Terra C.

Ochsner

Professor Aronstein

Final Draft

7 December 2020

Many scholars look to Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s writing as an important point along the

timeline of the fairytale genre’s history, but that was not their reasoning behind recording the tales that

are known around the world today. In fact, the Brothers Grimm originally set out to record cultural

stories of Germany to preserve them as a more literate class arose. The darker, macabre beginnings of

stories like “Snow White”, which were suitable for, and indicative of, 19 th century Germany, contained

many elements of the fairytale genre that has helped transfer this story throughout history with

immense success. The Grimm’s “Snow White” also told a story with themes and conversations so central

and relevant to humans throughout time: jealousy is extremely destructive and the consideration of

woman’s place in society. Because of these relatable themes and the touches of the fantastic and

fairytale genre that the Grimms naturally included in their original telling of “Snow White”, Walt Disney

was able to take this story, adapt it for children, make it suitable for 20 th century America, and turn it

into one of the most successful animated films of all time. Consequently, what was once intended as a

scholarly endeavor to preserve one’s culture transformed into a story that is highly recognizable around

the world today.

The Origins of “Snow White”

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm put together their first two, small, volumes of Children and

Household Tales between the years of 1812-1815 in order to take the oral stories of the German people

and put them into print while literacy was growing (Blamires 147). In his book, Telling Tales, David

Blamires writes that their stories, like “Snow White”, were not originally meant to be the typical

bedtime tellings that we associate with the titles today. Instead, “their enterprise was originally a
scholarly one: to make a collection of traditional oral tales before they disappeared in the face of

increasing literacy” (Blamires 147). Jacob and Wilhelm collected common stories, with the purpose of

preserving German ideals and traditions, from “middle-class informants” in their hometown of Kassel,

nearby Hassen, and other surrounding areas of Germany.

There are many who believe that their version of “Snow White” was loosely based on some true

stories throughout Germany’s history. According to scholar, Eckhard Sander, Snow’s story can be linked

to countess Margaretha von Waldeck of Hessel (DeNinno). Amidst a tumultuous relationship, Waldeck

was forced by her step-mother to move to Brussels when she was 16. Here, we can trace the common

threads of jealousy between the “evil” step-mother and her young step-daughter. Sander writes how

she became engaged to Phillip II of Spain. Von Waldeck died at the hands of poison in 1554 when she

was just 21 years old, and it is supposed that it was done by “Spanish authorities after the king of Spain

and her evil stepmother saw the imminent marriage between her and the prince as inconvenient

politically for the nation” (DeNinno).

An Adaptable Fairytale

While it is important to consider where this story came from, for our purposes, it’s more

relevant to examine how the Grimm Brothers employed touches of the fairytale genre that have made

“Snow White” both highly successful and easily adaptable. The term fairytale was first coined in France

by Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy in the 1600’s (Kelsey-Sugg). The name is literally derived from the

tendency to include sprites or fairies within stories, and throughout time, has become more identifiable

as a genre for children. As the genre has evolved, fairies are often included in positive manners while

witches/sorceresses appear in an opposite, negative manner.

Within the Grimm’s version of this story, the wicked stepmother fulfills the role of the latter. For

example, the Queen “had a magic looking-glass” that she consults throughout the story (Grimm 1). On

top of that, “by witchcraft she made a poisoned comb” (Grimm 5). She embodies this role of the witch
and is cast in an extremely negative light; not only is she “green with envy” and jealous of her step-

daughter, but she tries four separate times to kill her. This slight touch of other-worldy, witch magic

helps this story naturally dabble within the realm of the fairytale’s negative characterization of “witchy”

women, while laying the groundwork for adaptors like Walt Disney to come in and add more later. For

instance, aside from these two, subtle iterations of magic and witchcraft, the Queen goes about her

dastardly deeds in a very human way; she uses makeup and clothing to disguise herself, and the first

time she tried to kill Snow in the cottage, she simply “laced [the corset] so quickly and tightly that it took

Snow White’s breath away” (Grimm 4). By merely dabbling in the realm of the fantastic, the Grimms left

the door open for Walt Disney to come in and add more magic to the story by mystifying the Queen’s

transformation and employing more obvious uses of powers as she tries to kill Snow.

