Masaryk University

Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature

Gender Stereotypes in Fairy Tales

Diploma Thesis
Brno 2014

Supervisor: Mgr. Pavla Buchtov

Author: Bc. Alena Vesel

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I hereby declare that I have worked on this thesis on my own,

and that I used only the sources listed in the bibliography.
I agree that this thesis can be filed in the Library of the Faculty of Education
at Masaryk University in Brno and made available for academic purposes.

.................................................
vbenice 20.4.2014

Bc. Alena Vesel

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Acknowledgment
I would like to heartily thank my supervisor Mgr. Pavla Buchtov for her kind
help, time, willingness and for her valuable comments.
Furthermore, I would also like to express my gratitude to my family and friends
for their support during the process of writing this thesis.

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Abstract
This diploma thesis deals with gender stereotypes in fairy tales, i.e. typical stereotyped
and biased portrayals of the main male and female characters in fairy stories.
The theoretical part concerns with the history and development of fairy tales and
provides with the explanations of the terms gender, gender identity, gender role, gender
stereotype and sexism. The practical part is based on the analysis of the two most
well-known fairy tales, i.e. Cinderella and Snow White and their five variations
by different authors, namely brothers Grimm, Joseph Jacobs and Roald Dahl,
the animated films by Walt Disney and the film adaptations from the 21st century.
The aim of the thesis is to analyse typical stereotyped portrayals of the male and female
characters in the fairy tales and it focuses on the negative aspects of gender stereotypes
in connection with childrens perception of the reality. The goal of the thesis is also
to find out whether some alterations connected with the depiction of the main characters
in these versions have been made.

Key words
Fairy tales, gender, gender identity, gender role, gender stereotypes, stereotype, sexism,
Cinderella, Snow White, brothers Grimm, Joseph Jacobs, Roald Dahl, Walt Disney, A
Cinderella Story, Mirror Mirror, children, perception of reality

Vesel, Alena. Gender Stereotypes in Fairy Tales. Diploma thesis. Masaryk University,
2014. Print.

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Anotace
Tato diplomov prce se zabv genderovmi stereotypy v pohdkch, co znamen
stereotypnmi a zaujatmi vyobrazenmi hlavnch muskch a enskch postav.
Teoretick st se vnuje historii a vvojem pohdek a vysvtluje pojmy jako gender,
genderov identita, genderov role, genderov stereotyp a sexismus. Praktick st
je zaloena na analze dvou nejznmjch pohdek, Popelky a Snhurky, a jejich pti
verz od rznch autor. Konkrtn se jedn o verze brat Grimm, Josepha Jacobse
a Roalda Dahla, dle o animovan filmy Walta Disneyho a filmov adaptace
z 21. stolet. Zmrem tto prce je analyzovat typick stereotypn vyobrazen
muskch a enskch postav v pohdkch, piem analza se zamuje na negativn
aspekty genderovch stereotyp ve spojen s dtskm vnmnm svta. Clem tto prce
je tak zjistit, zda se v tchto verzch objevuj njak zmny tkajc se vyobrazen
hlavnch postav.

Klov slova
Pohdky, gender, genderov identita, genderov role, genderov stereotypy, stereotyp,
sexismus, Popelka, Snhurka, brati Grimmov, Joseph Jacobs, Roald Dahl, Walt
Disney, Modern Popelka, dti, vnmn svta

VESEL, Alena. Gender stereotypes in fairy tales. Brno, 2014. Diplomov prce.
Masarykova univerzita. Vedouc prce Mgr. Pavla Buchtov.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 7
2. Fairy Tales................................................................................................................. 10
2.1. Brief History of Fairy Tales ................................................................................ 11
3. Gender Stereotypes .................................................................................................. 17
4. Gender Stereotypes in Fairy Tales .......................................................................... 22
4.1. Cinderella ............................................................................................................ 24
4.1.1. Portrayal of Cinderella ............................................................................... 27
4.1.2. Portrayal of Cinderellas Stepmother and Stepsisters................................ 31
4.1.3. Presence of Cinderellas Father and Mother .............................................. 35
4.1.4. Presence of Magic Objects ........................................................................ 36
4.1.5. Portrayal of the Prince ............................................................................... 38
4.1.6. Princes Affections towards Cinderella ..................................................... 39
4.1.7. Wedding and Marriage .............................................................................. 41
4.2. Snow White ......................................................................................................... 42
4.2.1. Portrayal of Snow White............................................................................ 44
4.2.2. Portrayal of Snow Whites Stepmother ..................................................... 47
4.2.3. Presence of Snow Whites Father and Mother .......................................... 48
4.2.4. Role of the Dwarfs ..................................................................................... 49
4.2.5. Portrayal of the Prince ............................................................................... 50
4.2.6. Princes Affections towards Snow White .................................................. 51
4.2.7. Wedding and Marriage .............................................................................. 52
5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 54
Rsum ........................................................................................................................... 57
Works Cited ................................................................................................................... 58

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1. Introduction
Fairy tales have always been the very first kind of literature with which children
meet. They listen to their parents telling or reading the stories or they simply watch
some fairy tales on television. The children come into contact with them very frequently
that we cannot be surprised that they are also formed by them, especially by the way
the stories depict the behaviour of people who are usually portrayed in a stereotyped
way. Therefore it is necessary to be aware of such portrayals not only in fairy tales.
Undoubtedly, the author of this thesis does not deny the importance of fairy tales
in childrens lives and especially their influence on the fundamental moral principles
the children should obtain. Fairy tales are a very essential part of literature
and they should not be deleted from childrens lives. After all, famous people
emphasizes the significance of fairy tales as well, for instance, Albert Einstein
was aware of their magnitude in forming children as it is obvious from his well-known
quote: "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want
them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." Nevertheless, not only
do children meet with the first differences between the good and evil or consequences of
their own demeanour, they also acquire the basic stereotypes related to both women
and men, which can be harmful in case of childrens general and simplified perception
of the world. Regarding the typical gender stereotypes present in fairy tales, it is not
necessary to stress the fact that the inappropriate and one-sided portrayals concern
females to a large extent.
As for the characteristic portrayals themselves, women are typically depicted
in an inferior or even unfavourable way. They are portrayed as weak princesses that
wait for a brave prince to rescue them, or as evil witches who want to kill someone or
thwart anybodys plans. Princesses are always very beautiful with a gorgeous dress and
they are also naive and unable to act or decide without a necessary help either
of animals or miraculous objects. On the other hand, typical characters that men
represent in fairy tales are courageous princes who are able to save anyone, usually
the weak princesses, almost without any obstacles and, moreover, they get the princess
as a reward.

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These

typical

portrayals

of

women

and

men,

gender

stereotypes,

occur in childrens literature regularly, which often means that children can begin
to consider these sexist features normal, usual and also right. Undoubtedly, this point
of view is not proper as it deepens the prejudices against both women and men and,
at the same time, it contributes to form childrens incorrect and biased ideas about
the typical behaviour patterns of females and males.
The main aim of this study is to point to this problem that children have to face
every day as well as to analyse the issue concerning the occurrence and potential change
of gender stereotypes in fairy tales. The research was based on the analysis of the two
well-known fairy tales, namely "Cinderella" and "Snow White" and their variations
by brothers Grimm, Jacobs, Disney and Dahl written from the beginning of the
19th century to the late 20th century and their contemporary film adaptations. This
diploma thesis calls attention to typical gender stereotypes present in the fairy tales
and their negative aspects in connection with childrens perception of the reality.
The goal of this study is also to find out whether some alterations connected
with the portrayal of the main female and male protagonists in the fairy tales have been
made throughout the course of time.
This diploma thesis consists of two parts - theoretical and practical.
The theoretical part focuses on a brief history and development of fairy tales in general
as well as the explanation of the term gender stereotypes and other important
expressions and it provides with more information about this issue. Primarily secondary
sources were used for this part.
The practical part of the thesis concentrates on the analysis of the two fairy tales,
"Cinderella" and "Snow White", and the portrayal of the individual characters that play
the most important roles in the stories. The study focuses on the typical depiction
of both men and women, gender stereotypes, in the fairy tales and their potential change
and development with the course of time in the different versions. As it has been
already written, the findings for this study were collected by examining the certain
versions of the fairy stories for children and focusing primarily on the portrayal of the
main characters in the stories. The comparison of the gender stereotypes typical for each
character in different versions of the fairy tales is also included.

