Charles Perrault is not only a storyteller! And his biography is full of intrigues, secrets and tragedies - late marriage, death of his wife, criminal sentence of his son. And worldwide fame.

For almost forty years, Charles Perrault compiled the “Universal Dictionary French" In the book “Famous People of France of the 17th Century” he described more than a hundred biographies of famous scientists, poets, doctors, artists - Descartes, Moliere, Richelieu. Oversaw the construction of Versailles and the Louvre and the production of tapestries. But the whole world knows him from fairy tales. We know the stories of Puss in Boots and Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard and Thumb in his presentation. January 12 is the 390th anniversary of the birth of the great writer, who initially wrote his fairy tales in secret.

Fairy tale "Mr. Cat, or Puss in Boots." The first handwritten and illustrated edition of the collection “Tales of Mother Goose”, 1695

Charles Perrault the child prodigy

Charles Perrault was the youngest of six children of the judge of the Parisian Parliament, Pierre Perrault. His twin brother Francois died at 6 months. And there were already five of them. Due to a conflict with teachers, Charles left the Faculty of Arts, and in a couple of years he himself learned the entire college curriculum, which is Greek and Latin languages, history of France, ancient literature.

Portrait of a young Charles Perrault

Family connections

At 22, Charles Perrault received a law degree. But jurisprudence quickly became boring. And then the elder brother Claude, one of the first members of the French Academy of Sciences, a famous architect, the author of the eastern facade of the Louvre and the Paris Observatory, took Charles to his place.

In 1654, their brother Pierre acquired the position of tax collector. And Charles went to work for him as a clerk, staying for 10 years. All his free time he studied books from the library purchased from the heirs of the Abbé de Cerisy, a member of the French Academy.

Charles Perrault in the service of His Majesty

Then he was noticed by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the future powerful minister of Louis XIV. Colbert made Charles his secretary and adviser. Introduced writers into the Committee. Perrault was appointed Secretary General of the Intendance of Royal Buildings. At the age of 43 he was elected a member of the French Academy, and in 1678 he became its chairman. But after the death of his patron, both the writer’s pension and the position of secretary were taken away from him.

10 francs with a portrait of Colbert

Belated personal life

Busy with his career, Charles Perrault married late, at 44. His wife, Marie, was 25 years younger. They had three sons and a daughter. After 6 years, his wife suddenly died of smallpox, and he began to write religious works: “Adam and the Creation of the World”, “St. Paul”. He raised children and never married again.

Charles Perrault tried to regain the monarch's favor by dedicating odes to him. For example, like this:

It is decent to honor glorious antiquity, without a doubt!

But she doesn't inspire me with awe,

I am not inclined to belittle the greatness of the ancients,

But there is no need to deify the great ones either.

And the age of Louis, without arrogance,

I dare to compare now with the age of Augustus...

Charles Perrault writes his main fundamental book, “Parallels between the ancient and the modern in matters of art and science.” About what ancient heritage no better than the current one French literature. That the king's legacy can outshine the works of bygone antique, dust-covered times. But the overlord ignored his literary criticisms and his career did not progress.

A fairytale career triumphed over a political one

As a single father, Charles Perrault was passionate about fairy tales. He read them to his children at night, often inventing stories based on folk adventures already known to them. Why not publish these wonderful things? And so the respected academician, trying to protect himself from accusations of working with a “low” genre, publishes the collection “Tales of Mother Goose” under the name of his 19-year-old son Pierre d’Armancourt.

This surname appeared with his father’s acquisition of the Armancourt castle, so that his son’s dream would come true and he could become the secretary of “Mademoiselle” (the king’s niece, the Princess of Orleans). For career purposes, they dedicated this book of fairy tales to her.

Elizabeth Charlotte de Bourbon-Orléans, Mademoiselle de Chartres, to whom the first book of Perrault's fairy tales was dedicated

Seven of the published fairy tales were literary adaptations of folk tales, allegedly heard by Charles from his son’s nurse, and he invented the 8th, “Rike the Tuft,” himself. It was about a gnome-like prince with tufted bangs who gives intelligence to the one he loves. And the chosen one gave him beauty in return.

The Castle of Usset on the Loire became the prototype of the Sleeping Beauty Castle

Fairy-tale characters of Charles Perrault, speaking in language ordinary people, taught to overcome difficulties and show ingenuity. From folklore he made literary masterpieces that instantly gained fans in palaces. Fairy tales became a hobby of secular society, along with balls and hunting.

