We all know her story but nothing about her marriage with Prince Charming. Today’s morning I have found the continuation of her story in the wonderful poem “Cinderella’s Diary” by Ron Koertge. With these Vogue illustration I am happy to share it.
“I miss my stepmother. What a thing to say,
but it’s true. The prince is so boring: four
hours to dress and then the cheering throngs.
Again. The page who holds the door is cute
enough to eat. Where is he once Mr. Charming
kisses my forehead goodnight?
Every morning I gaze out a casement window
at the hunters, dark men with blood on their
boots who joke and mount, their black trousers
straining, rough beards, calloused hands, selfish,
abrupt…
Oh, dear diary—I am lost in ever after:
those insufferable birds, someone in every
room with a lute, the queen calling me to look
at another painting of her son, this time
holding the transparent slipper I wish
I’d never seen”.
Cinderella is running to step-mother’s hands even faster than she was in hurry to Prince Charming. Cinderella’s story in this film is beautiful but you know we should be careful what we wish for.
Thank you for your smiling eyes and light breath, it is great pleasure to feel them for me. Have a beautiful day!
Thank You for Hans Christian Andersen. We all know what today’s date means, 9/11 is the symbol of our fear and fragility. We all need hope and something beautiful inside to keep our own life, and life around. Hans Christian Andersen is our lifesaver.
I invite you in Denmark, in Odense where Andersen born, and the museum, where I took the photos. It is a great pleasure to share with you a fairy tale by my eyes with the soul-wrapping-warming-hugging vibrations of the great man. We are in absolute safety here and now.
In autobiographical “The Fairy Tale of My Life” H.C. Andersen writes, “My life is lovely story, happy and full of incident. If, when I was a boy, and went forth into the world poor and friendless, a good fairy had met me and said, “Choose now thy own course through life, and the object for which thou wilt strive, and then according to the development of thy mind and reason requires, I will guide and defend thee to its attainment,” my fate could not, even then, have been directed more happily, more prudently, or better.”
“My native land, Denmark, is a poetical land, full of popular traditions, old songs and eventful history.
The Danish islands are possessed of beautiful beech woods, and corn and clover fields. Upon one of these green islands, Funen, stands Odense, the place of my birth.
Odense is called after the pagan god Odin, who, as tradition states, lived here.”
Hans Christian Andersen was about 1.85 metres tall – 25 cm above the national average. The longlimbed tall man, the characteristic head with its deep-set eyes and the large nose did not come within the ideal for beauty that prevailed at the time.
He was thought to be ugly, odd – yes, even repulsive – and his outward appearance attracted attention and made a clumsy, comical impression on most people. Those, however, was only the initial impression. Those who got to know the writer more closely gained a different impression. They found his face full of life and wit, his figure stately and his bearing elegant.
Hans Christian Andersen was very fond of looking at himself in the mirror. This was not out of an inordinate love of finery, although he was very concerned about how he dressed. There are about 160 photographs of the writer, but not many of them resembled the actual man, was the opinion of his friends.
The reason was that Hans Christian Andersen tried to assume “a brilliant expression” when he posed for the photographer. I understand his “brilliant expression”, the son of a cobbler and washerwoman wrote, “I arrived with my small parcel in Copenhagen, a poor stranger of a boy, and today I have drunk my chocolate with the Queen, sitting opposite her and the King at the table.”
Throughout his life, Hans Christian Andersen had a colossal imagination, something which the writer thought of as both a great gift and a curse. The most trifling criticism or reproof could disturb his spirits and hurt him deeply. Insignificant incidents were capable of stimulating his imagination to such an extent that he was afraid of becoming insane, like his grandfather before him.
“I am like water, everything brings me in motion. Everything is mirrored in me. This must be part of my nature as a creative writer and often I have derived pleasure and blessing from it, although often it has also been a torment,” the writer wrote to his friend.
“Ideas lay in my thoughts like a seed corn, requiring only flowing steam, a ray of sunshine, a drop from the cup of bitterness, for them to spring forth and burst into bloom.”
“I have heaps material, more than for any kind of writing; it often seems to me as if every hoarding, every little flower is saying to me, “Look at me, just for a moment, and then my story will go right into you”, and then, if I feel like it, I have the story,” he said.
Touching the genius of Hans Christian Andersen makes me happy. I remember my mother’s warm and calm voice reading “The Princess and the pea”, “They could see she was a real Princess and no question about it, now that she had felt one pea all the way through twenty mattresses and twenty more feather beds. Nobody but a Princess could be so delicate.” I read Hans Christian Andersen’s stories for my daughter and I do hope my grandchildren will love its. A family blanket from our childhood is keeping happy memories about familiar and close voices, hands, and smells of milk with honey and a book of fairytales. This blanket is our shield and life vest I am trying to enwrap you in warming your soul.