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The findings of the diploma thesis provides with an overview of the typical
features of gender stereotypes connected with the main characters of the fairy tales
written from the nineteenth century to the present day. The results of this work also
compares the differences between the characteristic attributes of stereotyped depictions
of each main protagonist in the certain period.
As it was already mentioned at the beginning, children encounter fairy tales very
frequently and they play an inseparable role in their lives. Thanks to the fairy tales,
children can experience fun and adventures; nevertheless, they can learn a great number
of information about the behaviour of men and women. Therefore it is necessary
to point out that inaccurate and one-sided portrayals of the main characters in childrens
literature are dangerous as the children are prone to be influenced very easily and these
stereotypes contribute to deepen these misleading ideas. The thesis should help not only
parents, but all people become more aware of this fact and focus on eliminating such
stereotyped features in fairy tales and childrens literature in general.

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2.

Fairy Tales
Regarding the origin of the expression fairy tale itself, its inception can be

found three centuries earlier, the English term is derived from the French word
contes des fes, namely the word contes (Carpenter and Prichard 177). According
to Baldick, the term can be explained as "[a] traditional folktale adapted and written
down for the entertainment of children, usually featuring marvellous events
and characters, although fairies as such are less often found in them than princesses,
talking animals, ogres, and witches" (361). At the same time, as another definition
explains the term, "[f]airy tales, fairy stories, or wonder tales, a subdivision of folktales
that usually involve magic, tell of transformations and wondrous changes in fortune
of a disadvantaged protagonist, usually culminating in a happy end" (OSullivan 94).
As it was already mentioned in this work, fairy tales play a significant role
in childrens lives as they are the very first kind of literature young readers
are acquainted with. Furthermore, fairy tales serve as a basic means of childrens
understanding of the real world and they provide them with the essential conception
of the difference between the good and evil. As Zipes discusses in his work, "we all
pass through fairy tales, which inscribe indelible marks on our imagination and affect
our behavior and role playing" (The Trials and Tribulations xi). This concerns not only
our moral values, but also the way we perceive the world around us.
A great impact of fairy tales on children and their understanding of the reality
has been proved even by "psychologists and educators time and again that stories
and fairy tales do influence the manner in which children conceive the world and their
places in it even before they begin to read" (Zipes, "Dont Bet on the Prince" xii).
Even an American psychologist Bruno Bettelheim was aware of the importance of fairy
stories, he held the view that fairy tales "contribute to the emotional health of the child"
(Carpenter and Prichard 179). He also helped fairy tales expand in society
by means of his treatise called "The Uses of Enchantment (1976) and its claims
about the psychologically beneficial aspects" of fairy stories in general (OSullivan 96).

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2.1. Brief History of Fairy Tales

As Windling points out in her article, it is necessary to focus our attention on the
difference between "the oral folk tales and the literary fairy tales of Europe" (Les Contes
de Fes). Undoubtedly, oral folktales as well as fairy tales has a very rich and long
history, they have existed in our society for thousands years. As people were first able
to speak than write, at the very beginnings fairy tales were passed on orally
and the topics they concerned with were closely connected with the life of the people
within the community. Windling further explains how the oral folktales and fairy tales
differ from the literary ones. It is obvious that the first mentioned "are humbler stories
than the great cosmological myth cycles or long heroic Romances, and as such have
been passed through the generations largely by the lower caste portions of society:
women, peasants, slaves, and outcast groups such as the gypsies" (Les Contes de Fes),
which can be supplemented by Zipes description of very early fairy stories:

Fairy tales were first told by gifted tellers and were based on rituals intended
to endow meaning to the daily lives of members of a tribe. As oral folk
tales, they were intended to explain natural occurrences such as the change
of the seasons and shifts in the weather or to celebrate the rites
of harvesting, hunting, marriage, and conquest. The emphasis in most folk
tales was on communal harmony. A narrator or narrators told tales to bring
members of a group or tribe closer together and to provide them
with a sense of mission, a telos. (Fairy Tale as Myth 10)

Regarding the very first written records of fairy stories, it had been assumed that
the history of these tales is rather young. Nevertheless, it is obvious that fairy tales
are much older than it had been believed. Stories in which we can find the features
of contemporary fairy narratives "appear in several early oriental story-collections,
such as the Indian Panchatantra (which was in existence by the 6th cent. AD)
and the Katha Sarit Sagara (Ocean of Streams of Story), the Book of Sindibad (which

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probably originated in Persia at the beginning of the 9th cent.)" (Carpenter and Prichard
177) as well as "the Oriental Arabian Nights (ca. 10th century)" (OSullivan 94).
The history of the European awareness of the written tales is closely connected
with the invention "of printing in the 15th century [and the] first printed collection
of wonder tales from the oral tradition set down to amuse educated readers were
in Italian" and lately in French (OSullivan 94). However, it is surprising that
the original audience of the first fairy stories were not children as it could be assumed,
especially because "[the] narratives were often violent or bawdy [but such stories were
written especially to entertain adults] and during most of the 16th and 17th cents. there
was no special attempt to make fairy stories available in print for young readers"
(Carpenter and Prichard 177).
Regarding the audience, it is a known fact that only upper class of people was
able to read and therefore enjoy the literary fairy tales and stories that were very
favourite in the 17th century not only in France. As Zipes explains, fairy-tale books
were "written in a standard "high" language that the folk could not read, and it was
written as a form of entertainment and education for members of the ruling classes.
Indeed, only the well-to-do could purchase the books and read them" (Fairy Tale as
Myth 13). As Windling suggests, this could be also influenced "by advances in printing
methods and rising literacy" (Les Contes de Fes).
What can be interesting is the fact that primarily women were the originators
and tellers of the very first fairy narratives. As Windling notes, even very famous male
writers such as "Straparola, Basile, Perrault, and even the Brothers Grimm made no
secret of the fact that their source material came largely or entirely from women
storytellers" (Les Contes de Fes). On the other hand, it is not surprising as it is widely
known that women stayed at home with children and therefore they had time to tell
stories besides other duties concerning keeping the household whereas men had to work
outside to be able to sustain the rest of the family.
As it was already mentioned earlier, fairy tales originally served as a kind
of entertainment for upper classes whose members usually met in Parisian salons
which were "hosted by prominent aristocratic women, where women and men could

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gather together to discuss the issues of the day" (Windling, "Les Contes de Fes").
Thanks to these salons "women were able to demonstrate their intelligence and
education through different types of conversational games" (Zipes, "Fairy Tale as
Myth" 20). As the author comments more on this subject, it is obvious that being tellers
helped women express themselves without fear or rejection of others:

