sleeping Beauty has captivated audiences for generations, with its enchanting storyline and timeless appeal. The story of a beautiful princess who pricks her finger on a spindle and falls into a deep sleep has been retold in various forms, from literature to film adaptations, including the well-known Disney version released in 1959. However, the original versions of Sleeping Beauty are quite different from the fairy tale we know today. The earliest known version, Sun, Moon, and Talia by Giambattista Basile, includes disturbing themes of rape, infidelity, and even necrophilia. In this version, Talia is impregnated by a king while she is unconscious, giving birth to twins who suck the flax from her finger, awakening her. The story has evolved over time, with contributions from Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, who added elements like the thorny rose hedge and the seven good fairies. Despite criticisms of the naive and malleable character of the princess, Sleeping Beauty remains a beloved fairy tale that continues to capture the imagination of audiences worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Princess's name | Aurora, Brier Rose, Talia, Zellandine |
| Princess's state | Dead (Basile's version), asleep |
| Cause of state | Pricked her finger on a spindle, splinter of flax embedded under her nail |
| Duration of state | 100 years, until her 16th birthday, until her 17th birthday |
| Resolution | Kissed by a prince, gave birth to twins who sucked out the flax |
| Rape | Yes (Basile's version) |
| Infidelity | Yes (Basile's version) |
| Cannibalism | Yes (Basile's version) |
| Necrophilia | Yes (Basile's version) |
| Author of original version | Giambattista Basile, Charles Perrault, Brothers Grimm |
| Year of film adaptation | 1959 |
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What You'll Learn
The princess is cursed to sleep for 100 years
The tale of Sleeping Beauty is a captivating, magical story that has been adapted into countless forms over the years, from literature to film. The story of a beautiful princess cursed to sleep for a century has particularly stood the test of time.
In the original tale, the princess is named Talia. On the day of her birth, Talia's father, a great Lord, asks wise men and astrologers to predict her future. They foretell that Talia will be in danger from a splinter of flax. Years later, Talia sees an old woman spinning outside her window and is intrigued by the twirling spindle. She takes the distaff from the woman's hand and, in a tragic turn of events, the flax gets embedded under her nail, fulfilling the prophecy and causing her to fall into a deep slumber.
The king, upon discovering Talia, does not wake her but instead impregnates her while she is unconscious. After giving birth to twins, one of whom sucks the flax from her finger, Talia finally awakens. Unaware of what transpired while she slept, she is informed of her new family by the king, and they bond. The king promises to return and take her to his kingdom. However, upon his return, he tells his wife about Talia, and she plots to kill her. Fortunately, the king's wife is thwarted, and Talia, the prince, and their children live happily ever after.
This dark version of Sleeping Beauty, titled "Sun, Moon, and Talia," was written by Giambattista Basile and contains disturbing elements of rape and infidelity. The Grimms and Perrault specify that Sleeping Beauty is asleep, but Basile refers to her as dead, adding a layer of necrophilia to the tale. The story has evolved over time, with the Grimms and Perrault borrowing from Basile's version but omitting the more gruesome details.
The tale of Sleeping Beauty continues to enchant audiences, with modern adaptations focusing on the magical and romantic elements of the story, often downplaying the more disturbing aspects of the original. The Disney version, released in 1959, is particularly well-known and beloved, though it has received criticism for its portrayal of the princess as naïve and lacking agency.
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A prince kisses her and breaks the spell
The tale of Sleeping Beauty has captivated audiences for generations, with its enchanting storyline and timeless appeal. In the original version, the sleeping beauty is named Talia. After wise men and astrologers predict that Talia will be in danger from a splinter of flax, she encounters an old woman spinning outside her window. Intrigued, Talia invites the woman over and takes the spindle from her, embedding a splinter of flax under her nail and causing her to fall into a deep sleep.
In one version of the story, a prince named Florimund kisses the sleeping princess, and she wakes from her slumber. They prepare to be married, and at the wedding celebration, they dance together, symbolising a lifetime of happiness. However, it is important to note that in the original tale, the prince's kiss does not actually break the curse. He happens to arrive just as the century-long curse comes to an end.
In Giambattista Basile's dark version, titled "Sun, Moon, and Talia", the sleeping beauty is impregnated by a king while she is unconscious. She gives birth to twins, and one of them sucks the flax from her finger, breaking the curse. When she wakes up, she is confused about her situation but eventually learns the truth from the king, and they bond. The king promises to return and take her to his kingdom.
The tale of Sleeping Beauty has been adapted countless times throughout history, with various interpretations and additions. The Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault, for example, included their own attributes, such as the thorny rose hedge and the specific curse details. The story's enduring popularity has led to film adaptations, such as the beloved Disney version released in 1959, as well as ballets and novels.
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The original story includes rape and infidelity
The original version of Sleeping Beauty is a disturbing tale that includes rape and infidelity. In Giambattista Basile's version, titled Sun, Moon, and Talia, the sleeping beauty is named Talia. After learning from wise men and astrologers that Talia will be in danger from a splinter of flax, her father, a great Lord, keeps her protected. However, as fate would have it, Talia, now grown, sees an old woman spinning outside her window and is intrigued by the spindle. She invites the woman over, takes the spindle, and accidentally embeds the splinter of flax under her nail, causing her to fall asleep.