I am happy to suggest a film about the writer. Beautiful film is instead the devastating and depression world news for keeping souls and minds safe and beautiful.
“The history of my life will say to the world what is says to me – There is a loving God, who directs all things for the best” Hans Christian Andersen said. “God directs all things for the best,” I am repeating for myself and for you. We are in safety until a fairy tale lives in us.
Thank You, Hans Christian Andersen! You are our lifesaver.
Thank You for Alexander Pushkin! Today, the 6th of June, is his Birthday! To celebrate the day I invite you to open and read the book. The poem “Eugene Onegin” is in the book.
Russian painter Elena Samokish-Sudkovskaya illustrated the poem published in 19o8 in Saint Petersburg. It is my pleasure to share with you these wonderful pictures. Romantic mood and delicate character of the poetry embrace us. We are floating in the flows of this Masterpiece.
I am catching the waves of “Eugene Onegin” translation by Charles H. Johnston via my own senses. I hope you will enjoy its, you can catch your own Pushkin here.
“How early on he (Onegin) learnt to trouble
the heart of the professional flirt!
When out to burst a rival’s bubble,
how well he knew the way to hurt —
what traps he’d set him, with what malice
he’d pop the poison in his chalice!”
So she was called Tatyana.
From early on she loved romances,
they were her only food… and so
she fell in love with all the fancies
of Richardson and of Rousseau.Tatyana now need wait no longer.
Her eyes were opened, and she said
“this is the one!” Ah, ever stronger,
in sultry sleep, in lonely bed,
all day, all night, his presence fills her,
by magic everything instils her
with thoughts of him in ceaseless round.
“I write to you – no more confession
is needed, nothing’s left to tell.
I know it’s now in your discretion
with scorn to make my world a hell.
Decreed in highest court for ever…
heaven’s will — for you I’m set apart;
and my whole life has been directed
and pledged to you, and firmly planned:
I know, Godsent one, I’m protected
until the grave by your strong hand:
you’d made appearance in my dreaming;
unseen, already you were dear,
my soul had heard your voice ring clear,
stirred at your gaze, so strange, so gleaming,
long, long ago… no, that could be
no dream. You’d scarce arrived, I reckoned
to know you, swooned, and in a second
all in a blaze, I said: it’s he!”
“Can you say,
prince, who in that dark-red béret,
just there, is talking to the Spanish
ambassador?” In some surprise
the prince looks at him, and replies:
“Wait, I’ll present you – but you banish
yourself too long from social life.”
“But tell me who she is.” “My wife.”
Onegin wrote “…I noticed once, at our chance meeting,
in you a tender pulse was beating,
yet dared not trust what I could see.
I gave no rein to sweet affection:
what held me was my predilection,
my tedious taste for feeling free.
No, every minute of my days,
to see you, faithfully to follow,
watch for your smile, and catch your gaze
with eyes of love, with greed to swallow
your words, and in my soul to explore
your matchlessness, to seek to capture
its image, then to swoon before
your feet, to pale and waste… what rapture!”
No answer comes. Another letter
he sends, a second, then a third.
Tatyana answered “I married. I beseech you, go;
I know your heart: it has a feeling
for honour, a straightforward pride.
I love you (what’s the use to hide
behind deceit or double-dealing?)
but I’ve become another’s wife —
and I’ll be true to him, for life.”
Thank you for joy reading “Eugene Onegin” with me. Onegin Day is wonderful.
Thank You for creating the Universe of WordPress. I am floating in Cosmos of inspiring vibrations, emotions and thoughts of a blogger’s planets and stars.
I am grateful and lucky incredibly to find and land on the planet of Petrel41, its navigational coordinates: dearkitty1.wordpress.com
Thank you Petrel41 for the nomination me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award!
Seven random things about myself:
I used to be a teacher of the piano. Now I teach my daughter.
I learn French. The language is difficult.
The last book I have read is “Small Gods” by Terry Pratchett.
I love Paris and Vienna. These city are perpetual resources of my inspiration and admiration.
“Midnight in Paris” by Woody Allen is the Movie of July.
We are going to Bretagne in September.
I love a star in orange in the left corner of this page which means you like my post! Thank you.
Well, my nominations for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award go to:
Thank You for today’s Inspiration You generously had showered on. I spent my today with a great impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. We were walking in Paris and admiring a parisian women. Renoir adores beautiful women. He said humorously that it is better to paint women than love them. Almost all his woman’s paintings are devoted to la femme a le chapeau. Woman in a hat is a symbol of feminity and charm.
