Throughout many fairytales, including the Little Mermaid, Snow White, and Cinderella, the suffering of women due to cruelty is a common thread that can be found to link all three together. ... Some of the ways that these fairytale “heroines” or main characters who are forced to suffer through the cruelty amongst women in general toward other women based on feelings of envy. Another way that the women in these particular stories are made to suffer is by withstanding the cruelty shown toward women by society, and finally they are made to suffer at the hands of a woman who is supposed to play the role of their mother but instead mistreats them.
In these three fairytales the cruelty women show the main character is astounding. ...
In the various versions of the Little Mermaid the sea witch expresses her cruelty upon Littlest/Ariel in many different ways. ...
Another example from the Little Mermaid of cruelty among women based on envy is the fact that, in Walt Disney’s animated version of the tale, the witch directs her cruelty toward Ariel even though it is somebody else entirely that she is envious of. ... 2
Here is a prime example of Cruelty amongst women based on envy. ... One way to interpret it would be to say that this enforces the idea’s in many fairytales that women are below men and unable to express their feelings directly to men. It can also show that it is hard for women to openly compete with a man for power therefore Ursula must first win his daughter’s life and then trade it for that of Triton. This taps into the idea of the subservience of women that plays a large role in fairy tales. Because of this subservience women are forced to be cruel to each other to advance in the world and achieve what they want. ... This constant competition women are forced into creates the atmosphere of cruelty of jealousy that exists in these fairytale world and in society even in our present day. ... ”3
In this quote the Queen’s envious feelings have driven her to the point where she is going to commit the highest form of cruelty upon the young Snow White that a person can commit against another. ... To be beautiful was the only way that women had to advance in society and in the world because it was the only way that powerful men would take notice of the subservient sex of females.
Another example of this cruelty driven by envy is shown in the radical version of this text. ... Again this shows the importance of beauty for women. The only reason the younger of the two peasant women is allowed shelter, food and a warm, dry place to sleep is because she is attractive. ...
Another good example of the cruelty among women in this particular story is in Walt Disney’s full length animated feature. ... The queen is dressed all in black and disguises herself as an ugly peasant women so that Snow White will accept the poison apple without hesitation. In this version the queen is just as jealous as in the original Grimm version and is willing to perform such a high form of cruelty to ensure that she remains the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.
Cinderella has many examples of cruelty driven by envy as well.
She was clever, with a broad streak
Of sadism, and punished Helle’s
“sins” with such imaginative cruelty
that the poor girl came to prefer
Nobilita’s routine abuse. ...
The cruelty of other women directed toward Cinderella is apparent in all versions of the tale and also in the artwork created based on the tale. ... Her hands are clasped together as though she is begging or praying for relief from the cruelty of the women in her house.
In these three fairytales the cruelty of society toward women is quite obvious. In various versions of the Little Mermaid this cruelty is very apparent. ... This is a perfect example of the oppressions women are forced to suffer through. ...
The radical version of this story also has many prime examples of the cruelty women must suffer through at the hands of society. ... She is all to willing to suffer through this because it was not uncommon for women to have to leave their families and lives behind once they became a
wife.
To link to this page, copy the following code to your site:
All Papers Are For Research And Reference Purposes Only!
You may not turn these papers in as your own! You must cite our web site as your source!
