Comapre and Contrast Essay: Bluebeard vs. The Cobbler and His Three Daughters

Both versions of the fairy tale Bluebeard signify the importance of having to know a person very well before trusting them, but the “Cobbler” version explains the moral better because it adds that no matter how poor a person is, money cannot buy happiness and family. First of all, the “Cobbler” version of the tale shows that the poor man trusted the “gentleman” which shows that money can change perspectives. Whereas in the original version of Bluebeard, the mother and her daughters trusted Bluebeard and accepted his offer to stay in his house, this shows how some people trust strangers without getting to know them properly. Furthermore, the original version shows how people prioritize money over their feelings, while the “Cobbler” version shows how people prioritize money over their families and relationships. These differences prove that “The Cobbler and His Three Daughters” version of the fairy tale teaches the moral better, because it gives more realistic and mature ideas of the struggles that a person can face as an adult.

While both versions of the Bluebeard tale, the original one and the Cobbler And His Three Daughters clearly signify the importance of having to know the person well before trusting them, the “Cobbler” version teaches the moral better because it shows that desperation for money can lead to destruction and separations between families and close people. Firstly, the Cobbler and His Three Daughters version shows how the poor man trusted the gentleman, even though he did not know him, he believed him just because he offered him money. This shows that money can change perspectives. As stated in the story, “You will give me one of your daughters, and I will give you so much money." (“Cobbler and His Three Daughters” 1). This quote shows how money is used to fog people from the real world. It is used as a shade from the truth. Because money requires really hard work to get, people tend to start thinking about how to get money easily, this is because people are getting lazier and greedier. In the story the Cobbler, who is the poor father, accepts a bargain that made him sell his three daughters just for the money. He blindly trusted the gentleman, without knowing who that was or what secrets were hidden. On the other hand, the original version of Bluebeard shows how the mother and her two daughters trusted Bluebeard and went to his house before getting to know him properly.Trust here is defined as the solid belief of someone’s honesty and loyalty, it should not be gained by people blindly, because it can be used in a bad way and opposite to a person’s expectations. So, people should not trust others blindly, they should always be aware of what is happening around them, and what others are thinking, because sometimes people do not deserve the respect and trust one gives them. Before trusting anyone, a person should know them well first. Just as the original version of Bluebeard explains that people should not trust others blindly, so does the Cobbler version, but this version also adds the extent of doing that action. It clearly shows how some people can use one’s trust against them. The father was fooled by the gentleman’s looks, and his fluent conversations. He believed him and decided to give up his daughters. This version shows an example of types of people who can trick others. It gives the reader a glance of what those evil people might do or what actions they might take to fulfill their desires through one. Unlike the original version, where the mother and her daughters trusted Bluebeard, but made it out of his house alive, then decided to marry him. The Cobbler version gives the reader the ability to imagine oneself in the same situation more than the original version, it also helps imagining the consequences of the actions that were taken.

Secondly, the Cobbler version also shows how some people prioritize world materials, such as money, over some of the most important relationships in life, such as one’s relationship with their family, or the relationship with God. “The father was very grieved to make any such bargain; but at last he comes down to that. He gives him his eldest daughter” (“The Cobbler and His Three Daughters” 1).  This quote shows how desperate the father was to have more money. It shows how people treat money nowadays. Some people might treat money better than treating their own families. The sad reality is that everything is tied to money, a person cannot take any action without spending it. But that should not interfere with how a person treats their family or their relationship with God. In the story, the man sold his daughters, which are supposed to be more expensive than the world’s treasures, to a man who tricked him into thinking he was a good man. He prioritized money and world material over his daughters. These kinds of actions often have bad endings, like for example, the daughters are going to be angry and in many situations it can cause separations in families. In contrast, the original version of the fairy tale signifies how the daughters and their mother treated Bluebeard before they saw how much money he had. “Neither of them would have him, and they sent him backwards and forwards from one to the other, not being able to bear the thoughts of marrying a man who had a blue beard.” (Perrault 1) Then after they saw his money,  “Everything succeeded so well that the youngest daughter began to think that the man's beard was not so very blue after all, and that he was a mighty civil gentleman.” (Perrault 1). In the beginning of the original version, the women were not interested in Bluebeard, they kept passing him to one another to make him leave. Once they saw how much money has, where he lived, and all the activities that could be done because of his money, they liked him. They chose money over their own feelings, which can sometimes be very dangerous. Both versions explain how the characters prioritize money over something. But prioritizing money over family can help people learn more, because some things cannot be determined by money. Happiness, family, relationships are not bought by world material, they are gained by a person’s features and characteristics. If a person sells themselves for the sake of gaining more money, they lose many people around them. Therefore, the “Cobbler” version of the fairy tale explains the moral in a more interesting and effective way.

In conclusion, both tales signify the importance of having to know a person very well before trusting them, but the “Cobbler” version teaches the moral better because it shows that money cannot be prioritized over family or relationships. It also signifies that desperation can lead to destruction, and can separate families. It also adds realistic life experiences that people can face in their journey in life, so as a result, it is best to teach how to respond to these situations by taking the wisest actions possible.