“A hat is a flag, a shield, a bit of armor, and the badge of femininity. A hat is the difference between wearing clothes and wearing a costume; it’s the difference between being dressed and being dressed up; it’s the difference between looking adequate and looking your best. A hat is to be stylish in, to glow under, to flirt beneath, to make all others seem jealous over, and to make all men feel masculine about. A piece of magic is a hat,” Martha Sliter said.
“Fashion is a kind of communication. It’s a language without words. A great hat speaks for itself.” I love that.
“Whenever you wear your hat, your day will be special.” Louise Green is laughing: “Wearing a hat is like having a baby or a puppy; everyone stops to coo and talk about it.”
“Wearing a hat versus not wearing a hat is the difference between looking adequate and looking your best.” Martha Sliter inspires to buy a hat.
“You cannot hide in a hat; you will be noticed, especially by men. To men, you become a lady when you don a hat–one who they rush to open doors for. To women, you become an inspiration, reminding them that they have a closet full of hats they have not had the courage to wear.” The advice is good, I will follow.
A woman in a hat is always the ultimate sign of class, poise, and the fervor of a forgotten generation of ever-confident females. When you see a woman in a beautiful hat, you know she’s not afraid to be seen.
I am happy to share this charming video about Le Chapeau.
Oh, I am inspired by the idea to buy a hat for myself. I hope you are too. Let’s discover our Beauty in “jeans-and-t-shirt” routine. Our men will be happy!
Thank You for amazing today. I am playing with my daughter and kaleidoscope is our toy now. What’s a beautiful world inside! We are laughing together and my heart is full by a poem.
I love today because I have this possibility to share this Masterpiece of Human Imagination and Creativity with you. The video is gorgeous.
I am impressed and inspired by this turn of kaleidoscope of my life. The colors are brilliant and I enjoy this treasure of Beauty I have found with you. Thank you for your help!
Thank You for today’s smiles around I am going to enjoy. Today is amazing day. I have met the smile man in the morning and I am in hurry to share with you his story and smile.
This movie is wonderful and definitely worth 9 minutes of your life. Please enjoy!
Thank You for the sky where stars twinkle all the time of our being. We are under Viennese sky again. I love bright and pulsing light of Elfriede Jelinek‘s Star Genius.
She is genius in her fragility beauty and intellect.
I think Elfriede Jelinek is the only woman who is gifted to open with pianist’s sensitivity complicated puzzled and mystique universe of Woman. To emphasize a fragility and beauty of woman let me accompany this post by nice paintings of the pianist (La Pianiste in French). She does not afraid to tell the truth about the banal and domestic horror of everyday life where woman can live and just how pathetic and awful we can be. Her “Women as lovers” is picturesque, I recommend to read the novel. Perhaps because “Very few women wait for Mr. Right. Most women take the first and worst Mr. Wrong,” Elfriede Jelinek explains in “The Piano Teacher”.
Her intellect is confirmed by The Nobel Prize in Literature 2004 “for her musical flow of voices and counter-voices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of society’s clichés and their subjugating power”.
Jelinek studied music intensively from an early age. She graduated from the Vienna Conservatory and studied theater and art history at the University of Vienna. In a 2004 interview Jelinek explained, “My training in music and composition then led me to a kind of musical language process in which, for example, the sound of the words I play with has to expose their true meaning against their will so to speak.”
“I have a feeling that you despise your body and that you only value art, you only value your argent needs, but eating and sleeping aren’t enough. You believe that your appearance is your enemy, and the only friend you have is music. Why look just in the mirror, look at your reflection, you’ll never find a better friend that yourself,” Elfriede advises in “The Piano Teacher”.
I am listening miraculous music in her language: “When discussing Bach’s six Brandenburg concertos, the artistically aware person usually states, among other things, that when these masterpieces were composed, the stars were dancing in heavens. God and his dwelling place are always involved whenever these people talk about Bach.”
By the way “The Piano Teacher” was made into a feature film in 2001. This movie is unforgettable.
“The world would be a lot better off if it paid more attention to its philosophers and artists than to its own tiny egotistic spirit, which lacks an overview. People should place their belief in Beethoven and Socrates”, Elfriede writes in “Wonderful, Wonderful Times”
Marguerite Gachet At The Piano by Vincent Van Gogh (1890)
Thank you very much for our walking under Viennese sky. Our hearts are beating in unison because from now, from this very moment, we place our belief in Beethoven and Socrates to make our world better.
