A Comparison of Female Protagonists in Fairy Tales: Cinderella and Pla Boo Thong

Abstract

This article aims to compare the similarities of the female protagonists in the fairy tale stories of Cinderella and Pla Boo Thong, both being well known and read worldwide. The Feminist theory was applied to analyze the female roles in this article. These fairy tales reflect the images of women in the past, showing that even though they were from different cultures and traditions, Western and Thai beliefs or social expectations were similar. For example, good girls are obedient, passive, beautiful, submissive, and responsible for housework. They rely on men and have no right to do or think on their own and they will only follow men’s commands.