by Ana Garcia
Snow White and Bluebeard, tales of women who fall victims to patriarchal standards. The tales surround the idea of refuge, safe haven, villains and saviours but most importantly, the constraints of society due to gender expectations. These are stores that have been told and retold for decades, generation after generations growing up hearing and reading these stories without the full understanding behind each one. Stories intend to teach and frankly, some of these particular stories such as Snow White and Bluebeard no longer convey lesions that fit our ever changing society. They portray gender stereotypes, behavioural expectations to femicide and anti-feminsit ideals. Therefore, fairy tales such as Snow White and Bluebeard should be stories to be left in the past rather than passed on because they glorify prominent and concerning issues regarding the oppression of women in society.
Feminism is a broad spectrum that goes from philosophy to political action. Feminism as a political movement, dating back to the eighteenth century, seeks to incentivise actions towards legislative change. It is not necessarily a movement that strives to only introduce and spread about ideas and understanding of women’s situations throughout the world. In contrast to the movement, feminist theory is a philosophical avenue for change. They can both influence one another as a result of the “overlapping histories and purposes” but must be distinguished from one another. Both seek the improvement of life for women across the world and time.
Over the years, the world has experienced a never ending cycle of aggression and violence that has continued to exacerbate as time progresses. Today, countries throughout the world are seeing more violence being perpetrated against minorities and women. Gender based violence is an epidemic that has long been present in humanity’s existence. Violence, as explained in the article, “POWER, POWER RELATIONS, AND OPPRESSION: A PERSPECTIVE FOR BALANCING THE POWER RELATIONS”, is often grounded on oppressive circumstances caused by the imbalance of power relations and abuse of power” (Hamilton, 21).
As of the past few decades, the world has spotlighted the issue of gender based violence. It is the act of aggression influenced by one’s gender. Domestic violence, which is defined as a sequence of threats used predominantly to control their partners at home” (Sylvia & Towers, 9). It is the intention of obtaining submission through force and coercion. However, this is not the only form; domestic violence does not necessarily have to be physical. In fact, Stark, a scholar, recognised that tactics such as “belittling and isolation” play a major role in the concept of coercive violence. It is a constant aspect that is seen throughout society and the media.
The stories published by the Grimm Borthers and Charles Perrault set the groundwork for stories in which anti-feminist views and gender based violence are romanticised. The Grimm Brothers published Snow White in 1812. It is a story about a girl who is persecuted by the Evil Queen for being the fairest in the land. She encounters dwarves and princes throughout her journey, leading to her salvation from the oppression from the Queen. Moreover, Charles Perrault published Bluebeard in 1697. The story portrays a man who seeks to wed women only to murder them after. It is practically the story of a serial killer husband who marries a girl and puts her to the test. If successful, she gets to live but as the story develops, that takes a different turn. The story as a whole aims to portray violence from one side and curiosity on the other. Both fairy tales endorse problematic behaviours by portraying unrealistic expectations that every woman must uphold in order to maintain the patriarchy satisfaction; reaping violent conditions to those who defy the status quo.
As human beings we are accustomed to making judgments about our surroundings in order to assess how to behave in siad circumstances. Specifically, when we meet new people, we tend to let our prejudices on physical appearances guide our conclusions on a person prior to knowing them. It is a mechanism that we use to shape our understanding of the world. Cecilia L. Ridegway, an American Gender Studies Sociologist, explains throughout her essay, “FRAMED BEFORE WE KNOW IT: How Gender Shapes Social Relations” how our perceptions of gender predispose us when relating to others. In fact, she emphasises that we formulate and accept gender expcations using our cultural beliefs and sex category (Ridgeway 151). The issue, however, is that our society has favoured men in expectations. Collectively, our cultural beliefs in western society have led us to accept the fact that “men are more agentically competent and more worthy of status” (Ridgeway 151). Hence, the creation of what we call gender norms.
There are two types of norms that we attribute to each gender and sex: descriptive and injuctive. The descriptive norms are “consensual expectations about what members of a group actually do” (Eagly & Karau, 574) and the injunctive norms are consensual expectations about what a group of people ought to do or ideally would do” (Eagly & Karau, 574). These norms create the stereotypical characteristics for men and women, where women are seen as “affectionate, sympathetic, helpful, kind, sympathetic, interpersonally sensitive, nurturant, and gentle”(Eagly & Karau, 574) and men are regarded as “primarily as an assertive, controlling, and confident tendency” (Eagly & Karau, 574). Men have the characteristics that allow for people to believe they are naturally better leaders than women.