Thank You for my dreams I see every night. I love to laugh in my dreams. Last night I saw wonderful and happy dream. I had met on the sofa, oh la la, with enigmatic Mr. F. We were laughing aloud until I had awoken and opened my eyes. Funny Mr. F. makes my happy today. Ha-ha-ha, it seems the dream have predicted that I am going to read the article “Playfulness and Humor in the Psychoanalytic Relationship”.
“In 2001, Time Magazine referred to Mr.F. as one of the most important thinkers of the last century. And in 2006 Newsweek article called him “history’s most debunked doctor” I am surprised by so ambivalent approach. Could you guess who is funny Mr. F.?
My previous posts were about Vienna and you know to think and write about this legendary city is impossible without light of its intellectual stars. The brightest from them is “father of psychoanalysis“, everybody guesses, Sigmund Freud.
“Psychoanalysis is in essence a cure through love,” Sigmund writes about his brain child.
The aim of psychoanalysis therapy is to release repressed emotions and experiences, i.e. make the unconscious conscious. He believes that nothing you do occurs by chance; every action and thought is motivated by your unconscious at some level.
A Freud slip is defined as a written or spoken mistake that brings insight to one’s unconscious desires, idea, and drive.
I have seen this wonderful design of chairs in Austria. What is your “free association” about the photo below? I associate the picture with a place of meeting of fishes from different seas like important diplomatic mission or group therapy as in “Finding Nemo” cartoon.
Sigmund Freud developed the use of “Talk Therapy”.
In psychoanalysis, the patient typically comes four times a week, lies on a couch, and attempts to communicate as openly and freely as possible, saying whatever comes to mind.
I love this joke:
Neurotics build castles in the sky.
Psychotics live in them.
Psychiatrists collect the rent.
Freud Sofa is below.
“The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is ‘What does a woman want?'” Freud puzzled.
Prada, Prada knows the answer, dear funny Mr. F.
Thank you for your smile and happy mold (oh, Freud slip, I mean “mood”) :-)! I keep my happy mold (mood) because of you.
Thank You for a wonderful time we are spending our lives in. We live in fantastic time when we have a possibility to learn Renaissance, to walk in Florence and to share our impressions worldwide immediately. We are lucky to live now.
“The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves,” Machiavelli wrote in “The Prince”. “It’s a handbook for gangsters.” Francis Bacon said about Machiavelli’s “The Prince”.
The Lion’s side of Machiavelli is well known. But what about fox’s side?
Fifteenth-century Florence was an exciting place to be. Renaissance is blooming and beauty is the ruler. Nicollo Machiavelli is a student of human nature, “a witty man and a very ordinary husband and father who enjoyed love affairs and filles de joie,” Miles Unger writes in “Machiavelli: A biography”.
O,la,la it seems we see a fox’s side in him!
Everyone knows Niccolo Machiavelli’s status as a great politician, but few are also aware that he was a first-rate playwright and satirist.
His play Mandragola (probably written around 1519) is one of the outstanding comedies of the Italian Renaissance stage.
The plot centers around a wealthy doctor of law, Nicia, and his beautiful wife Lucrezia. Callimaco, a young man, hears about Lucrezia’s beauty, and decides that he wants to become her lover. He learns of the couple’s inability to produce a child, so (with the help of his servant Ligurio), he disguises himself as a doctor and informs Nicia that he can produce a potion from the mandrake plant that, if taken by Lucrezia, will enable her to conceive. However, as Callimaco warns Nicia, the first man to have sexual intercourse with her will die from the effects of the potion. Luckily, Callimaco knows a man who will consent to have sex with her and bear the punishment of death. Nicia consents, and (along with Frate Timoteo) persuades Lucrezia to do the same. Callimaco disguises himself yet again, and is able to have his way with her.
The play is a brilliant comedy. It is also amazing to learn that it was performed successfully in 1520 before Pope Leo X in Rome. The fact that the play celebrated sex and seduction, and totally ridiculed the clergy as frauds, bothered him not at all. In fact, the Pope liked it so much that he asked Cardinal Giulio de Medici to award Machiavelli a commission as a writer.
For a good summer night I would like to recommend the movie “La mandragola” (1965) by Albertto Lattuada. The film quite deservedly was Oscar nominated for Costume Design but also deserved a nod for its excellent cinematography. You will enjoy it, I promise!
Oh, dear diary—I am lost in ever after:
“I am like water, everything brings me in motion. Everything is mirrored in me. This must be part of my nature as a creative writer and often I have derived pleasure and blessing from it, although often it has also been a torment,” the writer wrote to his friend.
Tatyana now need wait no longer.
Glorialana Magazine 