The Mystery Kisser: Who Awakened Sleeping Beauty?

The tale of Sleeping Beauty has been retold in many different ways over the years, but the premise remains the same: a princess is cursed to sleep for a hundred years, only to be awakened by a prince. The original tale, however, is much more gruesome, with elements of assault, cannibalism, death, and infidelity. The story has been adapted by many famous writers and folklorists, including Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Giambattista Basile.

The original Sleeping Beauty story

The story of Sleeping Beauty has been adapted and retold in various forms over the centuries, including in films, animations, and ballets. The original story, however, is believed to be "Sun, Moon, and Talia" by Giambattista Basile, published in 1634. In this version, the Sleeping Beauty character is named Talia, and the story takes a much darker turn than the later adaptations.

In Basile's version, Talia is predicted at birth by astrologers that a tiny splinter of flax will be her undoing. Despite the king's attempts to ban all flax, hemp, and spinning materials from the kingdom, Talia encounters a passing peddler woman spinning flax and becomes intrigued. When she tries to spin, a splinter of flax gets lodged under her nail, causing her to drop dead.

After her death, Talia is discovered by a wandering king who carries her to a bed and takes advantage of her. He then abandons her, and she later gives birth to twins while still unconscious. In some versions of the story, one of the twins sucks on her finger, removing the splinter, and she wakes up.

The Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault also have well-known variants of the Sleeping Beauty tale, titled "Little Briar Rose" and "The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods," respectively. In the Brothers Grimm version, the fairies are wise women, and the story ends when the prince wakes Sleeping Beauty, named Rosamund, with a kiss. In Perrault's original French tale, the prince does not kiss the princess to wake her up, but she awakens and converses with him for a long time.

The role of female agency in Sleeping Beauty

The story of Sleeping Beauty has been told in several different ways, by Disney, Charles Perrault, and the Brothers Grimm, among others. However, the role of female agency in the story has been called into question, particularly in relation to the famous kiss. In the tale, the sleeping beauty, Princess Aurora, is kissed by a prince while she is unconscious, which has been interpreted as a violation of her bodily autonomy. This act, without her consent, has been described as "horrible", with some arguing that Aurora never gives her consent to the prince's kiss, as she is asleep when he kisses her.

Despite this controversial aspect, some have argued that the story of Sleeping Beauty does include positive examples of female agency. For instance, in Disney's animated film, the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, are the ones who make critical decisions and drive the action of the plot. They act with agency to save Aurora and the kingdom from the antagonist, Maleficent, who is also a female character with agency. These four women are the only characters in the film who grow and change during the story, and who the audience identifies with and roots for. In this way, it could be argued that Sleeping Beauty centres the experiences of women and showcases their power and importance.

Additionally, some have noted that the central conflict of the story is not a typical romance or a battle between good and evil, but rather the battle between the good fairies and Maleficent, in which the other characters are merely pawns. This interpretation further highlights the role of female characters in the story, as they are the primary drivers of the plot and the most dynamic and relatable characters.

However, others have criticised the film for reinforcing gender stereotypes, such as the portrayal of Princess Aurora as sensitive and prone to crying, which encourages girls to be emotional and passionate, while boys are meant to be brave and strong. The society depicted in the film has also been described as patriarchal, with men making decisions for their daughters, and women not being shown eating, which reinforces their delicacy.

Overall, while Sleeping Beauty has been criticised for its treatment of women, particularly in relation to the kiss, it can also be argued that the story includes examples of female agency and centres the experiences of women in a way that is unusual for Disney films.

Misogyny in fairytales

The treatment of women in fairytales is often a controversial topic. While some fairytales feature active, admirable female characters, many others have been criticised for perpetuating misogynistic tropes and emphasising feminine physical beauty. For example, in Cinderella, the heroine is described as beautiful, while the villainous stepsisters are "ugly". This pattern is common in fairytales, with attractive heroines and unattractive female villains. In 2003, researchers at Purdue University examined 168 Grimm Brothers' tales and found that 94% of the stories acknowledged physical appearance, with an average of 13.6 references per story.