In addition, women are expected to uphold an impeccable and attractive appearance. The social significance of femminine beauty, especially in today’s fairytales, portray women as passive and beautiful. Historically, female beauty is considered to be one of women’s most important aspects. Therefore, the “majority of fairy tales emphasise details of physical appearance of their female characters”(Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz, 717). In the findings from the essay, “THE PERVASIVENESS AND PERSISTENCE OF THE FEMININE BEAUTY IDEAL IN CHILDREN’S FAIRY TALES”, they showed that “there are approximately five times more references to women’s beauty per tale than to men” (Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz, 717). Typically, the references are to young maiden who are described as “beautiful”, “pretty” or the “fairest”, whereas, young men like Prince Charming are simply described as “handsome”. The frame these fairy tales are setting to female beauty is referring to white women, hence the “fairest of them all” aspect, disregarding black and latina women of society.
Essentially, the character of Snow White represents the blueprint model for a “perfect woman. The Grimm Brothers used explicit gender role expectations when illustrating their characters. The men played the role of hardworking, assertive and confident. From the huntsman to the dwarves, the male characters in the tale always have a decision, and are always sure of the path to take. For instance, the huntsman tells Snow White “run away, you poor child” (Grimms) as he spares her life or the fact that she responds to the dwarves’ demands for her to cook and clean in exchange for her safety with a simple “Yes, with pleasure” (Grimms). Once again, Snow White represents the power imbalance in between men and women, where one is expected to follow along with authoritative figures (men) as a leadership commonly seen as unattainable for women. Snow White, as a female character is the dream model woman and yet the perfect example of the stereotypical attributes of women; she is the affectionate, gentle, helpful, sensitive and nurturant that the patriarchy longs for.
However, the most significant aspect of Snow White is her physical appearance. She is portrayed as a young maiden who was “as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as ebony” (Grimms). The term of “fair is used throughout the story to describe Snow White. Her beauty is accentuated to the point where it reduces Snow White to a two dimensional character. The problem with this is that beauty in fairy tales not only represent a significant component of appearance but, in stories such as Snow White, it portrays tensions between beauty and jealousy. “These issues almost exclusively concern female characters”(Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz, 719). Snow White is a narrative that illustrates the ongoing competition among women and the importance of maintaining beauty at any cost. The queen focuses her energy on murdering Snow White after the mirror told her she was the fairest of the land. The initial reaction of the Queen when the mirror stated that Snow White is a thousand times more fair than her is envy, as the story states “envy and pride grew like weeds in her heart” (Grimms). Subsequently, following unrealistic expectations competition between women but all whilst maintaining the peace and satisfaction.
Snow White represented the mould to which women are expected to conform in order to keep balance in store. However, norms just as rules are broken at some point, upsetting the tranquility established by the oppressive conditions. The problem is that with upsetting the balance comes with grave consequences. Norms are rules to which everyone is forced to follow. For women, norms provide a groundwork that if compiled with, will give them a safe passage through the world but those who choose to rebel shall be punished” (Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz, 712).
A common method used is domestic violence, which is defined as a sequence of threats used predominantly to control their partners at home” (Sylvia & Towers, 9). It is the intention of obtaining submission through force and coercion. A perfect example in Bluebeard is when he tells his wife Go anywhere you wish. But I absolutely forbid you to enter that little room, and if you so much as open it a crack, there will be no limit to my anger” (Perrault). He uses threats to emphasise the fact that his wife must obey in order to survive. He gives her the keys to explore everything but one room. However, her curiosity gets the best of her and goes against his wishes. Her lack of compliance leads to Bluebeard deciding to utilize violence as a means to control her further.
In the essay by Dr. Lori Baker-Sperry and Liz Grauerholz, showed that the patriarchy has formed a great correlation between beauty and goodness or evil and ugly. In fact, they concluded that “beauty becomes associated not only with goodness but also with white ness and economic privilege” of characters within fairy tales and although “beauty is often rewarded in Grimms’ tales, it also puts many female characters in danger. “89 percent of the tales studied in this research involve harm to women. Forty percent of these acts” (Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz, 712). Stereotypes are there to help the patriarchy maintain control over society, they provide the rules and fine lines for what women can and cannot do.
Bluebeard story and relationship dynamic represents the consequences of women stepping out of bounds. Bluebeard is a serial-killer husband, who deliberately marries to kill women. Bluebead is, fundamentally, a femicide narrative. In the article “DIFFERENT FORMS OF VIOLENCE”, written by scholars: Sylvia Walby, Jude Towers and others, they explain how the use of the word femicide is allowed for the gender neutrality of the term homicide to be challenged” (Sylvia Walby et al., 59). Most frequent perpetrators of femicide are intimate partners. The homicide of a woman is typically “intentional and mostly means that the victim was targeted “misogyny, hatred, contempt, pleasure or a sense of ownership of women. It is a method of oppression of women in a patriarchal society” (Sylvia Walby et al., 64).
