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Patriarchy in Fairy Tales: A Feminist Literary Analysis

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Patriarchy in Fairy Tales: A Feminist Literary Analysis
Brittany Sparrow
Mrs. Cecchetto
ENG4U1-02
October 15th, 2013
Patriarchy in Fairy Tales: A Feminist Literary Analysis
“The house of fiction,” wrote Henry James, “is one of many dissimilar windows through which many pairs of eyes watch the same show but see many different things.” The princess tale of today cannot be told without some interaction with feminist critique. In this newly executed version of the timeless fairy tale Snow White, the princess is finally no longer the backdrop of her own story. A much more empowered Snow White can be seen. Mirror Mirror begins with Snow locked away by the Queen. This however soon changes, as when Snow becomes eighteen she decides to defy the Queen, venturing out of the castle. While on her journey she not only witnesses the destitution that has fallen upon her kingdom, but encounters the handsome Prince Alcott whom she quickly grows a liking to. Despite the Queen’s attempts to charm him, Prince Alcott falls for angelic Snow White. Fuelled by her jealousy, the Queen sends her faithful servant Brighton to murder Snow in the woods. However, charmed by her beauty and loyal to her late father, Brighton is unable to accomplish his task and lets the girl go. Meanwhile, as the diabolical queen schemes to win the heart of Prince Alcott with the help of Brighton, Snow White befriends a gang of thieving dwarfs who help her to reclaim her rightful place in the kingdom and win back the man of her dreams. No longer powerful, the Queen becomes a haggard looking old woman. Her tired exterior is now matching the lack of beauty within her. As a last attempt to cast Snow aside, she offers her a poisonous apple. The apple has been a symbol of sin and temptation since the biblical story of Adam and Eve. Snow White, smart enough to realise the trick, charmingly refuses. All end up living happily, besides the evil queen of course.
The evil queen is portrayed as an older powerful woman, aiming to destroy innocent Snow White. There is no


Cited: "Mirror Mirror (2012) Movie Script." Springfield! Springfield! N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2013. Mirror Mirror. Dir. Tarsem Singh. Perf. Julia Roberts and Lily Collins. 2012. DVD.
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