Instead of prison - to war

Perrault's life was derailed by the tragedy of his son, who went to prison for murder. In a fight, he mortally wounded a neighbor with a sword. Using all his connections and money, his father bought him the rank of lieutenant in the royal troops. And instead of prison, Pierre went to one of the wars that Louis XIV was then waging. And he died. Charles Perrault died 4 years later, in 1703, according to some sources - in his castle of Rosier, according to others - in Paris. He quoted his patron Colbert: “The state enriches only trade and industry, but war, even a victorious one, ruins”...

There is probably no such person who did not read fairy tales as a child. When listing the authors of works for children, among the first, along with the brothers Grimm and, the name of Charles Perrault comes to mind. For several hundred years, boys and girls have been reading amazing story Cinderellas follow the adventures of Puss in Boots and envy the ingenuity of Thumb.

Childhood and youth

Charles Perrault and twin brother François were born in January 1628 in Paris. The wealthy family of parliamentary judge Pierre Perrault and housewife Paquette Leclerc already had four children - Jean, Pierre, Claude and Nicolas. The father, who expected great achievements from his sons, chose for them the names of the French kings - Francis II and Charles IX. Unfortunately, Francois died six months later.

At first, the education of the heirs, to which the parents attached great value, the mother was studying. She taught the children to read and write. At the age of eight, Charles, like his older brothers, went to study at the Faculty of Arts at the Beauvais University College, not far from the Sorbonne. But due to a conflict with teachers, the boy dropped out of school. Together with his friend Boren, he continued his self-education. The boys learned everything that was taught in college on their own over several years, including Greek and Latin, the history of France, and ancient literature.

Later, Charles took lessons from a private teacher. In 1651 he received a law degree and worked briefly in a law office. Perrault soon became bored with the legal field, and the young lawyer went to work for his older brother Claude. Claude Perrault subsequently became famous as one of the first members of the French Academy of Sciences and an architect who had a hand in the creation of the Louvre Palace and the Paris Observatory.

In 1654, Pierre Perrault's elder brother acquired the position of tax collector. The finances were then managed by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the future powerful minister of the era of the “Sun King”. Charles worked as a clerk for his brother for ten years. In his free time, he read books from the library purchased from the heirs of the Abbé de Cerisy, a member of the French Academy.

Colbert patronized Charles, took him to the position of secretary, made him his adviser in cultural affairs and introduced him to the court. Under Colbert, Perrault became a member of the Committee of Writers, whose task was to praise the king and royal policies. Perrault supervised the production of tapestries and supervised the construction of Versailles and the Louvre. Later he was appointed Secretary General of the Intendance of Royal Buildings, the de facto head of the Minor Academy.

In 1671, Perrault was elected a member of the Académie de France (the future Academy of Sciences), and in 1678 he was appointed its chairman. Charles's career was going uphill, and with it his financial well-being.

Literature

Charles Perrault took his first steps towards writing while still in college - he wrote poetry and comedies. In 1653 he published a parody, “The Walls of Troy, or the Origin of Burlesque.”

In 1673, Charles, together with his brother Claude, wrote a fairy tale in verse “The War of the Crows against the Stork” - an allegory of the war between supporters of classicism and new literature. The 1675 essay “Criticism of the Opera, or Analysis of the Tragedy Called Alcestes” is dedicated to this confrontation. The work was written jointly with brother Pierre. Charles collaborated a lot with his brothers. Plays included in the “Collection selected works", permeated with an atmosphere of friendly competition and dialogue.

In the spring of 1682, for the birthday of the Duke of Burgundy, the writer published an ode “On the Birth of the Duke of Bourbon” and a poem “The Sprout of Parnassus”.

After the death of his wife, Perrault became very religious. During these years he wrote the religious poem "Adam and the Creation of the World." And after the death of his patron Colbert in 1683 - the poem “Saint Paul”. With this work, published in 1686, Charles wanted to regain the lost attention of the king.

A year later, Perrault presented his poem “The Age of Louis the Great” to readers. Another attempt to attract the attention of the monarch in 1689 was “Ode to the Capture of Philsburg.” But Louis ignored the appeal. In 1691, Charles Perrault wrote the ode "The Reasons Why Battle is Subject to the King" and "Ode to the French Academy."

Perrault got really carried away literary creativity as a tribute to fashion. In secular society, along with balls and hunting, reading fairy tales has become a popular hobby. In 1694, the works “Funny Desires” and “Donkey Skin” were published. Two years later, the fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty” was published. The books, although they were published in small editions at that time, quickly gained fans.

