Coveted Magic Item In Sondheim's Into The Woods
Stephen Sondheim's Into The Woods is a musical that brings together popular fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk. The story follows the characters as they venture into the woods to fulfill their wishes. However, they soon realize that their wishes come with a price. Among the many magical items featured in the musical, the most coveted one is the golden cowbell.
The Importance of the Golden Cowbell
The golden cowbell is a magical item that belongs to Milky-White, Jack's beloved cow. Jack's mother asks him to sell Milky-White at the market to bring in some money. Jack meets the Baker and his wife, who are on a mission to find magical items to lift a curse that has made them infertile. Jack trades Milky-White for the golden cowbell, which he believes to be more valuable.
The Baker and his wife come across Jack again while he is trying to sell the golden cowbell for some beans. The Baker and his wife trade the beans for the cowbell, not realizing its magical properties. The beans grow into a giant beanstalk that leads to a castle in the sky, where the Baker and his wife find the other magical items they need to lift the curse.
The golden cowbell is an important item in the story because it sets the plot in motion. It brings the main characters together and makes them realize that their wishes can come true if they work together.
The Symbolism of the Golden Cowbell
The golden cowbell represents the materialistic desires of the characters in the story. Jack's mother wants money, the Baker and his wife want a child, and Cinderella wants to attend the King's festival. The cowbell represents the desire for wealth and status, which is a recurring theme in many fairy tales.
However, the characters soon realize that their desires come with a price. The Baker and his wife must sacrifice their morals to obtain the other magical items, Little Red Riding Hood must deal with the consequences of disobeying her mother, and Cinderella must decide what is truly important to her.
The golden cowbell also represents the consequences of greed. Jack's mother sends him to sell Milky-White for money, but Jack's desire for the cowbell leads him to trade his beloved cow for a worthless item. The Baker and his wife's desire for a child leads them to steal from others and make questionable decisions. The cowbell reminds us that our desires can blind us to the consequences of our actions.
The Significance of the Cowbell's Sound
The sound of the golden cowbell is significant because it represents the characters' desires. The cowbell is a symbol of greed and materialism, but it also represents hope and possibility.
The cowbell is first heard when Jack is leading Milky-White to the market. The sound of the cowbell represents Jack's hope for a better life and his desire to make his mother proud. Later, the sound of the cowbell represents the Baker and his wife's hope for a child and their desperation to lift the curse.
However, the cowbell's sound also represents the consequences of the characters' desires. The sound of the cowbell is heard when Jack trades it for the beans, which leads to the giant beanstalk and the discovery of the other magical items. The sound of the cowbell also represents the Baker and his wife's moral decline as they make questionable decisions to obtain the other items.
The Lessons We Learn From the Golden Cowbell
The golden cowbell teaches us that our desires can have consequences. It reminds us that materialistic desires can blind us to the true value of things. It also teaches us that working together can lead to success, but sacrificing our morals for our desires can lead to our downfall.
Into The Woods is a story that teaches us valuable lessons about life, and the golden cowbell is an important symbol in the story. It reminds us that our desires can have consequences and that we must be careful what we wish for.