Eventually, women began telling the tales as a literary divertimento,

intermezzo, or as a kind of dessert that one would invent to amuse other
listeners. This social function of amusement was complemented by another
purpose, namely, that of self-portrayal and representation of proper
aristocratic manners. The telling of fairy tales enabled women to picture
themselves, social manners, and relations in a manner that represented their
interests and those of the aristocracy. (21)

The performers in the salons intentionally made a decision to choose just fairy
narratives that were more than convenient for the demanding audience of early modern
France. Regarding the choice and suitability of fairy stories of the salons,
Carpenter and Prichard suggest the explanation that this decision may be connected
with the age the people lived in:

It may also be argued that in the later years of Louis XIV a society
exhausted by extravagant wars and by fervid court competition and intrigue,
was happy to retreat to the relatively simple moral basis and childhood
associations of fairy tales. The intelligent and comparatively pious Mme de
Maintenon, first the governess of Louis XIVs children, then his mistress,
and from about 1684 his wife, possibly also contributed to a general sense
that scandal was out of fashion, and that stories which were fit for children
were suitable for adults. (178)

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Since the performers in the salons were primarily females, it is not surprising
that the first literary fairy tales were written by women as well. "Mme dAulnoy,
in 1690, was the first writer of this fashion to publish a fairy story, slipping it
into a novel, though there is no evidence that she was in any other sense an originator
of the cult" (Carpenter and Prichard 178). Marie-Catherine DAulnoy "was known
as an entertaining raconteur whose fairy tales circulated in fashionable circles and
female salons" (OSullivan 80). Furthermore, "dAulnoy had a significant influence
on the development of the genre in France and other countries" (Zipes, "The Oxford
Companion" 29). As the author further adds, she wrote a number of works although
"she is best known for the two collections of fairy tales published in 1697 and 1698:
Les Contes des fes . . . and Contes nouveaux ou les fes la mode" (The Oxford
Companion 31). This writer is also frequently associated with the very first use
of the "term conte de fes, or fairy tale" (OSullivan 94-5).
It is obvious that this genre apace became very favourite and it expanded
throughout the whole France as there were more and more authors of fairy tales,
for example Charles Perrault and his "famous collection Histoires, our Contes du temps
pass" (OSullivan 95), "The Sleeping Beauty (La Belle au bois dormant), the first prose
fairy tale" (Carpenter and Prichard 178) or his well-known "Contes de ma Mre lOye
(Mother Goose Tales)" (Zipes, "The Oxford Companion" 176). With the course of time,
there were more fairy stories published and "then in 1704 the French text
of the Arabian nights was published . . . [and] the products of the fashion for fairy
stories were gathered together in Le Cabinet des fes (from 1785) [and] they extended to
41 volumes" (Carpenter and Prichard 178). Regarding other famous and remarkable
authors

concerning

with

this

fashion,

the

following

names

such

as

"Mademoiselle La Force, Les Contes des Contes (1697), Mademoiselle LHritier,

Oeuvres mesles (1696), . . . [or] Madame de Murat, Contes de Fs (1698)"
(Zipes, "Fairy Tale as Myth" 23) cannot be omitted.
As it was already mentioned, the first fairy tales were intended primarily
for entertaining adults. Nevertheless, childrens audience was not forgotten at all as

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there were so-called chapbooks1 that were a very favourite kind of literature especially
among English young readers and these "did include such tales as Tom Thumb (first
printed in 1621) and The Seven Champions of Christendom (1596-7), as well as
versions of many medieval romances which contained marvels and magical happenings,
such as Guy of Warwick and Fortunatus" (Carpenter and Prichard 177). As Zipes
further presents, the first "chapbooks . . . [also] contained numerous abbreviated
and truncated versions of the literary tales" (Fairy Tale as Myth 12). Windling further
states that in "the 18th century, stories by dAulnoy, de Murat, LHritier, Perrault
and other salonnires began to find their way into the pages of the Bibliotheque Bleue -a series of cheap and popular chapbooks" (Les Contes de Fes).
Nevertheless, fairy tales did not always contend only with their acceptance
since especially "[e]ducators in the Puritan tradition rejected fairy tales for their lack
of moral instruction" (OSullivan 95) and for the presence of "ignorant superstition"
(Carpenter and Prichard 179). Therefore, as the authors further explain, there was
"the growing popularity of moral tales by such writers as Mrs Barbauld and Maria
Edgeworth . . . [which] led to the belief that fairy stories could be entirely dispensed
with as nursery reading" (179).
Fortunately, some publishers did not recoil from issuing fairy tales and they
persevered in publishing "collections of them with such regularity that it is evident there
was still an audience for them" (Carpenter and Prichard 179). Additionally, "in 1823,
the number and variety of fairy tales available to English children was greatly increased
by the appearance of the first translation of the work of the brothers Grimm"
(Carpenter and Prichard 179). "The English translation of these tales by Edgar Taylor,
German Popular Stories (1823), brought about a change in attitude toward this genre
for children in the English-speaking world, leading to the recognition that imaginative
literature was an important element for childrens recreation" (OSullivan 95)
and fairy stories became popular anew. There was also a number of other English
translations of foreign fairy narratives, such as those by Hans Christian Andersen
or translated versions "of collection of Danish, Indian, and Russian tales . . .
1

"Works of popular literature sold for a few pence, often by itinerant pedlars or 'chapmen'"
(Carpenter and Prichard 105).

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[and this] renaissance of the traditional fairy story was related to a new wave of
imaginative writing in Britain and elsewhere " (Carpenter and Prichard 179).

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3.

Gender stereotypes
Before focusing on the analysis of gender stereotypes in the fairy tales it is

necessary to deal with the most important terms, namely gender identity, gender roles,
gender stereotypes and sexism. It is essential to concentrate on the explanations
and meanings of these expressions as they are crucial for understanding of the issue
concerning gender stereotypes and typical portrayals of the main characters in fairy tales
and consequent influence on children.
One of the most important key terms is gender. The explanation of this
expression can be sometimes misleading as there are two primary interpretations of the
word. The first one is sex, that is to say if an individual is a man or woman according to
genitalia. As Cranny-Francis et al. further explain the term sex, it can be described as
"a theory about human beings which divides them into two biologically based
categories - male or female" (7). We use this term "when we want to talk about basic
physiological differences between men and women, i.e. particularly distinctions relating
to genitalia and reproduction dispositions"2 (Spolenost en a mu z aspektu gender
10).
Regarding the second meaning of the term, according to the World Health
Organization, gender "refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and
attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women" ("What Do
We Mean by 'Sex' and 'Gender'?"). As Cranny-Francis et al. describe, gender "divides
humans into two categories: male and female" (1). At the same time, this expression
"is used to term the differences between men and women that are not biologically given
but they are given by upbringing under the terms of a certain society or culture"3
(Prvodce na cest k rovnosti en a mu 5). Regarding the differences, as we can find
out by further reading in the brochure, we talk about "distinguishing social and
psychical distinctions . . . that change in time and they also differ in different cultures"4
(5). Furthermore, gender also "includes primarily social and socially conditioned

2,3,4

Translated from Czech.

