A Breathtaking Adaptation of Rapunzel

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zelinsky, Paul O. 1997. Rapunzel. New York: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN 0-525-456007-4

PLOT SUMMARY

Zelinsky's adaptation of this traditional tale begins with a couple thrilled by the news that they are expecting a child.  In order to appease his wife's life-threatening craving for rapunzel, the husband steals some from the garden of their neighboring sorceress.  Enraged, the sorceress agrees that the woman may have the rapunzel, but only if she gives her the baby when it is born.  

Fast forward twelve years; the sorceress has taken care of the child, whom she named Rapunzel, and now decides to keep her locked in a tower deep in the woods.  This tower has no doors - the only way in or out is to climb from the window at the very top, via the girl's incredibly long hair.  As the years pass, Rapunzel remains in isolation, except for her visits from the sorceress.  One day, a prince rides by on his horse and hears Rapunzel's beautiful singing.  He falls immediately in love with the owner of the voice.  Once he figures out how to get into the tower and the two meet, Rapunzel falls in love, too.  The prince visits her often, and they even hold a wedding ceremony in that tower.

Unfortunately, the sorceress finds out about the prince when Rapunzel becomes pregnant with his child.  In a rage, she cuts off Rapunzel's hair and sends her to live in the wild all on her own.  When the prince returns to the tower to visit her, the sorceress is waiting for him.  Stricken with grief when he hears that Rapunzel is gone, he lets himself fall the long distance from the tower.  Miraculously, he survives the fall, but his eyesight is gone.

After the passing of a year, the prince wanders into the same wilderness where Rapunzel is living, with their twin children.  Reunited, his eyesight returns, and the family makes their way back to the prince's kingdom, where they all live happily ever after.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

While there have been many adaptations of Rapunzel over the years,  I find Paul Zelinsky's to be one of the most mesmerizing.  His version shares many of the same elements from its Italian and French predecessors, published in 1634 and 1697, respectively.  The archetypal characters of traditional children's literature are present - Rapunzel and the prince are beautiful and wholly "good", while the sorceress is ugly and "bad."  The plot is fast paced and filled with action, as well as some violence.  The overall theme that good will triumph over evil is woven in, as well. 

His illustrations, paintings with oil on paper, are simply breathtaking.  They are true works of art, in the style of the Italian Renaissance, that one would expect to see hanging on the walls of a prestigious gallery.  Zelinsky is able to bring the text to life through his paintings.  The setting is not directly indicated through the text; it is the illustrations that tell the reader where and when this story takes place.  His attention to detail draws the reader right into this fictional world.  In fact there are several pages that don't have any text at all; the illustrations are strong enough to tell the story without words.

I love what Paul Zelinsky has done with his adaptation of Rapunzel.  His style of writing is so engaging that is almost makes this familiar tale seem brand new.  I had so much fun reading this with my two children.  Their experience with Rapunzel thus far had solely been through the Disney movie, Tangled, so I enjoyed seeing their reactions to the more traditional tale.  My daughter gave this book high praise when she said, "I loved it!  I liked when the prince finally got to see Rapunzel again.  This was different than Tangled because the boy who married Rapunzel was a prince, not a thief."  My son, who is very much into action and adventure, said, "I liked the part when the prince fell down from the tower.  That was really scary!"

REVIEW EXCERPTS

1998 Caldecott Medal

1998 Carl Sandburg Award

From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - "A breathtaking interpretation gives the fairytale new art-historical roots, with illustrations that daringly - and effectively - mimic the masters of Italian Renaissance painting...The text, like the art, has a rare complexity, treating Rapunzel's imprisonment as her sorceress-adopted mother's attempt to preserve her from the effects of an awakening sexuality."

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - "An elegant and sophisticated retelling that draws on early French and Italian versions of the tale.  Masterful oil paintings capture the Renaissance setting and flesh out the tragic figures."

From KIRKUS REVIEWS - "Exquisite paintings in late Italian Renaissance style illumine this hybrid version of a classic tale."

CONNECTIONS

Read other fairytales adapted and/or illustrated by Paul Zelinsky.  Discuss the similarities and differences in his writing style and illustrations.

• Zelinsky, Paul. Rumpelstiltskin. ISBN 0140558640
• Lesser, Rika. Hansel and Gretel. ISBN 069811407

Read other adaptations of Rapunzel.  Discuss the similarities and differences.

• Gibb, Sarah. Rapunzel. ISBN 080756804X
• Isadora, Rachel. Rapunzel. ISBN 0399247726
• Berenzy, Alix. Rapunzel. ISBN 0805012834

Watch the Disney movie, Tangled.  Discuss similarities and differences.

Act out the story, with volunteers taking on the roles of the sorceress, Rapunzel's birth parents, Rapunzel, and the prince.

Use the rapunzel in this story as the basis to learn about other root vegetables.  Bring in some rapunzel, or rampion, to have your students try.

Write a story about what you think may have happened to Rapunzel's birth parents.  What did they do after their newborn daughter was taken from them?