The collection “Tales of Mother Goose, or Stories and Tales of Bygone Times with Teachings” turned into a bestseller of that time. The tales included in the book were not composed by Perrault himself. He only reworked and retold what he heard from his nanny in childhood or finalized the unfinished plot. The only author's work is the fairy tale “Rike the Tuft”. The book was published in 1695 and was reprinted four times in the first year.

Ashamed of such a frivolous hobby, in his opinion, as fairy tales, Charles signed his works with the name of his son, Pierre d’Armancourt. Subsequently this fact allowed researchers to doubt the authorship of Charles Perrault. Allegedly, rough notes of folk tales were made by Pierre. But, nevertheless, my father turned them into literary masterpieces. In the high society of the 17th century, it was generally believed that in this way Charles tried to bring his son closer to the court of the king’s niece, Princess Elizabeth of Orleans.

However, there is no doubt that thanks to Perrault, folklore was “registered” within the palace walls. The writer modernized the fairy tales and simplified them for perception by children of any age. The characters speak the language of ordinary people, teach them to overcome difficulties and be smart, like Jean and Marie from The Gingerbread House. The castle in which the Princess sleeps from The Sleeping Beauty is copied from the Ussay castle on the Loire. The image of Little Red Riding Hood depicts the image of Perrault's daughter, who died at the age of 13. Bluebeard too real character, Marshal Gilles de Rais, executed in 1440 in the city of Nantes. And any work by Charles Perrault ends with a certain conclusion, a moral.

Books French writer are available in every home where small children grow up. The number of adaptations of Perrault’s works in film and on stage is countless. Masterpieces theatrical arts Bela Bartok's operas, ballets, etc. are recognized. Based on a Russian folk tale, the plot of which has something in common with Perrault’s fairy tale “Gifts of a Fairy,” the director shot the film “Morozko.” And the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast” is the leader in the number of film adaptations, both in feature films and in cartoons and musicals.

At the same time as writing fairy tales, Charles Perrault was also engaged in serious academic activities. At the Academy, Perrault led the work on the “General Dictionary of the French Language”. The dictionary took the writer almost forty years of his life and was completed in 1694.

He became famous as the head of the "new" party during the sensational controversy surrounding the comparative merits of the literature and art of antiquity and modernity. To prove that contemporaries are no worse than the heroes of past centuries, Perrault published the essay “Famous People of France in the 17th Century.” The book describes the biographies of famous scientists, poets, doctors, artists - Nicolas Poussin,. In total there are more than a hundred biographies.

In 1688-1692, the three-volume “Parallels between the Ancient and the New” was published, written in the form of a dialogue. Perrault in his work overthrew the unshakable authority ancient art and science, criticized the style, habits, and lifestyle of that time.

Personal life

Little is known about the personal life of Charles Perrault. The writer, passionate about his career, married late, at 44 years old. His wife Marie Guchon was 25 years younger than Charles.

The marriage produced three sons and a daughter - Charles-Samuel, Charles, Pierre and Francoise. However, six years after the wedding, Marie Guchon died suddenly.

Death

There is a sad page in the biography of Charles Perrault. Son Pierre, who helped his father collect material for essays, went to prison for murder. Charles used all his connections and money to rescue his son and bought him the rank of lieutenant in the royal troops. Pierre died in 1699 on the fields of one of the wars then waged by Louis XIV.

The death of his son was a merciless blow for Charles Perrault. He died four years later, on May 16, 1703, according to some sources - in his castle of Rosier, according to others - in Paris.

Bibliography

• 1653 - “The Walls of Troy, or the Origin of Burlesque”
• 1673 - “The War of the Crows against the Stork”
• 1682 - “On the birth of the Duke of Bourbon”
• 1686 - "St. Paul"
• 1694 - "Donkey Skin"
• 1695 - “Tales of Mother Goose, or Stories and Tales of Bygone Times with Teachings”
• 1696 - "Sleeping Beauty"

Charles Perrault (French Charles Perrault; January 12, 1628, Paris - May 16, 1703, Paris) - French poet and critic of the classic era, member of the French Academy since 1671,