A king finds the sleeping Talia and, despite her unconscious state, impregnates her. He then leaves her and returns to his kingdom. Talia gives birth to twins while still asleep, and one of the infants sucks the flax from her finger, awakening her. Confused and unaware of what happened during her sleep, Talia eventually discovers the king and learns about her motherhood. The king promises to return and take her to his kingdom. However, when he arrives back, his wife overhears him saying "Talia, Sun, and Moon" in his sleep, revealing his infidelity.
The original tale is far from the enchanting and dreamy story often associated with Sleeping Beauty. It includes assault, cannibalism, death, and a stark portrayal of the king's infidelity, which is largely ignored in the narrative. The Grimms and Perrault specify that Sleeping Beauty is asleep, but Basile describes her as dead, adding a layer of necrophilia to the tale. The modern adaptations of this fairy tale have evolved significantly, with the Disney version from 1959 being particularly well-known for its magical and timeless appeal.
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The Grimms and Perrault specify she's asleep, Basile calls her dead
The Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault's versions of the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty" specify that the princess is asleep, but in Giambattista Basile's version, titled "Sun, Moon, and Talia", she is referred to as dead.
In the Grimm and Perrault tales, the princess is cursed to sleep for a hundred years, only to be awakened by a prince's kiss. In Basile's version, however, the princess, named Talia, dies when a splinter of flax gets embedded under her nail after she tries to spin it. The king, who is captivated by her beauty, impregnates her while she is unconscious. Talia eventually gives birth to twins, one of whom sucks the flax from her finger, causing her to awaken.
The Brothers Grimm included a variant of Sleeping Beauty, titled "Little Briar Rose", in the first volume of "Children's and Household Tales" published in 1812. Their version ends when the prince arrives to wake Sleeping Beauty, named Rosamund, with a kiss. The Brothers Grimm nearly rejected the story as it was derived from Perrault's version, but they were convinced to include it as an authentically German tale due to the presence of the Brynhild tale.
Charles Perrault's version, titled "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood", was published more than a century before the Grimms' tale. In Perrault's narrative, seven good fairies are invited to be the infant princess's godmothers and give her gifts. The king and queen do not invite an eighth fairy because they believe she is dead.
Basile's version, on the other hand, takes a darker turn with the princess's death and the subsequent necrophilia and rape themes. It also includes other disturbing elements such as assault, cannibalism, and an unfaithful husband. While modern versions of the tale have been toned down, the original story is far from empowering for female characters.
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The Disney version is criticised as naive and malleable
The Disney version of Sleeping Beauty has received criticism for depicting the princess as a "naïve and malleable" character. Time Out dismissed the princess as a "delicate" and "vapid" character. Sonia Saraiya of Jezebel echoed this sentiment, stating that the princess lacks "interesting qualities". Saraiya also ranked her as Disney's least feminist princess. Similarly, Bustle ranked the princess as the least feminist Disney Princess, with author Chelsea Mize commenting that "Aurora literally sleeps for like three-quarters of the movie … Aurora just straight-up has no agency, and really isn't doing much in the way of feminine progress."
In contrast, Leigh Butler of Tor.com defended the character, arguing that "Aurora’s cipher-ness in Sleeping Beauty would be infuriating if she were the only female character in it, but the presence of the Fairies and Maleficent allow her to be what she is without it being a subconscious statement on what all women are."
The original versions of the Sleeping Beauty tale, including the stories by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Giambattista Basile, contain darker and more disturbing elements such as assault, cannibalism, death, and infidelity. In these versions, the princess is not merely asleep but is often described as dead, adding a layer of necrophilia to the tale. The original stories also involve the king's infidelity, with the king impregnating the sleeping princess and then leaving her. The modern Disney version of Sleeping Beauty removes these darker elements and portrays the princess as a delicate and naive character, which has been criticised as a setback for feminist progress.
The Disney version of Sleeping Beauty was released in 1959 and was the last animated feature produced by Walt Disney to be based on a fairy tale. The film underwent multiple rewrites and re-releases, and its successful reissues have made it the second most successful release of 1959, with a lifetime gross of $51.6 million. The story of Sleeping Beauty has captivated audiences for generations and has been retold in various forms, including literature, ballet, and film.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Aurora, also known as Briar Rose.
She pricks her finger on a spindle, causing her to be cursed to sleep for 100 years.
A spell of slumber is cast over the kingdom, and the princess sleeps until the spell is broken when she is awoken by a kiss from a prince.
The princess and the prince prepare to get married, and they dance together at their wedding celebration.
The story has been criticised for its depiction of the princess as a "naïve and malleable" character, with some reviewers calling her ""delicate" and "vapid". The original versions of the tale also contain disturbing themes of rape, infidelity, cannibalism, and death.
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