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cultural differences, expectations, prejudices and particularities of mens and womens

statuses"5 (10).
As it has been already discussed, the term gender does not mean only the sex
in connection with genitalia, but it also signifies everything around us that "help" us
exist either as a man or woman. In terms of being a male or female, we can talk about
"ones subjective realization as being a woman or man - a subjective feeling of
femininity or masculinity"6 (Valdrov 7), which is called gender identity. This phrase
can be also described as "[t]he sense of identification with either the male or female sex,
as manifested in appearance, behavior, and other aspects of a person's life"
("Gender Identity"). It refers to "how we feel about and express our gender and gender
roles - clothing, behavior, and personal appearance. It is a feeling that we have as early
as age two or three" ("Gender & Gender Identity") and this realization "is reinforced
at puberty. Once established, it is generally fixed for life" ("Gender Identity").
Regarding femininity and masculinity and the term gender identity, there are
certain feminine and masculine traits that can be characterized as "ways of behaving
that our culture usually associates with being a girl or woman [or a boy or man]
("Gender & Gender Identity"). Such traits are also connected with certain adjectives that
are frequently used in connection with either femininity or masculinity, such as
"dependent, emotional, passive, sensitive [for feminine attributes and] independent,
non-emotional, aggressive, tough-skinned" ("Gender & Gender Identity") for masculine
characteristics. Other examples of such stereotyped traits and adjectives are illustrated
in connection with gender stereotypes below.
In relation to being a male or female, there are certain "social roles that the
society prescribes to individuals on the basis of their sex"7 (Prvodce na cest k
rovnosti 5) which are called gender roles. In other words, such roles can be
characterized as "an aggregate of evident and hidden regulations valid for womens and
mens behaviour and actions and relationships between them; there are certain work,
values, duties and responsibilities that are ascribed to women and men within gender
roles"8 ("Gender(ov) Role"). Moore defines gender roles as "[s]ets of attributes,

5,6,7,8

Translated from Czech.

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including attitudes, personality traits, abilities, interests, and behaviors that are defined
as appropriate for each sex" (578). As Valdrov further adds on this subject in her book,
"a child learns her/his female or male role under the assistance of his/her surroundings parents, school, media, church, various institutions. These socializing subjects
appreciate when a child demonstrates the 'right' character traits and they adjust the
'wrong' ones"9 (10). It is obvious that the realization of gender identity is closely
connected with gender roles. What is a surprising fact is that while "gender identity as
man or woman is stable, some of the content of an individual's gender role may change
over a lifetime because of changing social norms or a move to another society"
(Lehne 729).
After explaining the key terms related to the topic of this work, it is possible to
focus on the most crucial expression that is gender stereotypes. As Cranny-Francis
et al. firstly deal with the term stereotype itself, it can be described as "a radically
reductive way of representing whole communities of people by identifying them with
a few key characteristics. Individuals from the group who [do not] fit that stereotype are
then said to be atypical" (141). Stereotypes can be seen in our society very frequently.
It is obvious that in terms of stereotypes people are accustomed to certain norms and
they are afraid of changes and therefore if one behaves in contradiction with such
norms, others find it inappropriate and uncommon.

Psychologists have also noted the role stereotypes play in human memory.
When meeting a new person, for example, people sometimes combine their
firsthand perceptions of that person appearance, personality, intelligence
with stereotypes they have formed about similar people. Later, when
trying to describe or recall that person, the actual characteristics become
distorted by the stereotypical features that often have no relation to that
person. ("Stereotype" 628)

Translated from Czech.

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Therefore, gender stereotypes can be characterized, according to Prvodce na

cest k rovnosti en a mu, as "stereotyped opinions, prejudices and ideas about 'right'
and 'natural' general behaviour and considering individuals on the basis of their gender
without deep concerning the fact what is innate and what they gained by upbringing,
what their individual abilities or ideas about life are and so on"10 (6). As Moore further
explains, we can talk about gender stereotypes "when individuals employ [gender-role]
sets of behaviors as rules to be applied to all males and females" (579). In other words,
as Renzetti and Curran summarize in their book, "gender stereotypes are simplifying
descriptions of what a 'masculine man' or a 'feminine woman' should look like"11 (20).
As Deaux and Kite add, "people usually think of such stereotypes in a bipolar way, i.e.
a normal man does not have any feminine features and vice versa"12 (qtd. in Renzetti
and Curran 20).
Gender stereotypes are widespread in our society and a great deal of people
follow these stereotypes without noticing. As Moore provides with some examples of
typical gender stereotypes, those "for femininity include expectations to be domestic,
warm, pretty, emotional, dependent, physically weak, and passive" (579). Furthermore,
females "have come to be seen as naturally nurturing, sensitive . . . and deferring"
(Cranny-Francis et al. 143). On the contrary, "men are thought of as being more
competitive and less emotional than women. Masculinity stereotypes can be described
by words such as unemotional, physically strong, independent, active, and aggressive"
(Moore 579). At the same time, "men are seen as removed, rational and authoritative"
(Cranny-Francis et al. 145).
As stated in the paragraph above, it is obvious that women are frequently
associated with either negative or inferior attributes and characteristics while men seem
to be "the stronger ones". In terms of such prejudiced traits and expectations of women,
another significant term must be explained, which is sexism that is closely connected
with gender stereotypes. This expression can be described as "the appraisal of one sex,
in this case male, as more valuable than the second one"13 (Renzetti and Curran 31).
Another explanation of the word says that sexism "commonly describes attitudes,
statements, acts, strategies, or methods that lead to the discrimination, marginalization,
10,11,12,13

Translated from Czech.

~ 20 ~

or oppression of individuals or groups based on their sex" ("Sexism" 473). As it was

written, females are usually those who are treated in a lesser way, which has a great
impact on their lives and, in terms of childrens perception of gender roles and their
general and superficial understanding of the world, they are at a disadvantage of being
considered an inferior sex. Furthermore, "[s]exism against women pervades all areas of
their lives, public and private, legal and economic, educational and social, religious and
psychological, and gender relations in particular" ("Sexism" 473). Sexism is also often
called gender discrimination, which "is any action that specifically denies opportunities,
privileges, or rewards to a person (or a group) because of gender. The practice of letting
a person's gender become a factor when deciding who receives a job or a promotion"
("Gender Discriminations" 533).

~ 21 ~

4.

Gender stereotypes in fairy tales

Thanks to the two previous chapters we were acquainted with the development

of fairy tales as well as the key terms connected to gender stereotypes in general. As it
has been already written in this thesis, already small children realize the differences
between their gender, especially thanks to the environment they are surrounded by.
When we talk about the environment, it includes not only parents or peers who have
a great impact on childrens formation, but also fairy tales in connection with childrens
perception and embracing gender roles. As Zipes claims:

Children are conditioned to assume and accept arbitrary sex roles. These
socially conditioned roles prepare females to become passive, self-denying,
obedient, and self-sacrificial . . . as well as nurturing, caring, and
responsible in personal situations . . . They prepare males to become
competitive, authoritarian, and power-hungry as well as rational, abstract,
and principled. (Dont Bet on the Prince 3)

There have been a number of research the findings of which prove that
"children start to give preference to certain toys in compliance with gender stereotypes
already at the age of eighteen months. Two-year-old children are aware of their own
and others gender and during their third year of life they start to evaluate certain
qualities and characteristics in a stereotyped way"14 (qtd. in Renzetti and Curran 93-4).
At this age, children come into contact with fairy tales regularly and therefore it is
obvious that already in such early age they form their basic ideas about womens and
mens roles in the society. As Cranny-Francis et al. state in their book:

The dichotomies and associated connotations of (active) masculinity and

(passive) femininity, (good) beauty and (evil) ugliness, and (pure) whiteness

14

Translated from Czech. Golombok, Susan, and Robyn Fivush. Gender development. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1994. Print.