Charles Perrault was born into the family of a judge of the Parisian Parliament, Pierre Perrault, and was the youngest of his six children.
Mostly the mother worked with the children - it was she who taught the children to read and write. Despite being very busy, her husband helped with the boys' classes, and when eight-year-old Charles began studying at Beauvais College, his father often checked his lessons. A democratic atmosphere reigned in the family, and the children were quite able to defend a point of view close to them. However, the rules were completely different in college - cramming and dull repetition of the teacher’s words were required here. Disputes were not allowed under any circumstances. And yet the Perrault brothers were excellent students, and if you believe the historian Philippe Ariès, during the entire period of their studies they were never punished with rods. At that time it was, one might say, a unique case.
However, in 1641, Charles Perrault was kicked out of class for arguing with the teacher and defending his opinion. His friend Boren also left the lesson with him. The boys decided not to return to college, and on the same day, in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, they drew up a plan for self-education. For three years the friends studied Latin, Greek, French history and ancient literature– essentially going through the same program as in college. Much later, Charles Perrault claimed that he received all his knowledge that was useful to him in life during these three years, studying independently with a friend.

In 1651, he received a law degree and even bought himself a lawyer's license, but he quickly became tired of this occupation, and Charles went to work for his brother Claude Perrault - he became a clerk. Like many young people at that time, Charles wrote numerous poems: poems, odes, sonnets, and was also fond of the so-called “court gallant poetry.” Even according to him in my own words All these works were distinguished by considerable length and excessive solemnity, but they carried too little meaning. Charles's first work, which he himself considered acceptable, was the poetic parody “The Walls of Troy, or the Origin of Burlesque,” ​​written and published in 1652.

Charles Perrault wrote his very first fairy tale in 1685 - it was the story of the shepherdess Griselda, who, despite all the troubles and hardships, became the wife of a prince. The tale was called "Grisel". Perrault himself did not attach any importance to this work. But two years later his poem “The Age of Louis the Great” was published - and Perrault even read this work at a meeting of the Academy. For many reasons, it caused violent indignation among classic writers - La Fontaine, Racine, Boileau. They accused Perrault of disdain for antiquity, which was customary to imitate in the literature of that time. The fact is that recognized writers of the 17th century believed that all the best and most perfect works had already been created - in ancient times. Modern writers, according to the established opinion, had the right only to imitate the standards of antiquity and approach this unattainable ideal. Perrault supported those writers who believed that there should be no dogmas in art and that copying the ancients only meant stagnation.

In 1694, his works “Funny Desires” and “Donkey Skin” were published - the era of the storyteller Charles Perrault began. A year later he lost his position as secretary of the Academy and devoted himself entirely to literature. In 1696, the magazine "Gallant Mercury" published the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty". The fairy tale instantly gained popularity in all sectors of society, but people expressed their outrage that there was no signature under the fairy tale. In 1697, the book “Tales of Mother Goose, or Stories and Tales of Bygone Times with Teachings” went on sale simultaneously in The Hague and Paris. Despite its small volume and very simple pictures, the circulation sold out instantly, and the book itself became an incredible success.
Those nine fairy tales that were included in this book were just adaptations of folk tales - but how was it done! The author himself has repeatedly hinted that he literally overheard the tales that his son’s nurse told the child at night. However, Charles Perrault became the first writer in the history of literature to introduce the folk tale into the so-called “high” literature - as an equal genre. Now this may sound strange, but at the time of the publication of “Tales of Mother Goose”, high society enthusiastically read and listened to fairy tales at their meetings, and therefore Perrault’s book instantly won and high society.

Many critics accused Perrault of the fact that he himself did not invent anything, but only wrote down plots already known to many. But it should be taken into account that he made these stories modern and tied them to specific places - for example, his Sleeping Beauty fell asleep in a palace very reminiscent of Versailles, and the clothes of Cinderella’s sisters were fully consistent with the fashion trends of those years. Charles Perrault simplified the “high calm” of language so much that his fairy tales were understandable and ordinary people. After all, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Thumb spoke exactly as they would have spoken in reality.
Despite the enormous popularity of fairy tales, Charles Perrault, at almost seventy years old, did not dare to publish them under own name. On the books was the name of Pierre de Armancourt, the eighteen-year-old son of the storyteller. The author feared that fairy tales, with their frivolity, could cast a shadow on his authority as an advanced and serious writer.
However, you can’t hide a sew in a bag, and very quickly the truth about the authorship of such popular fairy tales became known in Paris. In high society it was even believed that Charles Perrault signed his name youngest son, in order to introduce him to the circle of the Princess of Orleans - the young niece of the sun-like King Louis. By the way, the dedication on the book was addressed specifically to the princess.