Another tenant of the genre explores the ways in which reality and the fantastic are woven

together in the building of worlds. Heda Johnson discusses how fairytales are often created within

worlds that exist, or very reasonably could have existed, while simultaneously using technologies and

magic that exist outside of the bounds of reason, reality, and science. Johnson is quoted saying

“fairytales are akin to non-natural elements either the ‘fabulous’ or ‘marvelous’ […] and the fabulous has

no objective existence by our contemporary scientific standards” (Somoff 285). So, fairytales situate

fantasy within a world that we can reasonably identify with. The Grimms nail this benchmark, again,

with the use of the magic mirror that interacts with knowledge and wisdom outside of human abilities.

When asked who is fairest, the mirror responds “’Queen, thou art of beauty rare, But Snow-white living

in the glen with the seven little men/Is a thousand times more fair’” (Grimm 4). Aside from the obvious

fact that the mirror is a living object that would be inanimate in the real-world, it is also hyper-aware

and can see outside of the bounds of the castle to give the Queen insight. Yet this kingdom, situated

amongst the forest and distant mountains, is one that we could easily imagine having actually existed a

long time ago. The Dwarves themselves even live in a fairly typical house that isn’t unfamiliar in the least
with their furniture and amenities. It is this familiarity, coupled with the elements of wonder, which are

emblematic of the genre, that made this story easily transferable and digestible for children.

Outside of these magical elements, which are often found in other genres as well, it’s

commonplace for the fairytale to begin with conflict of some sort. In The Irresistible Fairy Tale by Jack

Zipes, he writes simply that “Fairy tales begin with conflict because we all begin our lives with conflict”

(Zipes 16). In this genre, the conflict’s purpose is to “...embody capactities we need to consider in order

to articulate and discuss problematic issues in our lives” (Zipes 16). More specifically, these stories are

aimed at helping children cope with, and process, common human experiences. For instance, there are

many fairytales whose main conflict is derived from the death/loss of the biological mother and the

instigation of an “evil” step-mother. Bhikku Sujatto references Bruno Bettelheim in saying that, “when a

child splits the mother into a good (usually dead) mother and an evil stepmother, it enables them to pre-

serve a mother who for them is free of any flaws when the real mother is all too flawed” (Sujatto). Jacob

and Wilhelm’s “Snow White” connects to this element almost exactly. Snow encounters conflict from

the very beginning because “when she was born the Queen died” (Grimm 1). Snows mother cannot be

interpreted as anything but good, and Snow’s father “took another wife, a beautiful woman, but proud

and overbearing, and she could not bear to be surpassed in beauty by any one” (Grimm 1). In death,

Snow’s mother is immortalized in a very innocent way, and is replaced by an unconventionally proud,

outspoken, and evil witch. In this sense, “Snow White” as a fairytale uses this conflict as a way for

children to cope with, appreciate, and understand their own relationships, in this case with their

mothers, better.

Another element indicative of the fairytale is one Victoria Somoff deems “Totemic Belief”. In her

book On the Metahistorical Roots of the Fairytale, Somoff explains this idea in that the genre generally

employs a connection between man and animals (Somoff 285). The protagonist will often encounter an

animal in need of direction or help, and will come to their aid without seeking anything in return. This
relationship comes to an unaware protagonist, who is blind to any potential payoff for them. As a result,

the protagonist is rewarded for these selfless acts by acquiring access to the services of the being(s) they

helped, or in various other capacities. In the Grimm version, this Totemic Belief does not come from

animals as the genre more formally calls for, but it can be seen in her relationship with the Seven

Dwarves. Snow agrees to take care of the domestic duties for the Dwarves simply in return for a place to

stay (Grimm 3). What she doesn’t realize, though, is that by aiding the Dwarves, they end up protecting

her and saving her life when she has on the corset and when they remove her poisoned comb. Snow did

not intend for this give and take with their relationship, but the Dwarves graciously care for her

nonetheless to the point that when she eats the poison apple and dies, they “wept and lamented three

whole days” and prepared a beautiful casket for her to be laid in (Grimm 6). Our protagonist comes

along, treats these creatures with kindness, and receives their loyalty and services in return.

