Walt Disney hit upon a gold mine when he turned time-honored tales into cinematic magic. It's hard to think of a classic fairytale and NOT associate one of the "Disney Princesses" with it. The tale of Snow White is no exception.
In addition to the TV drama
Once Upon a Time, debuting last fall, we're seeing not one, but two, Snow White movies this year. That made me think about WHY the fairytale is so loved through generations. So I went back and looked at the history of Snow White. Although the tale was being told in Europe long before the Grimm Brothers came along, their 1812 version is the best known. One hundred years later, in 1912, Snow White was a Broadway musical. Walt Disney made it into an animated movie in 1937.
When you start looking, there are variations of Snow White told in multiple countries and in every form of media. I learned that an X-rated version of the tale was released in 1976. In 1987, ABC had a sitcom called
The Charmings, based on Snow White and Prince Charming. And Sigourney Weaver starred in a 1997 horror film based on the tale.
While all of this is interesting, none of this tells me WHY. Why is Snow White such a beloved tale?
I've got to think that part of the reason is because at it's core, Snow White is the epitome of good versus evil. The lines are clearly defined; Snow White is innocent and pure, the Queen is vain and evil. It's always fun to read a story where you know there
is a bad guy but you don't know
who it is until the end. But here, there's no question about who's the dark force hunting Snow White. And we know - KNOW - that in the end, good will triumph.
The story might also endure because there's an element of truth behind it. Some believe that the original myth was based on the life of Maria Sophia Margaretha Catherina von Erthal (say that 3x fast), a noble German girl whose father remarried. The step-mother used her new noble status to the betterment of the children from her first marriage (to me, this sounds more like Cinderella, but that's a myth for another day). Still, don't all children fear losing a parent? Being subjected to a bully - whether it's at school or at home? Although Snow White takes bullying to the extreme, society likes to see bullies get what they deserve.
I'm sure there are a billion other literary reasons Snow White not only prevails, but dominates, among the fairytales.
But I want to know what you think? And is the reason for Snow White's popularity something that readers want to see in the books they read today?
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Jessie Harrell is the author of
Destined, a retelling of a particularly ancient fairy tale, the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche. She loves all of the Disney Princesses as much as her daughters and knows that while she'll never be a princess, she's lucky to have found her own Prince Charming. You can find out more about Destined on Jessie's
website.
Jessie Harrell is the author of Destined, a retelling of a particularly ancient fairy tale, the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche. She loves all of the Disney Princesses as much as her daughters and knows that while she'll never be a princess, she's lucky to have found her own Prince Charming. You can find out more about Destined on Jessie's website.
I'm going to throw out a reason why Hollywood and writers capitalize on fairy tales: they're familiar. Their tales have already been woven into the fabric of our culture and bring back nostalgic memories of childhood and growing up with Disney. Readers often turn to the familiar and the trusted. Maybe writer's do too. These fairytales come complete with good guy, bad guy, sidekicks, the heroine, theme, and a basic plot - all we have to do is put a spin on it. Makes it a little easier. But I can't say for sure because I've never tried to write a fractured fairytale, though it's tempting.
ReplyDeleteI have to say Mirror Mirror totally bombed. I finally watched it last week and thought it was completely cheesy. I enjoyed elements but I'm hoping the other Snow White movie will be better.
I think you're right about the familiarity playing a big role. There's comfort in the familiar.
DeleteI think a lot of it boils down to the good vs evil, everything clearly defined, as you mentioned. When we're kids, everything seems that simple. As we grow, we learn that nothing in real life is quite that basic, and there's relief in returning to a world where it all makes sense again. And I think a lot of these retelling are taking that idea and playing on it (I love Once Upon a Time) - WHY is the queen so evil, and does she really hate Snow just for being prettier? Can Snow really be that good and not be a wuss? Does Prince Charming do anything but ride around and randomly rescue beautiful maidens in distress? Is happily ever after possible even in fairy tales? We're living in a time where we question everything, and I think by applying those questions to the most basic of all fairy tales, people are going to be sucked in.
ReplyDeletethese are some really interesting insights, Louise! Getting into the character motivation and figuring out what makes the people good or evil is definitely intriguing.
DeleteFairy tales are wonderful escape and great morality "plays." Kids get the message. Adults love reading the same message. Everyone wins with these simple, yet heart-touching stories.
ReplyDeleteanother great insight - fairy tales work for young and old alike!
DeleteI remember that TV show The Charmings!
ReplyDeleteThe classic theme of good versus evil will always endure, as well as fairy tale happily ever after endings to some degree.
In addition to Snow White, I think Cinderella is another example of a story that will continue to be remade. Witness books like Ella Enchanted and Cinder and movies like Pretty Woman and Enchanted.
Disney sure knew what he was doing when he made his animated classics.
I think it's that age-old "there are no new stories to tell, only new ways to tell them" thing. And what better stories to retell than fairy tales? There's a reason they've endured so long.
ReplyDeleteWhy this one is so beloved is a great question. In this day and time, a woman relying on a man to save her is unheard of. But there is a certain romanticism to it.
ReplyDeleteSnow White has very good messages that we rarely get: there will always be good and evil in life and we have to endure it. I loved Snow White and the Huntsman -- it portrayed the fairytale authentically. Snow White will always be a classic fairy tale because it shows us many truths and lies. But the truth will always be better.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved fairy tales because of the folk lore side of it. They're the tales told to us by our grandmothers, who were told those stories by their grandmothers. Fairy tales leave you wondering how much of the story is true, and how much has been twisted or embellished by time and retelling.
ReplyDeleteI think Snow White is especially captivating because of the overbearing family. That's much more relateable than, say, being a little wooden puppet enchanted by a fairy. I think most people can think of a time when they were bullied (as Snow White is) and admire Snow White for hoping for a better future.
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