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The Complete Fairy Tales Charles Perrault

The Complete Fairy Tales By Charles Perrault

The Complete Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault


Summary

Perrault's fairy tales in a scintillating translation, including the less familiar verse tales and with illustrations by Gustave Dore. The introduction explores the imaginative power of the stories and the many interpretations to which they have been subject.

The Complete Fairy Tales Summary

The Complete Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault

'Oh grandmama, what great big teeth you have!' Charles Perrault's versions gave classic status to the humble fairy tale, and it is in his telling that the stories of Little Red Riding-Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and the rest have been passed down from the seventeenth century to the present day. Perrault's tales were enjoyed in the salons of Louis XIV as much as they were loved in the nursery, and it is their wit, humour, and lively detail that capture the imagination of adult and child alike. They transmute into vivid fantasies the hidden fears and conflicts by which children are affected: fears of abandonment, or worse, conflicts with siblings and parents, and the trials of growing up. In addition to the familiar stories, this edition also includes the three verse tales -- the troubling account of patient Griselda, the comic Three Silly Wishes, and the notorious Donkey-Skin. This translation by Christopher Betts captures the tone and flavour of Perrault's world, and the delightful spirit of the originals.

The Complete Fairy Tales Reviews

Perrault's tales capture the myth and magic of the fairy tale ... It is extraordinary to revisit stories so familiar from childhood and see within their bounds savagery, deceit and dire warnings about predators and even puberty. The hidden symbolism of Perrault's tales is explained in the erudite introduction by Christopher Betts, who has translated the 1697 edition, the only complete translation in both verse and prose. The fairy tale is a rite of passage. Read yours aloud, share it with a small or re-read these tales and wonder at the depth that Disney never did. * The Field *
Betts gives the stories the sense of humour ... The Gustave Dore illustrations in the Oxford editions add to the baroque feel of the thing as well. These are fairy tales that are as much a pleasure to read now as they were to be told once upon a time ago. * Desperate Reader *
This Oxford University Press treatment of Perrault's fairy tales is a lovely edition for the discerning collector who likes pretty books that contain intellectual insight and commentary along with meticulously translated prose and verse. It may also be a nice edition for bedtime stories. * Allen Stroud, Science Fact & Science Fiction Concatenation *
Bett's new edition positions Perrault in relation to the many other tales in circulation before and after, offering helpful comparisions. * Margaret ReynoldsThe Times *
Bett's new translation of the tales is subtle and clever. * Margaret Reynolds, The Times *

About Charles Perrault

Christopher Betts was a Senior Lecturer in French at the University of Warwick until retirement. He has translated Montesquieu's Persian Letters for Penguin, and Rousseau's Social Contract and Jean de La Fontaine's Selected Fables for Oxford World's Classics.

Table of Contents

Introduction Tales in Verse Preface The History of Griselda Three Silly Wishes Donkey-Skin Stories or Tales of Bygone Times, With Their Morals The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood Little Red Riding-Hood Bluebeard Puss in Boots The Fairies Cinderella Ricky the Tuft Hop o' my Thumb

Additional information

GOR009610061
9780198817970
0198817975
The Complete Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault
Used - Very Good
Hardback
Oxford University Press
2018-03-22
272
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - The Complete Fairy Tales