Rapunzel

 Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky

Bibliographic data  

Zelinsky, P. O., Beniker, A., Stevens, J., & Dutton Children's Books (Firm). (1997). Rapunzel. Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN: 0525456074 

 

Brief plot summary  

    There was a man and woman who were with child, the woman was craving the Rapunzel that was in the sorceress garden. The husband got caught stealing the Rapunzel and the sorceress said that when the baby is born, they had to give her up. The baby was born the sorceress took the baby and when she was twelve years old, she put her in a tower. Rapunzel stayed in the tower for many years and the sorceress would visit and care for her. One day a young prince was riding by and heard Rapunzel's sweet voice singing to the animals and he wanted to meet her, and he tricked her into letting down her long hair and he climbed up and visited her. He continued to visit her, and they even performed a ceremony and got married, the prince would leave every day and finally one day the sorceress realized that Rapunzel was with child and cut off her hair and sent her to live in the wild. The next time the prince came the sorceress pushed him off the tower and he became blind, but he eventually found Rapunzel and their twin children and Rapunzel cried and her tears fell onto the prince’s eyes and was able to see again and the went back to his kingdom and they lived happily ever after.  

 
Critical analysis  

 The author Paul O. Zelinsky combine the Grimms version with a French fairy tale to create his version of Rapunzel. Zelinsky really gives the reader an inside view of the human characters and the struggles that they endure. There is love followed by tragedy. The reader can observe what happens when poor choices are made and the consequences that follow. The illustrator used oil paints to illustrate this story. Zelinsky uses Renaissance period characters, so the reader knows when this story took place. The artwork is so detailed. (The garden, the tower, and the different animals in the forest) There is so much to observe and take in and the reader can begin to create their own stories of what could take place in their head. Also, the way the author painted Rapunzel's hair and his choice of color is just stunning.  

Review excerpt(s)  

• Publishers Weekly (September 2, 2009) PW said, "A breathtaking interpretation gives the fairy tale new art-historical roots, with illustrations that daringly-and effectively-mimic the masters of Italian Renaissance painting." 

• Horn Book starred (March 1998) It takes a scholar's mind and an artist's insight to endow the familiar with unexpected nuances--which Zelinsky does with passion and dazzling technique. His choice of a Renaissance setting is inspired, allowing for many artistic and architectural allusions.  

• School Library Journal (Nov 1991) 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.

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 Connections  

• Discussion questions: What did you think about the mother having the father take the Rapunzel out of the garden? What do you think about the sorceress taking the baby and locking her in a tower? Were you surprised that the sorceress sent Rapunzel to live alone in the wild? What did you think about the ending? 

• Students may create a tower for Rapunzel in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activity using a pringles can and other items to create a way to “save” Rapunzel from the tower. 

• Discussion questions: How did this version of Rapunzel compare to the Disney version of Rapunzel? Create a Venn Diagram.