The biological differences that distinguish male and female genders in every culture remain evident. Men are perceived as the stronger and more dominant gender; women play the role of the weakest. In every culture, expectations about how men and women behave are influenced by that culture's ideals and customs. In most predominant cultures, the man takes the role of leader and the woman dedicates her life to her husband. Throughout history, traditions and literature provide a blueprint for the identities of various cultures. The classic Sleeping Beauty story of a beautiful princess takes a central precept that previous patriarchal archetypes dominated during the 17th century. Archetypal perceptions of women are the result of conscious and unconscious literature influenced by male-dominated perspectives and social standards. The story of Sleeping Beauty is influenced by oral folklore and various written versions. Today, fairy tales are told as a way of entertaining and teaching children. In traditional storytelling, farmers transmitted folklore orally around campfires to audiences of different ages. However, during the 17th century, peasant tales, such as Sleeping Beauty, were modified by writers such as that of Charles Perrault, to appeal to the courts of the aristocracy. Thus the characters of Sleeping Beauty adorned a courtly air to appeal to the crown, like Louis XIV of France. Throughout history, various cultural influences have transformed the story of Sleeping Beauty through the manipulation of various social forces to serve better entertainment purposes and reflect Christian beliefs and customs. Furthermore, the moral of the story conveys the message that females remain passive in the hope of marrying her true love... middle of paper... powerful characters are present, while females represent unimportant characters. Unaware of the influence of society, the perception of the importance of genders, literature and culture remains unchanged. While fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty are charming entertainment for children, their message remains a didactic one hidden beneath the surface; teach future generations to submit to gender inequalities. Feminist critiques works of previous literature, highlighting sexual discrimination and conveying their own versions of previous works, which paint a composite picture of women's oppression (Feminist Theory and Criticism). Twenty-first century women continue to investigate and highlight the inequalities of their race in an attempt to organize a better social life for women of the future (Feminist Theory and Criticism).