It must be said that disputes about the authorship of these tales are still ongoing. Moreover, the situation in this matter was completely and irrevocably confused by Charles Perrault himself. He wrote his memoirs shortly before his death - and in these memoirs he described in detail all the most important affairs and dates of his life. Mention was made of the service of the almighty minister Colbert, and Perrault’s work in editing the first “Dictionary of the French Language,” and every single ode written to the king, and translations of Italian fables by Faerno, and research comparing new and ancient authors. But not once did Perrault even mention the phenomenal “Tales of Mother Goose”... But it would be an honor for the author to include this book in the register of his own achievements! If we talk modern language, then the rating of Perrault's fairy tales in Paris was unimaginably high - only one bookstore of Claude Barbin sold up to fifty books a day. It is unlikely that even the adventures of Harry Potter could even dream of such a scale today. It was unheard of for France that the publisher had to repeat the printing of Mother Goose Tales three times in just one year.

The death of the storyteller completely confused the issue of authorship. Even in 1724, Mother Goose's Tales were published with the name of Pierre de Hamencourt in the title. But public opinion decided later that the author of the fairy tales was Perrault Sr., and fairy tales are still published under his name.
Few people today know that Charles Perrault was a member of the French Academy, the author of scientific works and a famous poet of his time. Even fewer people know that it was he who legalized the fairy tale as literary genre. But every person on Earth knows that Charles Perrault - great storyteller and the author of the immortal "Puss in Boots", "Cinderella" and "Bluebeard".

And also wonderful fairy tales, etc. For more than three hundred years, all the children of the world love and know these fairy tales.

Tales of Charles Perrault

View the full list of fairy tales

Biography of Charles Perrault

Charles Perrault- famous French writer-storyteller, poet and critic of the era of classicism, member of the French Academy since 1671, now known mainly as the author of " Tales of Mother Goose».

Name Charles Perrault is one of the most popular names of storytellers in Russia, along with the names of Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Hoffmann. Perrault’s marvelous fairy tales from Mother Goose’s collection of fairy tales: “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Puss in Boots”, “Tom Thumb”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Bluebeard” are glorified in Russian music, ballets, films, theater performances, in painting and graphics dozens and hundreds of times.

Charles Perrault born January 12, 1628 in Paris, in the wealthy family of the judge of the Parisian Parliament, Pierre Perrault, and was the youngest of his seven children (his twin brother Francois was born with him, who died 6 months later). Of his brothers, Claude Perrault was a famous architect, author of the eastern façade of the Louvre (1665-1680).

The boy's family was concerned about the education of their children, and at the age of eight, Charles was sent to Beauvais College. As historian Philippe Ariès notes, school biography Charles Perrault - biography of a typical excellent student. During their training, neither he nor his brothers were ever beaten with rods - an exceptional case at that time. Charles Perrault dropped out of college without finishing his studies.

After college Charles Perrault takes private law lessons for three years and eventually receives a law degree. He bought a lawyer's license, but soon left this position and became a clerk for his brother, the architect Claude Perrault.

He enjoyed the confidence of Jean Colbert; in the 1660s, he largely determined the policy of the court of Louis XIV in the field of arts. Thanks to Colbert, Charles Perrault was appointed secretary of the newly formed Academy of Inscriptions in 1663 and belles lettres. Perrault was also the controller general of the Surinentate of the royal buildings. After the death of his patron (1683), he fell out of favor and lost the pension paid to him as a writer, and in 1695 he also lost his position as secretary.

1653 – first work Charles Perrault- parody poem “The Wall of Troy, or the Origin of Burlesque” (Les murs de Troue ou l’Origine du burlesque).

1687 - Charles Perrault reads his didactic poem “The Age of Louis the Great” (Le Siecle de Louis le Grand) at the French Academy, which marked the beginning of a long-term “dispute about the ancients and the modern”, in which Nicolas Boileau became Perrault’s most fierce opponent. Perrault opposes imitation and the long-established worship of antiquity, arguing that contemporaries, the “new” ones, surpassed the “ancients” in literature and in the sciences and that this is proven literary history France and recent scientific discoveries.

1691 – Charles Perrault addresses the genre for the first time fairy tales and writes "Griselde". This is a poetic adaptation of Boccaccio’s short story that concludes the Decameron (10th short story of the X day). In it, Perrault does not break with the principle of verisimilitude; there is no magical fantasy here, just as there is no national coloring. folklore tradition. The tale has a salon-aristocratic character.

1694 – satire “Apology for Women” (Apologie des femmes) and a poetic story in the form of medieval fabliaux “Amusing Desires”. At the same time, the fairy tale “Donkey Skin” (Peau d’ane) was written. It is still written in verse, in the spirit of poetic short stories, but its plot is already taken from a folk tale that was then widespread in France. Although there is nothing fantastic in the fairy tale, fairies appear in it, which violates the classic principle of verisimilitude.