A Fairytale on Screen

Flash forward over 100 years to the December 21 st premier of the Disney film Snow White and

the Seven Dwarfs, which can be seen as one of the most prolific fairytales ever. In 1937, amidst World

War II and the Great Depression, Walt Disney took a gamble with a 1.3 million dollar budget to re-

imagine the story of “Snow White” as “the first animated feature to be produced in English and in

Technicolor” (Disney). Many people, including his wife, didn’t see the movie being a success; they didn’t

believe any adult would pay to watch a full-length cartoon movie (Disney). But, the film quickly grossed

over 8 million dollars (over 418 million to date), receiving rave reviews (Disney). In an interview, Maria

Tatar, a research professor of Folklore, Mythology, Germanic Languages, and Literatures discusses how

“Fairy tales are [a] great contact zone for all generations, enabling us to think more and think harder

about crisis […] all the terrible things that can happen to us” (Disney).

In adapting this story, Disney still presents Snow with the conflict of the evil, witch-like

stepmother, but for the first time the audience is able to experience this tenant visually. The Disney
version elevates this story more definitively into the realm of the children’s fairytale by adding more

elements of the fantastic. In this version, the step-mother truly embodies the role of the witch as she

continues to consult the mystical face in the magic mirror (Hand). In fact, this mirror acts with human

awareness and a keen sense of wisdom that is entirely unconventional in our world (Hand). Then, when

it comes time to poison Snow, the Queen actually transforms into an old beggar woman instead of just

using a basic disguise, and conjures a spell over a smoking cauldron in creating the poison apple for

Snow to eat (Hand). In this way, the film extends on the subtle ways that the Grimms developed the

Queen as a sorceress of sorts, and turned her into the atypical, cauldron-bearing witch.

Additionally, the film calls more traditionally on Victoria Somoff’s idea of Totemic Belief as Snow

encounters the woodland creatures, immediately treats them with kindness, and is rewarded with both

their comfort and help throughout the rest of the movie (Hand). When the Queen attempts to give

Snow the apple the first time, several of these creatures swoop in and knock the apple out of her hand

in an attempt to protect Snow (Hand). At the end of the movie, these creatures actually end up startling

the old witch and chasing her away, which leads her to fall to her death (Hand). Because Snow showed

kindness to both the Dwarves and the woodland animals at the beginning of the story, she is given their

loyalty in return.

As an adaptation, the film version stays true to many of the same fairytale elements, but then

elevates them as the tale was brought to life visually for the first time creating a sense of wonder that

engrossed children and adults alike. Jacob and Wilhelm laid the groundwork within their original telling

of the story, which is truly more of a testament to the story building of the German culture they were

working to preserve, to be fantastic and wondrous enough to capture audiences throughout the passage

of time.
Universal Themes and a Tale that Prevails

Aside from its ability to be transformed into the epitome of the children’s fairytale, Jacob and

Wilhlem Grimm’s version of “Snow White” has lived on so successfully because of the ways they

harnessed the power of themes that are relevant across time and cultures. Their version is very relevant

in the time and space that it existed, and its adapted form calls on those themes while making it

palatable on screen in America. In preserving Germanic ideals, the Grimms used the relationship

between Snow and the Queen to show how women should/should not act within their society while

expressing the dangers of jealousy and envy. For instance, the Queen is an outspoken, dominating figure

who is described as “proud and overbearing” (Grimm 1). On top of that, her obvious jealousy, which

drives her to try and murder her own step-daughter, is meant to show how that type of envy can cause

a person to go mad. She is emblematic of everything a woman shouldn’t be within the German culture,

and she is punished accordingly by German standards: “they had ready red-hot iron shoes, in which she

had to dance until she fell down dead” (Grimm 7). This death, which would be seen as too gruesome for

fairytales today, fit easily into the culture it was intended to represent, because a woman who was

acting outside of her station (i.e. domineering and verbose) would have been seen as blasphemous

enough to inflict embarrassment and punishment.

On an opposite note, the Grimms used Snow White to show how German women should act,

emphasizing the patriarchal values of their society, while also connecting to the Christian beliefs that

were becoming increasingly important at the time this story was recorded (Ardanova). Characters like

Snow were created to show how the ideal woman would act in the household, while also framing them

within numerous religious allusions. Jack Zipes notes that “female protagonists in fairy tales [have] been

greatly informed by male collectors and writers who often domesticated the heroines and made them

more passive than they actually were” (Zipes 92). This is shown in “Snow White” when “the masters of

the house came home” and offer to let Snow stay if she’ll keep the house tidy and clean, cook, and sew
for the men (Grimm 3). In line with German ideals, Snow is the “fairest” of all as she fulfills this

domesticated, submissive role for the men of the house.

