Module 2: Rapunzel, by Paul O. Zelinsky

Summary: In his retelling of the classic folktale popularized by the Brothers Grimm, author and illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky draws from sources older than the Grimms’ publications, reaching back to the story’s earlier Italian and French roots to tell the story of the girl imprisoned by a witch in a tower with no door, so that the witch must gain entrance by climbing the girl’s long, beautiful hair.  Zelinsky’s Italian Renaissance-style illustrations are inspired by Rapunzel’s Neopolitan history, and the book includes an author’s note, in which Zelinsky recounts the origins and evolution of the fairy tale.

Reference: Zelinski, P.O. (1997). Rapunzel. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Books.

Impressions: Though Zelinsky does include elements from earlier versions of the Rapunzel tale, his retelling aligns pretty closely with the modern version: Rapunzel is tricked into lowering her hair for a prince, with whom she falls in love. When the witch learns of Rapunzel’s betrayal, she banishes Rapunzel and blinds the prince, who wanders the wilderness in search of his love. Zelinsky’s language is simple but elegant, and evokes the magic and darkness of the classic fairy tale. The Renaissance-inspired illustrations are lovely, mimicking the colors and textures of early Italian Renaissance art, and intricately detailed. The expressions on the faces of Zelinsky’s characters are especially striking, as is his use of light and shade. This is a really lovely picture book for older children. I also loved Zelinsky's notes on the history of the Rapunzel story, its beginnings and connections to other folk traditions. 

Review: Reduced to its plot, the story of "Rapunzel" is the ultimate melodrama: a hapless child, because of her mother's longing for a particular herb, is given to a sorceress to be raised in a formidable tower until an undaunted prince breaches the defenses. Pregnant, she is banished; he is blinded by a fall. Both must wander through a desolate wilderness until their final triumphant reunion. But, as Zelinsky's extensive notes reveal, the tale is far more than a folktale version of a long-running soap opera. Dating back to Basile's Il Pentamerone (1637), it underwent several meta-morphoses before being included by the Brothers Grimm in the first edition of their Household Stories (1812). Various retellers obviously knew a good story when they found one-and "Rapunzel," with its roots in the human psyche, is all of that. But 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. Given the story's Italian origins, his choice of a Renaissance setting is inspired, allowing for many allusions to the art and architecture of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. Yet these are not slavish imitations of masterpieces; rather, he has assimilated the sources and transformed them, giving depth to the characters and endowing the story with an aura of otherworldiness that enlarges upon the historical references. There is both love and menace in the sorceress's face; the landscape through which Rapunzel and the prince wander is both beautiful and desolate. Simply put, this is a gorgeous book; it demonstrates respect for the traditions of painting and the fairy tale while at the same time adhering to a singular, wholly original, artistic vision.

Burns, M. M. (1998). Rapunzel (review). Horn Book Magazine 74(1), 85-86. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu.

Suggested Use:  This book could be the center of a really fun art activity for older elementary school-aged kids (2^nd-4^th) grade. After reading the book and studying Zelinsky’s sumptuous artwork, kids could design an illustration for their own favorite folk or fairy tale. Activity leaders could explain why Zelinsky chose to use Renaissance-style artwork, and kids could be urged to illustrate their fairy tales in whatever style they feel best suits the story. In addition to colored pencils and markers, scrap paper and old magazines could be provided, for kids who want to use collage. I’m sure the kids would come up with some really fun, original artwork for classic stories!