1695 – releasing his fairy tales, Charles Perrault in the preface he writes that his tales are higher than the ancient ones, because, unlike the latter, they contain moral instructions.

1696 – the fairy tale “The Sleeping Beauty” was anonymously published in the magazine “Gallant Mercury”, which for the first time fully embodied the features of a new type of fairy tale. It is written in prose, with a poetic moral teaching attached to it. The prose part can be addressed to children, the poetic part - only to adults, and the moral lessons are not without playfulness and irony. In the fairy tale, fantasy turns from a secondary element into a leading one, which is already noted in the title (La Bella au bois dormant, exact translation - “The Beauty in the Sleeping Forest”).

Perrault's literary activity occurred at a time when a fashion for fairy tales appeared in high society. Reading and listening to fairy tales is becoming one of the common hobbies of secular society, comparable only to reading detective stories by our contemporaries. Some prefer to listen to philosophical fairy tales, others pay tribute to ancient fairy tales, passed down in the retellings of grandmothers and nannies. Writers, trying to satisfy these demands, write down fairy tales, processing plots familiar to them from childhood, and the oral fairy tale tradition gradually begins to turn into a written one.

1697 – a collection of fairy tales is published Tales of Mother Goose, or Stories and tales of bygone times with moral teachings" (Contes de ma mere Oye, ou Histores et contesdu temps passe avec des moralites). The collection contained 9 fairy tales, which were literary adaptations of folk tales (believed to have been heard from the nurse of Perrault’s son) - except for one (“Riquet the Tuft”), composed by Charles Perrault himself. This book made Perrault widely famous outside the literary circle. Actually Charles Perrault entered folk tale into the system of genres of “high” literature.

However, Perrault did not dare to publish the fairy tales under his own name, and the book he published bore the name of his eighteen-year-old son, P. Darmancourt. He feared that, with all the love for “fairy-tale” entertainment, writing fairy tales would be perceived as a frivolous activity, casting a shadow with its frivolity on the authority of a serious writer.

It turns out that philological science still does not have an exact answer to the elementary question: who wrote the famous fairy tales?

The fact is that when the book of Mother Goose's fairy tales was first published, and it happened in Paris on October 28, 1696, the author of the book was identified in the dedication as a certain Pierre D Armancourt.

However, in Paris they quickly learned the truth. Under the magnificent pseudonym D Armancourt was hiding none other than the youngest and beloved son of Charles Perrault, nineteen-year-old Pierre. For a long time it was believed that the writer’s father resorted to this trick only to introduce the young man into high society, specifically into the circle of the young Princess of Orleans, niece of King Louis the Sun. After all, the book was dedicated to her. But later it turned out that young Perrault, on the advice of his father, wrote down some folk tales, and there are documentary references to this fact.

In the end, he completely confused the situation himself Charles Perrault.

Shortly before his death, the writer wrote memoirs in which he described in detail all the more or less important affairs of his life: service with Minister Colbert, editing the first General Dictionary of the French Language, poetic odes in honor of the king, translations of the fables of the Italian Faerno, a three-volume book of research on the comparison of ancient authors with new ones creators. But nowhere in his own biography did Perrault say a word about the authorship of the phenomenal tales of Mother Goose, a unique masterpiece of world culture.

Meanwhile, he had every reason to include this book in the register of victories. The book of fairy tales was an unprecedented success among the Parisians in 1696; every day 20-30, and sometimes 50 books a day were sold in Claude Barbin's shop! This, on the scale of one store, was probably not even dreamed of today even by the bestseller about Harry Potter.

The publisher repeated the print run three times during the year. This was unheard of. First France, then the whole of Europe fell in love with magical stories about Cinderella, her evil sisters and glass slipper, re-read a scary fairy tale about the knight Bluebeard, who killed his wives, was rooting for the polite Little Red Riding Hood, who was swallowed by an evil wolf. (Only in Russia did the translators correct the ending of the fairy tale; here the wolf is killed by woodcutters, and in the French original the wolf ate both the grandmother and granddaughter).

In fact, Mother Goose's tales became the world's first book written for children. Before this, no one had specifically written books for children. But then children's books came in an avalanche. From Perrault's masterpiece the phenomenon of children's literature itself was born!

