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''Histoires ou contes du temps passé'' or ''Les Contes de ma Mère l'Oye'' (''Stories or Fairy Tales from Past Times with Morals'' or ''Mother Goose Tales'')〔Zipes (2000), 236–238〕 is a collection of literary fairy tales written by Charles Perrault, published in Paris in 1697. The work became popular because it was written at a time when fairy tales were fashionable amongst aristocrats in Parisian literary salons.〔 Perrault wrote the work when he retired from court as secretary to Jean-Baptiste Colbert, minister to Louis XIV of France. Colbert's death may have forced Perrault's retirement, at which point he turned to writing. Scholars have debated as the origin of his tales and whether they are original literary fairy tales modified from commonly known stories, or based on stories written by earlier medieval writers such as Boccaccio. Elaborate embellishments were a preferred style at the French court. The simple plots Perrault started with were modified, the language enhanced, and rewritten for an audience of aristocratic and noble courtiers. Thematically, the stories support Perrault's belief that the nobility is superior to the peasant class, and many of the stories show an adherence to Catholic beliefs, such as those in which a woman undergoes purification from sin and repentance before reintegration into society.〔 == Background == Charles Perrault came from a large, well-known and respected bourgeois family, whose father was a lawyer and member of parliament. As a young man, Perrault began writing, receiving royal attention for a series of honorary poems written for Louis XIV of France in 1660, which may have been the catalyst for his two-decade post as secretary to Minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert.〔Zipes (2000), 379–381〕 Perrault established and administered academies for arts such as the Académie de peinture et de sculpture (Academy of painting and sculpture) and the Académie d'architecture (Academy of architecture) during those years, .〔Jean (2007), 276–278〕 He retired from public duty and returned to writing on the death of Colbert.〔 Children's literature scholar Jack Zipes speculates that Perrault's fairy tales may have been written to be the last word in a decade-long literary quarrel. He had become increasingly progressive while in public service, believing France and Church needed modernizing, which culminated in the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns that started in 1687 and ended a decade later by Louis XIV's ruling in favor of the "ancients". At that point Perrault wrote his tales, that were based on the ancient but rewritten to be modern.〔 Additionally, the tales may have been written as means for him to regain a place in society, particularly in the well-attended literary salons.〔 The French literary style ''Préciosité'', characterized by witty conversations, literary salons, and telling fairy stories were fashionable ("all the rage") in the upper echelons of society and aristocratic circles, and most particularly, at court. ''Préciosité'' was reflected in fashions, conversations, art and literature that were elevated and affected with great embellishments and meant to be brilliant in an effort to separate the upper levels of society from the vulgarity and coarseness of the bourgeoise. The game of telling fairy stories amongst the ''Précieuse'' in the then highly fashionable ladies' literary salons became popular in the late 17th century.〔 Zipes says Perrault published in ''Contes'' stories written explicitly written for his "peers in the literary salons",〔 whereas Humphrey Carpenter believes he wrote for an audience of aristocratic children as well.〔 Writing for children in itself was a trend, as shown by the stories Louis XIV's wife wrote for girls in convents.〔Bottigheimer (2008), 187〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Histoires ou contes du temps passé」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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