~ 22 ~

and (corrupt, contaminated) blackness recur as potent archetypes within a

range of favourite childrens stories. As such, they become inscribed on
developing psyches as heavily encoded and covert signifiers of societal
values, and from the point of view of gender, race and class analysis, they
are far from egalitarian. (244-5)

Regarding typical portrayals of men and women in the tales, Moore provides in
his study with a number of examples of such stereotyped and sexist portrayals.
"(1) Females are poor girls or beautiful princesses who will only be rewarded if they
demonstrate passivity, obedience, and submissiveness. (2) Stepmothers are always evil
. . . (4) Beauty is the highest value for women . . . (6) Money and property are the most
desirable goals in life [for women]"15 (qtd. in Zipes, "Dont Bet on the Prince" 6).
There have been a great deal of research concerning gender stereotypes in fairy
tales which proved that male characters are portrayed in a positive and active way to
a large extent whereas female characters are depicted in a negative or passive way or
they are not present at all. Weitzman et al. found out that "male characters are depicted
in active roles of adventurers and leaders whereas female characters are portrayed in
passive roles of companions and helpers"16 (qtd. in Renzeti and Curran 117).
Furthermore, as Odean found out in her study from 1997, "female characters play
an inferior role and only a small part of the characters is described as brave, physically
fit or independent"17 (qtd. in Renzetti and Curran 118).
On the following pages, the analysis of the two well-known fairy tales, namely
"Cinderella" and "Snow White", is provided, which focus especially on the negative
aspects of stereotyped and biased portrayals of the main characters in relation with their
impact on childrens perception of typical behavioural pattern related to men and
women.

15

Moore, Robert B. From Rags to Witches: Sterotypes, Distortions and Anti-humanism in Fairy Tales.
Vol. 6. New York: Council on Interracial for Children, 1975. Print.
16
Translated from Czech. Weitzman, Lenore J. et al. "Sex-Role Socialization in Picture Books for
Preschool Children." American Journal of Sociology 77.6 (1972): 1125-150. Print.
17
Translated from Czech. Odean, Kathleen. Great Books for Girls: More than 600 Books to Inspire
Today's Girls and Tomorrow's Women. New York: Ballantine, 1997. Print.

~ 23 ~

4.1. Cinderella
Undoubtedly, "Cinderella" can be considered as one of the most famous as well
as favourite fairy tales throughout the world. There is a large number of variations of
this story as the first mentions of the tale are almost two thousand years old. There are
two extant versions of this fairy tale that are considered to be the oldest known
interpretations based on the main theme of the story, which are "a Chinese version from
the ninth century AD, and a much less well-publicised Sanskrit version underlying
Kalidasas drama Sakuntala, of the fifth century AD, and also known as early as an
allusion in the Mahabharata of some two centuries earlier" (Anderson 27).
As it has been already written, there have been a number of versions as well as
the names of Cinderellas story; nevertheless, the main theme always remains the same.
As Anderson refers to Aarne-Thompsons division of the folktales and fairy tales18,
the structure seen in the stories based on Cinderellas topic can be divided as follows:

1. The persecuted heroine

(a1) The heroine is abused by her stepmother and stepsisters; she stays
on the hearth and ashes; and
(a2) is dressed in rough clothing - cap of rushes, wooden cloak, etc.
(b)

She flees in disguise from her father who wants to marry her; or

(c)

is to be killed by a servant.

2. Magic help
While she is acting as servant (at home or among strangers) she is
advised, provided for, and fed
(a)

by her dead mother; or

(b)

by a tree on the mothers grave; or

(c)

by a supernatural being, or

(d)

by birds; or

(e)

by a goat, a sheep, or a cow.

18

Aarne, Antti, and Stith Thompson. The Types of the Folktale. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica,
1961. Print. (Type 510)

~ 24 ~

(f)

When the goat (or other helpful animal) is killed, there springs up
from her remains a magic tree.

3. Meeting the prince

(a)

She dances in beautiful clothing several times with a prine who

seeks in vain to keep her, or she is seen by him in church;

(b)

she gives hints of the abuse she has endured as a servant girl; or

(c)

she is seen in beautiful clothing in her room or in the church.

4. Proof of identity
(a)

She is discovered through the slipper test; or

(b)

through a ring which she throws into the princes drink or bakes in
his bread

(c)

She alone is able to pluck the apple desired by the prince.

5. Marriage with the prince (24-25)

On the subject of the versions chosen for the analysis in this diploma thesis,
there are five different ones of Cinderellas story present in this work, which are Jacob
and Wilhelm Grimms "Aschenputtel" originally published in 1812 in the book called
Kinder- und Hausmrchen. Secondly, there is Joseph Jacobs "The Cinder Maid"
published in 1916 in the book consisting of the collection of fairy tales called Europas
Fairy Book, which is his own variation of the stories known throughout the whole
Europe. The next used version is one of the first animated adaptations of this fairy tale
Cinderella by Walt Disney that was released in 1950 by Walt Disney Productions.
It can be also characterized as an animated musical because of a number of songs it
contains. The film refers to one of the very first writers and publishers of fairy tales
Charles Perraults version from the 17th century and it is 74 minutes long and was
directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson.
Roald Dahls "Cinderella" is written as a poem that was published together with
other rhymed fairy tales in his book called Revolting Rhymes, which is rather a parody

~ 25 ~

of traditional fairy tales and it was originally published in 1982. Undoubtedly, this
version differs from the classical ones to a large extent not only by the style of writing,
but also by the end of the story Cinderella does not marry the prince who she met at
the ball, she gets married with "a lovely feller, simple jam-maker by trade" (Dahl 12).
It is obvious from reading the text that it really is a parody rather than a traditional fairy
tale. The author uses a large number of informal words and expressions that are not
suitable for fairy tales, such as "crate of beer" or "dirty slut". Furthermore, he calls the
main character Cindy rather than Cinderella. Undoubtedly, this story is different since
the time it was written in was different from the past and the author tried to connect the
modern perspective of the youth as well as gender approaches and the traditional story.
As for the last version analysed in the thesis, there is another film adaptation of
the fairy tale, which is an American romantic comedy called A Cinderella Story that
was released in 2004 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is 95 minutes long and it was
directed by Mark Rosman. At the very beginning it is necessary to mention that this
filmed interpretation of the story is affected by the modern age, which means that there
is not any occurrence of the supernatural, there is not a royal family, the characters are
ordinary people. Furthermore, the thing Samantha, Cinderellas personification, loses at
the ball is not a slipper but a mobile phone. The story is adapted to the 21st century and
it takes place in San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.
As mentioned above, the plot is always identical. After Cinderellas mothers
death, her father marries another woman with two daughters. Her stepmother and
stepsisters treat Cinderella as a maid who has to work very hard. One day, there is a ball
in the town and everybody is to partake in that event except Cinderella. Nevertheless,
she manages to attend the ball by means of some supernatural power where she meets
the prince and, at the same time, loses her slipper, which is important for unfolding the
story. The prince tries to find the girl in the town whom the slipper belongs to, after
some time he finally manages and as a result Cinderella becomes his wife.
Regarding the plot of the versions listed above, there are not many differences in
the storyline; however, some changes occur, especially in the parts related to the
presence of magic objects in the brothers Grimm version there are doves and other
birds who help Cinderella fulfil assigned tasks and the little tree on her mothers grave,

~ 26 ~

whereas in Jacobs version from 1916 it is the hazel tree and little bird. Cinderellas
helpers in Disneys version are embodied not only by animals, such as mice or birds,
but also by her Fairy Godmother. In Dahls version from the eighties, on the contrary,
there occurs the Magic Fairy who helps Cinderellas dreams come true. On the other
hand, regarding A Cinderella Story, a film adaptation, there is not any occurrence of any
magic objects, there are the main characters friends who help her instead.
Concerning the analysis itself, there can be stated the main themes that all the
five versions have in common and that are partially grounded in Aarne-Thompsons
structure which Anderson refers to (24-5); namely, the portrayal of Cinderella herself,
then the depiction of Cinderellas stepmother and stepsisters, the presence of the main
protagonists mother and father as well as the magic objects. Next, there is a certain
association with the prince and his affection by Cinderella with the emphasis on her
appearance. Lastly, what is really interesting and cannot be omitted is dealing with the
wedding and marriage in the versions by the different authors.

