Charles Perrault

Charles Perrault (1628-1703) was a French author and member of the 17th-century literary movement known as Classicism. He is best known for his collection of fairy tales titled "Tales of Mother Goose" (Histoires ou Contes du temps passé, avec des moralités), which was first published in 1697. Charles Perrault laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from earlier folk tales published in his 1697 book Histoires ou contes du temps passé (Stories or Tales from Past Times). The best known of his tales include Le Petit Chaperon Rouge ("Little Red Riding Hood"), Cendrillon ("Cinderella"), Le Maître chat ou le Chat botté ("Puss in Boots"), La Belle au bois dormant ("Sleeping Beauty"), and Barbe Bleue ("Bluebeard").

Perrault was an influential figure in the 17th-century French literary scene. Some of Perrault's versions of old stories influenced the German versions published by the Brothers Grimm more than 100 years later. The stories continue to be printed and have been adapted to most entertainment formats. Some of his popular stories, particularly Cinderella and The Sleeping Beauty, are still commonly told similar to the way Perrault had written them, while others have been revised over the years. For example, some versions of Sleeping Beauty published today are based partially on a Brothers Grimm tale, "Little Briar Rose", a modified version of the Perrault story.

In addition to his fairy tales, Perrault also wrote poetry, plays, and literary criticism. He was a member of the French Academy and was involved in the literary and intellectual circles of his time.