Huge merit Perrault in that he chose from the mass of folk fairy tales several stories and recorded their plot, which has not yet become final. He gave them a tone, a climate, a style that was characteristic of the 17th century, and yet very personal.

At the core fairy tales by Perrault- well-known folklore plots, which he presented with his usual talent and humor, omitting some details and adding new ones, “ennobling” the language. Most of all these fairy tales suitable for children. And it is Perrault who can be considered the founder of world children's literature and literary pedagogy.

“Fairy tales” contributed to the democratization of literature and influenced the development of the world fairy tale tradition (brothers W. and J. Grimm, L. Tieck, G. H. Andersen). Perrault's fairy tales were first published in Russian in Moscow in 1768 under the title “Tales of Sorceresses with Moral Teachings.” Based on the plots of Perrault's fairy tales, the operas “Cinderella” by G. Rossini, “The Castle of Duke Bluebeard” by B. Bartok, the ballets “The Sleeping Beauty” by P. I. Tchaikovsky, “Cinderella” by S. S. Prokofiev and others were created.

The fairy tale stories of Charles Perrault are known to everyone. They inspired many composers to create musical works. Directors and screenwriters also did not ignore amazing tales this author, and many wonderful films have been created based on his works. Fairy tale characters Perrault comes to life in amusement parks, on theater stages, in computer games and remain among the most beloved, just like hundreds of years ago.

History of French fairy tales

In France in the 17th century, the dominant direction in art was classicism. Including in literature. The works of ancient authors were considered role models. During the time of King Louis XIV of France, the cult of antiquity flourished in art.

Mythological subjects and heroes of ancient stories dominated the work of painters and poets. They glorified the triumph of reason and duty over feelings and, of course, glorified the power of the monarch, supposedly uniting all the forces of the nation. Soon the interests of the bourgeoisie came into conflict with the interests of the monarch in power, and opposition sentiments intensified throughout France.

The mood of society was naturally reflected in art. Among French writers, a dispute ensued about the superiority of ancient and modern authors. A few opponents of classicism argued that writing wonderful works it is possible without imitating ancient authors. In addition, new authors are superior to ancient ones in that they have better knowledge and outlook.

Among the initiators of this historical dispute about the need for change was Charles Perrault, a royal official and member of the French Academy. In his work “A Comparison of Ancient and Modern Authors,” he urged authors to display modern life, draw images and plots from the surrounding reality, and not from ancient literature.

About the author

Charles Perrault was known primarily as a poet and publicist, one of the founders of the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Painting. Even while writing fairy tales for children, he remained a moralist and used his works for education and personal development. But before listing the works, including the list of fairy tales by Charles Perrault, I would like to introduce readers to the writer’s life story.

Charles Perrault was born on January 12, 1628 in the family of a judge. His parents were concerned about their children's education and at the age of eight the boy was sent to college, like his brothers. They all studied well and were never punished with rods, which was completely unusual for that time. While still in college, Charles was engaged in literary research, but after disagreements with his teacher, he decided to leave his studies.

He studied biblical texts, the works of the Church Fathers and secular writers, the history of France and did translations. At the same time, Charles attended law classes and soon became a certified lawyer. Having purchased a license, Perrault holds the position of lawyer for some time. But he quickly gets tired of it. Charles decided to gain a foothold at court and, leaving the practice of law, he got a job as a clerk for his brother, who held the position of chief tax collector.

In 1663, Charles took the position of secretary at the Academy of Inscriptions and served under the leadership of Jean Colbert, the French Minister of Finance. Charles Perrault also worked as a controller in the Inspectorate of Royal Buildings. A jack of all trades, Perrault was directly involved in the creation of Versailles, and he also wrote the first guide to the labyrinth of the Versailles gardens.

Being quite a prolific writer, Charles wrote as light poetry, such as the gallant “Dialogue of Love and Friendship” and “impressive” works on the topic of architecture. Many of his works have been forgotten, although they represent a fairly extensive list. But a small list of fairy tales by Charles Perrault has forever gone down in the history of literature and, in addition, brought its author worldwide fame.

Founder of the fairy tale genre

Perrault, in order to prove the correctness of his words, decided to show by his own example that morality can also be drawn from plots reflecting folk life and modern life. He began processing folk tales, which at that time were not considered at all as a separate literary genre. As a result, in 1697 Charles Perrault published fairy tales. The list, in alphabetical order, of the works included in the first collection of “Tales of Mother Goose” looks like this:

• "Cinderella";
• "Puss in Boots";
• "Little Red Riding Hood";
• "Tom Thumb";
• "Rike with a tuft";
• "Bluebeard";
• "Sleeping Beauty";
• "Fairies".