4.1.1. Portrayal of Cinderella

The main female character is depicted very similarly in all versions except
Dahls one. Cinderella is represented as a poor, defenceless girl who "[is] abused,
humiliated, and finally forced to become a servant in her own house" (Disney,
Cinderella). She must obey her stepmothers and stepsisters commands and take care
of the household, she is in charge of cleaning and keeping the household, she is "set to
do all the drudgery of the house, to attend the kitchen fire, and [has] naught to sleep on
but the heap of cinder raked our in the scullery . . . [a]nd no one [takes] pity on her..."
(Jacobs 3). In a short, she is literally a maid and is exploited by her stepfamily without
any signs of Cinderellas resistance to them, which is a typical feature of
submissiveness connected to the main female protagonists in fairy tales. On the other
hand, in Dahls version there is not any mention about her duties in taking care of the
household but she still is "locked up in a slimy cellar" (5).
It seems that a girl cannot merit a happy life or a happy ending without being
a servant, captured or working very hard, she has to deserve it. In general, based on the

~ 27 ~

facts stated above, you have to experience something very bad to be rewarded, as in
Cinderellas case, you have to suffer and be treated as a slave. Furthermore, you have to
be inactive, avoid talking back if you do not agree and, at the same time, you simply
have to wait passively for your rescuer who will certainly come and you will live
happily ever after as almost every fairy tale guarantees.
At the same time, Cinderella is characterised as an "ever gentle and kind"
(Disney, Cinderella) young lady, which is also another typical example of the
stereotypes connected to the female heroines. Not only is she submissive and obedient,
she is also very good and although her life is very difficult, she does not seem to
complain and she helps the animals, or other people, instead and flees from the reality
into her dreams about a happy life, usually with a prince, which can mean that the only
possibility of being rescued from an inequitable life full of sadness and hopelessness is
the prince.
Regarding Cinderellas positive traits, it cannot be doubted that these good
characteristics were chosen intentionally. Such typical portrayal of the main female
protagonists in fairy tales can be also connected with the reader himself as we usually
tend to grow fond of the characters, in terms of gender, women, who are depicted with
good qualities and behaviour and help others. Readers also have an inclination
to empathize with poor girls who are treated unfairly or who are abused, such as the
main character of this fairy tale. Concerning children and their possible interpretation of
these facts, it suggests that a girl does not have to fight for the justice and she can let
others hurt her feelings and treat her in a bad and inferior role. Everything a girl has to
be is good and kind in any case.
On the contrary, Dahls Cindy, as he refers to her, is not portrayed in the same
way as in the other versions of the tale. She seems to be obstinate and she cannot use
any kind word or be grateful for the help of the Magic Fairy who serves here to help
Cinderellas dreams and wishes come true, as it is obvious from the following lines:

I feel as rotten as can be!

She beat her fist against the wall,

~ 28 ~

And shouted, Get me to the Ball!

There is a Disco at the Palace!
The rest have gone and I am jalous!
I want a dress! I want a coach!
And earrings and a diamond brooch!
And silver slippers, two of those!
And lovely nylon panty-hose!
Done up like that Ill guarantee
The handsome Prince will fall for me! (Dahl 6)

Cinderella is not depicted as weak and defenceless as in the other variations of

the tale; moreover, at the end of the story, Cindy decides that she does not want to
marry the prince because of his sadist interest in killing people, especially women, she
wants to meet a nice man instead. She realizes that the social status and money is not
the most important thing in the world and she changes her attitude towards men and
"happiness". Similarly, Samantha in A Cinderella Story finally is not afraid to express
herself as well, she confronts her lover Austin about his behaving so cowardly and
unfairly towards her, she is not afraid to express her feelings and opinions.
Undoubtedly, this sudden change in Cinderellas behaviour is closely connected with
the age the stories were released and, simultaneously, it is associated with the impact of
the development of the feminist movement and gender equality throughout the last
century.
What is an interesting point is that in Grimms, Jacobs and Disneys there is not
any emphasis on Cinderellas intelligence whereas the main character in A Cinderella
Story is portrayed as a very smart girl who studies a lot and finally is admitted to a
prestigious university, which is the only version that emphasizes her intellect. As it was
suggested above, the focus on Cinderellas intellect is influenced by the 21st century as
it is not any exception that women study at universities, prejudices concerning womens
staying at home and keeping the household are not as strong as they used to be in the
past.

~ 29 ~

Although Cinderella is depicted as a very hardworking girl, she does not seem to
be able to finish the work or tasks without help of either animals, such as in Grimms
version, or people, namely Samanthas friends in A Cinderella Story. She would not
even be able to attend a ball without some supernatural power, animals or other people.
As in the brothers Grimm interpretation, she relies on the pigeons for the rest of the
story. Furthermore, she does not even try to do a task on her own, she calls doves and
birds instead:

O gentle doves, O turtle-doves,

And all the birds that be,
The lentils that in ashes lie
Come and pick up for me!
The good must be put in the dish,
The bad you may eat if you wish. (Grimm)

She is dependent on the supernatural things that will make her happier, which is
also connected to her characteristics, she seems to be feckless as she is not able to
handle with the problems herself, she always needs some assistance or advice. This also
reinforces the image of women as helpless and even unwilling to face the problems.
On the other hand, Disneys Cinderella fulfils tasks without the help of the animals, she
cleans on her own and she is very hardworking and she does not have any problems
finishing it. However, it does not matter whether Cinderella finishes the tasks with or
without any help of animals as it does not assist her with attending the ball, the eventual
reason why she cannot participate in this event is the fact that she does not have any
beautiful dress to wear.
As for the physical appearance of Cinderella, she is always described as a very
beautiful and charming girl, especially in connection with a gorgeous dress she wears at
the ball. It is interesting that there is no emphasis on her intelligence, except
A Cinderella Story, which can be understood that "[a]ttractiveness is the most important
attribute that a woman can possess, and is often an indicator of chances of future

~ 30 ~

happiness" (Keikirk 38). The same author refers in her essay to the research of the
development of almost two hundred tales, the findings of which claim that there is "a
strong correlation between the number of times a book was reproduced and the number
of times the appearance (i.e. beauty) of the female lead was stated"19 (38). This gives
the impression that everything a young lady needs to be finally rescued and live a happy
life with her prince is her beauty and especially her appearance, it is not important to be
clever as a prince does not care about her intelligence at all.
On the other hand, although there is seldom a mention about her natural beauty,
Cinderella always becomes a beautiful princess after dressing herself into a gorgeous
dress with slippers. This fact gives the impression that no one concerns whether a girl
herself is pretty, she needs to wear a gorgeous dress, slippers and coiffure her hair to be
beautiful and, in terms of this fairy tale, to attract a prince, who would not pay attention
to her if she attended the ball in her common dirty clothes. It is possible that the prince
would not even recognize his future wife without the lost slipper that all women living
in a kingdom were supposed to put on. Although it can seem trivial, this is a very
influential point since children, and especially girls, are guided to be beautiful otherwise
they will never be able to find their heroes who would provide them with happiness. As
they ground their primary ideas of the reality predominantly on fairy tales, their first
knowledge concerning differences between the two genders are very limited and
especially stereotyped.