“I have an idea. You tried to enter that little room. Well, madam, now that you have opened it, you can go right in and take your place beside the ladies whom you saw there” (Perrault). His form of control is by using her survival and life against her. He never grants mercy and in fact does not feel remorse for using this method to control the women around him. The threats continued as he waited for her to pray for the last time. “Come down at once or I’ll go up there!” (Perrault). The violence portrayed in Bluebeard is a form of coercive control that
Reason 3
Both fairy tales convey different messages and endorse different behaviour when it comes to men and women. One of them allows for the unrealistic stereotypes that women must follow in order to have a place in the world and the other allows for men to control, coerce and force women into compliance and submission. However, having understood the difference in these stories, there is alos a fine line that they both cross: they inherently violate everything that the feminist theory preaches.
Humanist feminism focuses on the face that there is a “core human nature common to men and women” (Stevenson, Leslie Forster et al, 288). This method originated from the political thought of Mary Wollstonecraft, an Enlightenment philosopher who argued that “despite women’s inadequate education, socialized interest in appearance and trivial pursuits like reading romance novels, there is a rational nature” and continued to value the important of equality in education and political rights for women. As she stated “Strengthen the female mind by enlarging it, and there will be an end ot blind obedience” (Stevenson, Leslie Forster et al, 288). Both Snow White and Bluebeard deny the female characters the freedom to educate themselves, to think further than themselves. In fact, Bluebeard completely closes the door to knowledge by sentencing women to death for exploring curiosity. Snow White on the other hand, is never given the opportunity to wonder or think, for everything she does is at the service of men. For example, when she seeks refuge, the dwarves tell her “If you will keep house for us, cook, make the beds, wash, sew, knit, and keep everything neat and tidy, then you can stay with us, and we’ll give you everything you need” (Grimms) and she does not question it. Once again, the implicit threat of “if you don’t comply you will not be safe in the world”.
Following Wollstonecraft, Simone de Beauvoir, another humanist feminist of the XX century published a book where she originated the idea that gender is a social condition. She argued that girls become women and how women do not have the opportunity to realize their full potential as a result of the oppressive social structures. This happens because they tend to “abdicate their full-selfhood, subjectivity, and agency” (Stevenson, Leslie Forster et al, 289). Furthermore, Beaurevoir believed that marriage and maternity were institutions in which women “would have to relinquish their freedom by immersing in the needs and demands of others” (Stevenson, Leslie Forster et al, 289).
Bluebeard represents a story in which the wife gives up her individuality, intellectual curiosity, independence and safety when she accepts Bluebeard as her husband. She faces constant threats, her life is restricted to the same food walls, only a source of knowledge comes from the other rooms in the house, causing her to be isolated from the world. She gives up her intellectual freedom as she attempts to obey her husband out of fear for her life and Snow White on the other hand, becomes a mother to the dwarves. She cleans, cooks and builds home, welcoming them with warmth and love. She takes it upon herself to play a maternity role in order to remain safe. The cost however, as well as Bluebeard’s wife, is her independence and opportunity to fulfill her true potential by conforming and obeying.
In light of the information above, we can understand the different philosophical components of the feminist theory. It informs on the elements that the patriarchy has used to oppress women in word, thought and expression. To specify, the women in stories like Snow White and Bluebeard lack the education to see past their “blind obedience” (Stevenson, Leslie Forster et al, 289) as Wollstonecraft put it. They comply to the best of their ability with what the men in their narratives expect of them, maintaining the image of the fragile naive women of society immersed in coercive relationships. In addition, both also represent the Beaurevoir theory on “relinquishing her freedom to maternity and marriage” (Stevenson, Leslie Forster et al, 289). Snow White does so when she steps in as a motherly figure for the dwarves and Bluebeard’s wife when she gives away her freedom to live in fear of her husband. Both narratives completely aligning with the unrealistic beauty and behavioural expectations for women set by the patrarchy, endorsing oppression, manipulation and violence, going against the humanist feminist theory of feminism.
Snow White and Bluebeard are the blueprints for retrograde stories that glorify oppressive systems that bound women and men. Women however, receive the short end of the stick. From conforming to the rules in order to avoid others making gender-stereotypical inferences about them to the constant fear of the dominant nature that violence has had on the control of women, these two fairy tales dive into the core issues that our society has rooted from. Snow White is a story of beauty, lack of education and stereotypes, whilst Bluebeard narrates the reasons for not stepping out of bounds, the relinquishment of freedom and individuality. The lessons obtained from these stories, although may have had a positive impact historically, are becoming increasingly more problematic as time goes on. The stories hide these issues behind the fact that both of the main female characters obtain salvation, nevertheless, their female characters remain deprived of the basic fundamentals of the feminist theory. They are outdated, inappropriate for young audiences as a result of the misrepresentation of women, gender categorizations and over exhibited violence. Therefore, Snow White and Bluebeard are fairy tales that violate the progressive feminist ideals and thus are stories that should not be retold to generations to come, in order to develop and improve the future of society.
Picture: Space, Abbas. “Hand Manipulations #2.” Behance, Adobe, 14 Jan. 2017, www.behance.net/gallery/47438951/Hand-Manipulations-2/modules/283009045.