This idea is developed further as Snow’s troubles arise; the Queen tricks her into wearing the magic

corset. The little men were able to cut the lace and she “returned to life” (Grimm 4). In this sense, the

men had to continually come to her rescue. Without their hand, she would have succumbed to death

permanently. The men give Snow a warning at this point that “you must beware of letting any one in

when we are not here” (Grimm 4). Yet, Snow forbears to listen to the men, going against German

expectations of women, and is tricked by the Queen two more times. This works as a warning that

women are to listen to men, and they must be wary when men are not physically present to protect

them.

The Christian values that showed through could be seen through Snow’s purity and numerous other

allusions to the Bible. It would have been viewed as risqué for Snow to simply sleep in the bed of men

she didn’t know, if she hadn’t “committed herself to Heaven” prior to dozing off (Grimm 2). This reminds

readers that Snow’s heart was with God despite her unconventional situation: “The Grimms, intent on

producing a manual of manners made sure that [Snow White] said her prayers before falling asleep’”

(Ardanova 9). Other Biblical allusions include references to the trinity; Snow was tricked, falling from

grace, by the Queen three times (Ardanova 9).

Snow’s final, and most dire, “fall” from following the directions of the men around her came at the

hand of a poisoned apple, which can be linked directly to Eve’s fall from grace. In Genesis chapter three,

the serpent deceives Eve and convinces her to take the apple (Holy Genesis 3:1-7). As a result, humans

no longer live forever but are cursed to encounter death by returning to the “dust” from which they

were made (Holy Genesis 3:19). Snow actually hesitates in taking the apple, much like Eve, but

eventually “she could no longer refrain, but stretched out her hand and took the poisoned half” (Grimm

6). Much like Eve, Snow experiences death because she was gullible and took the apple, against the
wishes of the Dwarves (or for Eve, God). Her death at this point could also be linked with Jesus’

crucifixion: instead of being buried in the “black ground”, Snow White was carefully prepared and laid in

a coffin, which she eventually rose out of, just as Jesus’ body was carefully prepared and laid in the

tomb, rising again three days later (Grimm 6-7).

The Disney version took many of these same themes onto the screen, as they were still relatable for

their audience. The question of how women should act within society was still prevalent at the time the

movie premiered, and based on its depiction, was similar to German ideals: Snow was portrayed as this

pure, chaste example of how a lady acts, and the miserly Queen helped to show how a jealous,

outspoken, overbearing woman would only bring about her own destruction. Now, the film was

“cleansed” in a few ways in order to make it appropriate for the moment in time it was produced for.

The Queen wasn’t shown dancing herself to death, but instead is pictured on a cliff face that crumbles

beneath her feet and causes her to fall to what we can presume is her death (Hand). The Grimm’s

punishment of the Queen would not have been seen as outrageous by their audience’s standards, but it

most definitely would have been seen as inappropriate for the viewership of the Disney version,

especially because this torturous death would have been highly visible for the first time. On top of that,

Snow White is only tricked by the Queen one time; this still accomplishes the task of showing the

repercussions of Snow not heeding the Dwarve’s warning (patriarchal values), and the grotesque

impacts that jealousy has on people, but the Disney audience is spared the pain and heartache of

watching this character succumb to presumable death on two more occasions. Yet, the same message is

portrayed throughout the story despite its tidying; Snow White runs into trouble when she doesn’t listen

to the men around her, who coincidentally come to her rescue, and the Queen meets her demise at the

hand of her own doing. These calls to the nature of human character and the roles of men and women

in society are something that prevail throughout time, throughout culture, and have made tales like

“Snow White” stand the test of time.

