In Defense of the Classic Disney Princesses: Snow White
Hi! I wanted to do a little observation about the Disney movie Snow White. I'll do them for Cinderella and Aurora as well if you guys are interested. I’m going to look at some common complaints and then put my own two cents into why they aren’t horrible as role models. I’ll start with Disney’s first animated leading lady.
In Defense of the Classic Disney Princesses: Snow White
Common complaints against Snow White:
“She’s a dumb bitch!”
She’s supposed to be fourteen in the Disney film. (In the Grimms she could be anywhere between 7-who knows how old. The Queen started hating her when she turned seven and became a maiden.) The girl is not an adult by any shape of the imagination.
“Gasp! She does house chores to get anywhere! That’s not feminist!”
It was told in the beginning of the movie she worked as a maid, so her using her domestic skills on the dwarfs makes sense in that that’s probably one of the only skill sets she has. (I doubt the Queen ever wanted her to rule.) Also, this movie was very much tied to the original story. So you can’t fault Disney for this one.
“She totally let that creepy woman into her house!”
After rewatching the film recently, I think it’s more a case of Snow White’s biggest flaw is also her biggest strength. Her extreme niceness is what gets her places in the beginning, but it also leads to her undoing. If you watch her body language during the scenes where Snow is alone with the witch, Snow is obviously freaked out by her, but she can’t turn her out because she’s trying to be helpful to a woman she thinks is in need.
“She waited for the prince to come and save her!”
No. She sang one song saying she’d want to see him again someday. By all accounts she seemed to be content with the idea of staying with the dwarfs. (Of course by the end she doesn't, but blame the fairy tale for that one.)
In Defense of the Classic Disney Princesses: Snow White
Common complaints against Snow White:
“She’s a dumb bitch!”
She’s supposed to be fourteen in the Disney film. (In the Grimms she could be anywhere between 7-who knows how old. The Queen started hating her when she turned seven and became a maiden.) The girl is not an adult by any shape of the imagination.
“Gasp! She does house chores to get anywhere! That’s not feminist!”
It was told in the beginning of the movie she worked as a maid, so her using her domestic skills on the dwarfs makes sense in that that’s probably one of the only skill sets she has. (I doubt the Queen ever wanted her to rule.) Also, this movie was very much tied to the original story. So you can’t fault Disney for this one.
“She totally let that creepy woman into her house!”
After rewatching the film recently, I think it’s more a case of Snow White’s biggest flaw is also her biggest strength. Her extreme niceness is what gets her places in the beginning, but it also leads to her undoing. If you watch her body language during the scenes where Snow is alone with the witch, Snow is obviously freaked out by her, but she can’t turn her out because she’s trying to be helpful to a woman she thinks is in need.
“She waited for the prince to come and save her!”
No. She sang one song saying she’d want to see him again someday. By all accounts she seemed to be content with the idea of staying with the dwarfs. (Of course by the end she doesn't, but blame the fairy tale for that one.)