4.1.2. Portrayal of Cinderellas stepmother and stepsisters

Regarding the other main female characters qualities and behaviour, it is
identical in all five versions that were chosen for this analysis. As it was already
suggested, Cinderella is portrayed as a good person and, therefore, there must be the
opposite of her humane and innocent characteristics, which represents her stepmother
and two stepsisters.

19

Baker-Sperry, Lori and Liz Grauerholz. "The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty
Ideal in Childrens Fairy Tales." Gender and Society 17.5 (2003): 711-726. Print.

~ 31 ~

Although Cinderellas portrayal differs to some degree in the versions chosen for
this analysis, the stepmother and stepsisters depiction is more or less the same, except
the mention of the their physical appearance. The brothers Grimms variation is the only
one where the focus on their attractiveness is stated; these characters are "beautiful and
fair in appearance, but at heart they [are] black and ugly" (Grimm). The other versions
either do not concern their appearance at all or they are noticeably more unattractive in
comparison with the main character; for instance, Dahl calls the stepsisters literally the
Ugly Sisters.
The appearance is not the only contrast to Cinderella, there is a striking
difference evident in the stepmother and stepsisters characteristics and demeanour as
well. While Cinderella represents the good in general, her stepfamily embodies the evil.
Cinderellas stepmother is described as a wicked and mean person who is not concerned
with anyone else but herself and her two daughters, she is not interested in others
feelings, "she would give [her daughters] beautiful dresses but none to her
stepdaughter" (Jacobs 3). Similarly, Disneys Lady Tremaine is "very cold, cruel, and
bitterly jealous of Cinderella's charm and beauty, she [is] grimly determined to forward
the interests of her own two awkward daughters" (Disney, Cinderella). This
corresponds with Moores findings of his study that the characteristics attributed to
stepmothers are negative at all times (qtd. in Zipes, "Dont Bet on the Prince" 6).
The stepmother in Disneys Cinderella is not as naive as she is depicted in the
other versions, which is obvious from the scene where the prince is dancing with the
unknown beauty, who seems very familiar to her and finally the stepmother finds out
that the beauty is Cinderella herself and as a result she locks her in the attic so that she
cannot try the slipper out. Even Fiona, the stepmother in A Cinderella Story, seems to
be more clever and malicious as she hides the will where Samanthas father bequeathed
everything to her instead of Fiona and she falsified the result from the university
(A Cinderella Story).
It seems that with the course of time as well as film versions the stepmothers
cruelty and insidiousness grows, which can also deepen childrens negative image of
women in general and especially stepmothers. It is a known fact that when childrens
parents get divorced, a child usually finds it very difficult to build a relationship with

~ 32 ~

a new mother and if children learn about their biased negative and evil qualities in fairy
tales, it can even lead to even to the rejection of their potential stepfamily.
As it was mentioned earlier, in all versions, except for brothers Grimms one,
there is the focus on the stepsisters unattractiveness; moreover, the versions also
stresses their unintelligence since they are described as childish and simple girls who
experience a number of embarrassing situations, especially those in A Cinderella Story.
Not only are the stepsisters depicted as unintelligent, they are also portrayed as
insidious and mean girls who have fondness especially in ridicule, mockery and
bringing disgrace on Cinderella. Furthermore, Drizella and Anastasia in Disneys
Cinderella seem to be unusually brutal as they tear Cinderellas dress so that she could
not attend the ball and they enjoy it.
The stepsisters are also very jealous of Cinderella as they want to marry the
prince; however, although there is no cogent reason explained why they long for that so
much, this can be interpreted that women are interested in money and wealth, thanks to
which they can be considered "gold-diggers" who are able to do anything to reach
money in order to be provided for. In this case, the stepsisters are willing even to cut
their toes and parts of feet. Simultaneously, such intentional self-inflicted injuries can
indicate the fact that females are mean and they always compete with each other in
order to win, there is nothing that could stop them, not even the family relationships.
As Neikirk explains in her essay, the "mutilation of the stepsisters feet . . . also presents
the notion that women will go to great lengths in order to undermine each other. This
common theme sends a message to girls that they cannot trust one another, a message in
approximately 17 % of the tales"20 (39).
It is obvious that these female characters serve as the foil of Cinderella and
therefore they are portrayed in a completely reverse way than the main character herself.
There is a noticeable connection between the beauty and positive traits and between the
unattractiveness and negative characteristics, which can be understood that "ugly
women are source of suspicion" (Neikirk 38). If a woman is not attractive, she is
automatically considered evil or, at least, peculiar and she must be jealous of more
20

Baker-Sperry, Lori and Liz Grauerholz (2003). The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine
Beauty Ideal in Childrens Fairy Tales. Gender and Society, pp. 711-726

~ 33 ~

attractive women. Therefore, if a young girl wants to be perceived as good, she has to
be beautiful at first. Unfortunately, this wrong attitude is still widespread among not
only children, but also teenagers; there is a number of beauty contests worldwide where
the attractiveness is greatly emphasized. When we see a pretty girl, we automatically
tend to connect her appearance with positive qualities as people, and especially young
girls, according to Lieberman, incline to "believe in a correlation between a loveable
face and a loveable character" (qtd. in Neikirk 39).
What really is worth noticing is dealing with the stepmother and stepsisters
punishment at the end of the tale. While in Jacobs and Disneys versions there is no
more detailed explanation of what happens to Cinderellas stepfamily next, the
stepsisters in brothers Grimms "Aschenputtel" are attacked by birds which peck out
their eyes so that they are "condemned to go blind for the rest of their days because of
their wickedness and falsehood" (Grimm). In Dahls version, the punishment is
represented by the stepsisters execution by the prince himself. Similarly, A Cinderella
Story provides another description of the punishment - Samanthas stepmother and
stepsisters bad deeds are revealed and they have to expiate everything abominable they
have done to the main character. The brothers Grimms fairy tales are known for their
brutality present in the stories; however, as there is no reference to the punishment in
the two remaining versions, it can be concluded that the authors did not want to include
any kind of brutality in their stories.
The reason may be connected with the fact that the stories were primarily
intended for children and they would not liked it. However, it seems that with the course
of time it was necessary to focus on the moral and punishment itself. In the older
versions it was enough when the main protagonist was rescued by the prince whereas in
the two latest variations the punishment itself was stressed. In a word, even little
children should be aware of the consequences of their actions, if you behave good, you
will be rewarded but if you behave badly, you will be punished instead. Regarding
gender stereotypes, this implies that a girl who is not obedient and who does not wait
passively cannot expect a happy life but a punishment instead.

