A Good Retelling of Rapunzel's Story

Rapunzel. Rapunzel. Lay down your hair...

That is the popular line in the Grimm's fairytale story of Rapunzel. Rapunzel is a lady famous for her very long hair. Her hair is so long that it is used by her Prince Charming to climb the high tower that serves as her prison.

In Grimm's fairytale, a farmer was caught by a witch stealing her pumpkin in her yard. The pumpkin was a special request by the farmer's wife but the witch does not care about that and she still demands repayment for what he tried to steal. In exchange of the pumpkin, the witch demanded the farmer's child once it is born. The witch locked Rapunzel, who is the farmer's daughter, inside a tower. Her hair grew long. Finally her Prince Charming came and visited her in her tower. The witch discovering his visits, blinded him in one of his visits. In the end, Rapunzel restored the prince's sight by hear tears and they lived happily ever after.

There are many things worth pondering in Grimm's version of Rapunzel's story. The first is why the farmer allowed his daughter to be exchanged with a pumpkin? Second, why did the witch exerted an effort to lock Rapunzel in a tower? What will she gain by locking Rapunzel inside that tower?
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Disney's movie “Tangled” managed to address those questions in the retelling of Rapunzel's story.

Tangled began with a magical flower that grew from a part of the sun that fell to the ground. An old woman discovered the magical flower and it is using it to restore her youth by singing to it. A good queen, who is pregnant, fell ill and there is danger that she and her child might die. All the soldiers and citizens of the kingdom searched far and wide for a cure. They discovered the magical flower and they uprooted it and made a concoction that healed the queen. The queen birthed a girl with a blond hair and she was named Rapunzel. The old lady want to retrieve the magic of the magical flower and she discovered that the magic transferred to the hair of baby Rapunzel. She kidnapped Rapunzel, locked her in the tower and acted as her true mother for the sake of keeping the power of her magical hair for her sole use of keeping her young.
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Tangled “explanation” to the questions of Grimm's fairytale is logical and is good enough for me.

And that's not the good part. What I like with the movie is the way the story flows. The singing portion of the movie is not cheesy and I like their beat and relevance to the movie.

My favorite part is when Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder is in the middle of the sea and surrounded by a host of lanterns.
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The ending of the movie is also good because I didn't expect the twist at the end. I don't want to spoil the ending for you, dear reader, so I suggest that you watch Tangled to know the ending.

Just like in Grimm's version, the Rapunzel in Tangled lived happily ever after.

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14 comments:

  1. All I knew about Rapunzel was that she was kept in a tower and she has a long hair. period. as in :D

    mga 100x ko na yata napanood ang Tangled. I fell in love with flynn ryder XD

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  2. Sa iyo na si Flynn Ryder, saakin na si Rapunzel. :-P

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  3. I am not very familiar with the story of Rapunzel. Now i learn more with your post : )

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  4. we watched this movie two times. my kids really like this film, me too.

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  5. Ang kulet nga ng movie na to! comedy at hindi yung usual na nababasa na fairytale noon... hehehehhehe

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  6. @FoongPC:

    Ah, you are not familiar with the story of Rapunzel? Maybe you are more familiar with other popular fairytales of Cinderella and Snow White.

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  7. @Faye:

    Wow! Your kids are a fan of Tangled. ^_^

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  8. @Xprosiac:

    Haha...at talagang makulit nga itong Tangled. Pasaway ang bida eh. Pati yung mga mukhang Vikings, patawa rin.

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  9. My daughter watched when she was home for the holidays end of last year. She loved it so much...

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  10. haha I could relate at the first comment. All I knew was Rapunzel has a long hair and is locked in a tower. Buti nalang na-address yung mga questions sa Tangled. I haven't seen this movie yet. It sounds interesting. I think I should watch this soon.

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  11. kuuuuyyyaaaa iiisssshh! di ko expected na makakabasa ng ganto sa blog mo. ASTIIIGGG! i love that movie too... and i also love your favorite part. gaya-gaya ka naman! haha joke! tsaka ung song.. panalo noh? love it.

    kaso.. nakalimutan ko na ung original story ng rapunzel eh. basta ang alam ko si rapunzel ung oa haba ng hair. :p

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  12. @Lovelace:

    Oh yes you should. Maganda ang movie na ito ng Disney. Kaya nga naging best animated film last year eh. Astig kasi.

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  13. @Tine:

    Haha...anu tingin mo sa akin, movies na puro may barilan at tagaan lang ang pinapanood ko?

    At saka ikaw kaya yung gaya-gaya putomaya. :-P

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