The fairy tale “Rike with the Tuft” belongs to the pen of the author himself. The seven other works in the collection represent folk tales he heard from his son’s wet nurse. The writer ennobled famous folk stories with his usual humor and talent. I omitted some details and added new ones. And the tales cut by the great master became widely known beyond the literary circle.

The works were instructive in nature, which the author noted in the title of the collection - “Stories with Moral Instructions.” Charles Perrault showed his fellow writers that folk tale no worse than ancient works can be instructive.

A fashion for fairy tales has appeared in secular society. Gradually, works by other authors began to appear - philosophical tales, old stories in a modern presentation and fairy tales of his own composition. The following editions of the Mother Goose collection include three more tales by Charles Perrault. List in alphabetical order small:

• "Griselda";
• "Donkey skin";
• "Amusing desires."

Thanks to all this, an independent literary genre began to develop.

The list of Charles Perrault's fairy tales is small; as a lawyer, academician and dignitary, he was afraid that such a frivolous activity would cast a shadow on him. Therefore, he published the first collection, indicating the name of his eleven-year-old son P. D'Armancourt. Nevertheless, Paris learned very quickly that the author of the fairy tales was none other than Charles Perrault.

Author's works

In 1653, Charles Perrault published The Wall of Troy. In writing the parody poem, he relied on his many years of research. Perrault, like his brothers Claude and Pierre, defended the superiority of new writers over the ancients. Based on Boileau’s treatise “The Art of Poetry,” he wrote the works “The Age of Louis the Great” and “Parallels of the Ancient and the New.”

To prove his assertion that his contemporaries are no worse than ancient authors, he publishes the impressive volume " Famous people France of the 17th century,” where he collected biographies of famous historians, artists, poets, and scientists of the 17th century.

In the philosophical study “Apology for a Woman,” a father tells his son about the need to get married. In beautiful language, the author talks about the virtue of a woman, about love, about serious and tender feelings, about mercy and compassion. In a word, he teaches his son to look for an ideal wife - a “pearl” in the sea of ​​life. Other works by the author:

• Portrait d "Iris ("Portrait of Iris", 1659);
• Ode sur la paix ("Ode to the World", 1660);
• Ode aux nouveaux convertis (“Ode to the Converts,” 1685);
• La Création du Monde ("The Creation of the World", 1692).

In 1755, Charles wrote Memoirs of My Life, in which he spoke about important milestones of his life: service with Colbert, editing the first French dictionary, works dedicated to the king, translations, a three-volume work devoted to comparing ancient and modern authors. But he didn’t say a word about the collection “Mother Goose,” but it was this list of fairy tales by Charles Perrault that became a masterpiece of world culture.

What are his tales about?

The author's works, written for children, are extremely popular in all countries. Despite their somewhat French grace, the fairy tales of Charles Perrault have taken their rightful place in literature. Cheerful, entertaining, with a touch of folk poetry, they easily reveal the foundations of human morality. Children perceive these magical and wonderful stories much easier than moralizing conversations.

Charles Perrault showed perfectly by the example of his fairy tales that children are able to notice good and bad, kind and evil. Amused by the beauty and cuteness of the fairy tale, they learn the necessary lessons. Undoubtedly, fairy tales leave room for imagination, and children believe in the wonders of fairy tales. But, as soon as the time comes, they will learn to distinguish the imaginary from the real. And the lessons learned from the first books will remain with them forever.

The first collection in Russian

Perrault's "Magic Tales" have been translated into Russian famous writer I. S. Turgenev and published in St. Petersburg in 1867. Turgenev worked on the translation for almost 2 years and, judging by his articles, was dissatisfied with its quality. But despite this, his translation has been considered one of the best for more than a hundred years. The illustrations by Gustav Doré gave the first edition a special charm.

Let us once again list the tales of Charles Perrault. Full list they look like this:

• "Griselda" (1691);
• "Cinderella" (1697);
• "Puss in Boots" (1697);
• "Little Red Riding Hood" (1697);
• "Tom Thumb" (1697);
• "Donkey Skin" (1694);
• "Rike with a Tuft" (1697);
• "Bluebeard" (1697);
• "Funny Desires" (1693);
• "Sleeping Beauty" (1696);
• "Fairies" (1697).

The collection had resounding success and has been translated into many languages ​​of the world. Many musical works, animated films and films have been created based on fairy tales. feature films and even masterpieces of classical ballet.