Fairytales have also been criticised for socialising women into passive roles, where they are often portrayed as "damsels in distress" who need to be rescued by a male character. For instance, in Sleeping Beauty, the title character, also known as Briar-Rose, is awakened from her slumber by a prince's kiss. In the Grimm version, she "looked at him quite sweetly", indicating a lack of surprise at being awoken by a stranger. This can be contrasted with earlier versions of the tale, in which the prince does not wake her but instead rapes her while she is unconscious. Similarly, in Snow White, the heroine is not actively rescued; instead, she is accidentally revived when a servant carrying her glass coffin trips, causing the piece of poisoned apple to dislodge from her throat.

The portrayal of older women in fairytales is also often negative. They are frequently depicted as hags, witches, or evil stepmothers, as seen in the characters of the stepmother in Snow White and the witch in Little Red Riding Hood. However, there are some positive depictions of older women in fairytales, such as the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, who aides the heroine.

Despite these criticisms, it is worth noting that fairytales often feature strong female characters who take action to rescue themselves or their loved ones. Out of the stories in the Grimms' Household Tales that fit the category of the classic fairytale, 43 have women as main or prominent characters, 32 of whom rescue their loved ones or themselves, gaining wealth and happiness through their endeavours. Additionally, some modern interpretations of fairytales actively subvert the traditional passive depictions of women. For example, Angela Carter's "Company of Wolves", a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood tale, portrays the female protagonist as fearless and almost complicit in the werewolf's actions, rather than as a submissive victim.

While fairytales may not be solely responsible for shaping someone's perception of women and gender roles, the impact of repeatedly hearing these stories should not be underestimated. They can reflect and transmit cultural ideas and influence how we view women, even if subtly.

The prince's kiss in Disney's Sleeping Beauty

The tale of Sleeping Beauty has been adapted and retold numerous times, with varying levels of controversy. The original tale, "Sun, Moon, and Talia", was written by Giambattista Basile and published posthumously between 1634 and 1636. This version of the story is very different from the Disney adaptation, as it includes assault, cannibalism, death, and infidelity. In this version, Talia is kissed by a king who finds her, but she remains unconscious and gives birth to twins. One of the twins sucks on her finger, removing the splinter that caused her to fall into a deep sleep, and she finally wakes up.

Disney's version of Sleeping Beauty, however, has been criticised for its treatment of female agency, as the princess Aurora does not give explicit consent to be kissed by Prince Phillip. Despite this, the kiss in the Disney film has been defended by some, who argue that Aurora's reaction to the kiss speaks volumes about her comfort and familiarity with the prince.

In the Disney film, Aurora is given limited material, but her reactions to the kiss have been analysed in detail. After being kissed by Phillip, Aurora wakes up and, after a moment of disorientation, slowly smiles at him without saying a word. This moment has been interpreted as a sign of her comfort and familiarity with the prince, indicating a pre-established relationship.

While the kiss in Disney's Sleeping Beauty has been a topic of debate, it is important to note that the tale has evolved significantly over time. The original versions of the story, such as the one by Basile, have been criticised for their disturbing content, including assault and rape. In comparison, the Disney adaptation softened some of these elements, such as giving the villain Maleficent a more active role, and the kiss itself is a result of the pre-existing relationship between Aurora and Phillip.

The Grimm Brothers' version of Sleeping Beauty

The Brothers Grimm included a variant of Sleeping Beauty, Little Briar Rose, in the first volume of Children's and Household Tales (published 1812). In this version, the fairies are instead wise women. The wise women bestow blessings on the princess, including virtue, beauty, and wealth. However, one angry wise woman who had not been invited to the party cursed the princess, saying that during her fifteenth year, she would prick her finger and fall over dead. Another wise woman softened the curse, saying that the princess would not die but would fall into a hundred-year deep sleep.

Despite the king's efforts to protect his daughter by ordering all spindles in the kingdom to be burned, the princess, also known as Rosamond or Rosamund, fulfills the prophecy and pricks her finger, causing her to fall into a deep sleep along with the entire kingdom. Princes from all over the world try to enter the kingdom to wake the princess, but they die in the thorns surrounding it. Finally, after 100 years, a prince walks up to the fence, and the plants part to let him through. He finds the princess and kisses her, breaking the curse and awakening her and the entire kingdom. They get married and live happily ever after.

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