Although the haunting story of Rapuzel is most closely associated with the Brothers Grimm and their collection of tales from France and Germany, the beautiful woman's roots can be traced much further back than the 1800s. Perhaps one of the closest tellings can be found in Giambattista Basile's "Petrosinella," a story which substitues the forbidden rampion for parsley. Only decades after the writing of "Petrosinella" came Mademoiselle de la Force's version called "Persinette." The story fits into the Aarne and Thompson's folktale classification under type 310, The Maiden in the Tower and contains many classic fairy tale themes such as the rescue from a prince, the healing power of tears and the desire for that which is forbidden. The theme of isolation and loneliness evokes a great deal of sympathy from readers and perhaps adds to the explanation of why the tale has remained a favorite for generations.

This site was designed as an assignment for IS 567: Information Network Application of the Information Sciences program at the University of Tennessee. The author was Suzanne Sherman. Updated page date: April 24, 2006.