Disney’s Contribution

Walt Disney deserves a lot of credit for his adaptation of the story largely due to the fact that it

Americanized and commercialized the characters, making this more than just a story that was

consumed, but a story that became a lasting part of the American culture. This came in the form of the

characterization of the Seven Dwarves. These characters, who were rendered nameless and static

through the Grimm’s version, were given names and personalities that were hard not to love. For

instance, we see the transformation of Grumpy as he softens and learns to love Snow White, and of

course, there’s the playful innocence and ignorance of Dopey (Hand). Audiences were able to connect

to the silly nature of these individual characters in a way that the Grimm version didn’t provide, and

frankly didn’t need to because at the time it was published, there wasn’t a consumer culture like the film

was adhering to. This is due largely to the fact that Walt Disney was not focused on the preservation of

German culture, but instead had the audience in mind in a very commercially strategic way. The Seven

Dwarves were just another set of characters that not only helped brighten the story, but they were

another opportunity for future profitability: the more characters that the audience can connect with,

the more chances there are for post-story profits. The Dwarves are just another element added to this

story that have helped it prevail throughout the course of 200 years. Disney has profited heavily from all

of these characters through books, figurines, costumes, games, and attractions at Disneyland. Because

of this connection that people have built with these beloved characters, the story continues to be

consumed and adapted in various forms even today.

The wondrous elements of the fairytale genre are what pull adults and children alike, in. We are

drawn into these worlds that look similar to our own, but are fascinated even more by the elements that

exist outside of our own understanding. Yet, it’s the innate relatability of themes that make stories like
“Snow White” so appealing throughout time; no matter the time period that we are living in, we are all

human and have the same core-experiences, even though our societal norms and technologies may look

different. Thanks to the Grimms’ dedication to preserving cultural stories and Walt Disney’s courage to

make the story culturally appropriate and visually alive, “Snow White” is a story that will live on forever.

The fairytale has a way of capturing the imagination of both children and adults, which has made it a

genre that is both highly adapted and successful throughout time. Stories like “Snow White” have been

adapted so successfully because “there are profound meanings in the classical fairy tales that stem from

human conflicts of the past and still speak to us” (Zipes 132). “Snow White” has become a beloved tale

whose success has been paramount throughout translation and changing forms of media: They “can still

resonate with us if their underlying dramas are re-created and re-designed to counter as well as collide

with our complex social realities” (Zipes 132). Our culture is much different than Jacob and Wilhelm

Grimm’s, in fact our world in general looks entirely different than theirs; yet this story still fascinates us

and calls on conflicts and conversations that are so central to our core as humans. Walt Disney

capitalized on this and was able to make a few tweaks and changes so that Snow White and her Dwarves

will live on and continue to stand the test of time.

 Works Cited

Aggarwal-Schifellite, Manisha. “Snow White and the Darkness Within Us.” Harvard Gazette,
Harvard Gazette, 16 July 2020, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/07/the-tale-of-snow-
white-and-what-the-various-versions-mean-to-us/.

Ardanova, Maria. “Underlying Morality in Schneewittchen: A Fairy Tale for Adults.” Journal of
Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, vol. 18, 2018.

Blamires, David. Telling Tales: The Impact of Germany on English Children's Books 1780-1918.
Open Book Publishers, 2013. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vjt8c.13?
seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents.

DeNinno, Nadine. “Is Snow White Real? A Look Back Into The Life Story Of Countess
Margarete Von Waldeck.” International Business Times, 27 July 2012,
www.ibtimes.com/snow-white-real-look-back-life-story-countess-margarete-von-waldeck-
701110.

“Disney Releases ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’” History.com, A&E Television
Networks, 13 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/disney-releases-snow-
white-and-the-seven-dwarfs.

Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Pink Monkey
Library, pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/story158.pdf.

Hand, David, director. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Walt Disney Productions, 1937.

Holy Bible. Tyndale House Publishers, 1996.

Kelsey-Sugg, Anna. “In 1600s Paris, One Woman Undertook an Act of Rebellion. Her Weapon
Was Fairy Tales.” ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2019, www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-
07/fairytale-author-marie-catherine-daulnoy-wrote-a-rebellion/11627040.

Somoff, Victoria (2002). “On the Metahistorical Roots of the Fairytale”. Western Folklore, 61(3-
4), 277-293. Retrieved from http://libproxy.uwyo.edu/login/?url=https://www-proquest-
com.libproxy.uwyo.edu/docview/2008704?accountid=14793

Sujato, Bhikkhu. “The Wicked Stepmother.” Santipada, 2012, santifm.org/santipada/2010/w28/.

Zipes, Jack. Grimm Legacies : The Magic Spell of the Grimms' Folk and Fairy Tales, Princeton
University Press, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central,
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uwy/detail.action?docID=1753616.
Zipes, Jack. The Irresistible Fairy Tale : The Cultural and Social History of a Genre, Princeton
University Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central,
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uwy/detail.action?docID=864785.