~ 34 ~

4.1.3. Presence of Cinderellas mother and father

Concerning the presence of Cinderellas closest relatives, it is typical for the
fairy tale that there is either no mention of her mother and father, as in Dahls version,
or there is only a brief reference to them throughout the story or only at the beginning.
While in Grimms "Aschenputtel" the father is mentioned very sporadically
throughout the story, in Jacobs version he plays more significant part. Firstly, he is
described as a weak man who is not respected and anything he says in defence of his
daughter is considered nonsense, for example, when he tries to persuade his wife that
his daughter should also attend the ball, he is mocked by her and her two daughters:
"What, Cinder Maid going to the kings ball? Why, look at her, she would only disgrace
us all." And so her father [holds] his peace." (3) Furthermore, he does not even struggle
for improving his wifes relationship and attitude towards Cinderella as he himself
accompanies her to the ball. In this case he seems to be as weak and defenceless as well
as Cinder Maid and it is obvious that Cinderellas stepmother is the only one who is
head of the family. Similar to the portrayal of the father in Jacobs "The Cinder Maid",
this character in the brothers Grimm version stays aloof; in addition, when the prince
asks him whether he has another daughter who could try to put on the slipper, he firstly
denies her.
On the other hand, Disneys Cinderellas father, "a kind and devoted father . . .
[who gives] his beloved child every luxury and comfort" (Disney, Cinderella), is
mentioned only at the very beginning of the film because he dies shortly after his
marriage with Lady Tremaine. It can be interpreted that Cinderellas stepmother is the
reason why the father dies at the beginning of the story. Although Samanthas father in
A Cinderella Story also dies at the very beginning, the reason of his death is explained,
which is the earthquake.
According to these facts it implies that older men are not suitable for the fairy
tales because their presence is very limited or they are not portrayed as the strong ones
who help others to fulfil their dreams or survive difficulties connected to the main
characters life, which seems to be left to the prince. This suggests that a girl cannot rely
on her father during harsh times but on the prince who will come and rescue her.

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Although this is not connected with gender stereotypes, it still can be considered
another kind of stereotypes, that is to say ageism, which can be described as "prejudice
and discrimination against older people based on the belief that aging makes people less
attractive, intelligent, sexual, and productive" (Chen 51). On the other hand, it can
evoke in children that all old women are evil and the only men who they can rely on is a
young and strong prince.
As for Cinderellas biological mother, the authors are not concerned with her
presence in the story as either her death is mentioned already at the very beginning of
the story or there is no mention of her, as in Dahls version. Similarly to the analysis of
Cinderellas father, it seems that it is not appropriate to mention another female
character with good qualities apart from Cinderella herself as the reader would not have
to be attracted by the main protagonist. However, although the mother herself is not
present in the story, there are some references to her through the presence of magic
objects, such as her grave, and help to Cinderella.
In terms of relations, one significant fact cannot be omitted and it is the
importance of the family. It is interesting that there is not any focus on the family
cohesion or support of Cinderella during her harsh times. She has to handle the
problems with the help of either the animals or supernatural power and her rescuer, not
her father or mother. Furthermore, due to the absence of Cinderellas mother and father,
the portrayals of the main protagonists present in the fairy tale are very limited and
one-sided since there are several dominant evil characters, such as the stepmother and
stepsisters, and only one female character with positive traits, Cinderella herself, and
one good male character, the prince whereas the rest of the people either plays a neutral
part in this tale or they are not present in the story. Therefore, as it has been already
suggested, little children acquire very limited interpretation of the reality, it leads to the
idea that all older or unattractive women are evil and the only person the children can
trust and who can provide them with happiness and satisfaction is "the prince".

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4.1.4. Presence of magic objects

As it was already briefly mentioned in the chapter concerning Cinderella herself,
the presence of magic objects throughout the story is very specific for this fairy tale. In
each version that were analysed for this work there are different types of magic objects
that assist Cinderella either with assigned tasks or they help her dreams come true; the
only exception is A Cinderella Story, there is not any occurrence of the supernatural
power, yet still there are Samanthas friends who serve as her help and support.
It is obvious that without the supernatural power Cinderella would not be able to
attend the ball, meet the prince and finally become his wife and live happily ever after,
which gives the impression of Cinderellas incapacity to handle the problems herself.
As in Grimms version, she depends on the magic pigeons throughout the whole story
and with the help of the little tree on her mothers grave she manages to attend the ball.
Similarly, as in "Aschenputtel", there is a little bird and hazel tree to help the main
female character in Jacobs "The Cinder Maid".
Animals play a significant part also in Disneys variation of the story as they
help Cinderella from the very beginning until the very end of the story. In addition,
there is also Cinderellas Fairy Godmother who creates necessary dress and accessories
by magic so that Cinderella can attend the ball, the Magic Fairy occurs also in Dahls
variation. It seems that, in terms of gender stereotypes, the only good female characters
among Cinderella that can occur in fairy tales are "the relatively asexual fairies"
(Keikirk 39) who are not present throughout the whole story and whose occurrence is
not stressed enough. As it has been already suggested in the analysis above, it seems
that there can be only one good as well as beautiful female character in the story
otherwise readers would not have to sympathize with her.
Undoubtedly, this is not a proper conception of the reality the children should
adopt by means of fairy tales. Not only does not it correspond with the truth, but, as it
was already stated, the absence of other leading characters in the fairy tale also results in
the childrens inadequate and stereotyped interpretation of the division of individuals,
and especially women, in the real life.

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4.1.5. Portrayal of the prince

It seems that the only lead male character present in this fairy tale who is, at the
same time, depicted as an idol and rescuer, can be the prince himself. Although he really
is the one who saves Cinderella and helps her escape from her unsatisfied life at the end,
he does not play a significant part throughout the whole story until the very end of the
fairy tale. As for the rescue of the main character, it is obvious from the tale that the
only possible salvation of Cinderella is the prince himself, the only hero who can
provide her with happiness and welfare. What is interesting in connection with gender
stereotypes and the influence on the children is the emphasis on the heros financial
provision as even little girls are already guided to find a rich husband who will render
them the necessary comfort that will secure their contentment.
Nevertheless, the prince is not portrayed only as a personage, he is also depicted
as a very naive and unintelligent man who needs the help of others, namely the pigeons
or little bird, otherwise he would not be able to recognize his upcoming wife whose the
slipper belongs to although it is visible that the stepsisters cut their feet according to
bloody slipper, as in Grimms and Jacobs versions.
In comparison with the two oldest versions, the other three differ to some degree
in terms of the portrayal of the prince. For instance, the character in Disneys Cinderella
is not as present as in the other variations of the story, there is not many scenes with him
in the film; moreover, he does not have any interest in getting married, he does not even
search for his future bride with a lost slipper but the Grand Duke is in charge of it
instead. Nevertheless, it is obvious that there is the King and the Grand Duke who seem
to take actions and make decisions in the princes stead, they are involved in holding the
ball so that he can get married and engender some grandchildren to the King who longs
for them and forces the Prince to find "a suitable mother" (Disney, Cinderella).
The princes main role in this variation is to get married.
On the other hand, the main male character in A Cinderella Story Austin, who
embodies the prince, is one of many main characters present in the story who plays the
significant part and who is crucial for unfolding the story. Although Austin is not a
prince as such, he is considered to be the most handsome boy at school, he is a football

~ 38 ~

captain and is regarded by everyone. On the other hand, he is afraid to oppose his father
and his intentions with him and can be even considered a coward as he does not defend
Samantha when she needs it. Nevertheless, at the end of the story, but thanks to
Samanthas actions, he changes and decides to face the situation and problems. This
sudden change in the princes behaviour and his portrayal as a coward can be connected
to the development of the feminist movement as well, as Samantha is portrayed as the
stronger one who is not afraid to express herself since women are considered to be equal
to men and perhaps there is the emphasis put on this fact.
As it is typical for Dahls version of the story, the Prince, who is the only male
character, is depicted in a completely different way than in the rest of the variations. He
is portrayed as a sadist who has an avocation in violence, he himself chops the Ugly
Sisters heads off as they try to deceive him by lies. Moreover, he uses vulgar and
abusive words and he even calls Cindy a "dirty slut" (Dahl 12).

4.1.6. Princes affections towards Cinderella

Undoubtedly, an inseparable part of the analysis that cannot be omitted is
connected to the princes attraction to the main female character. It is very interesting
that in all versions there is an obvious correlation between the princes affection and
Cinderellas attractiveness, or rather her physical appearance.
In Grimms version, he falls in love with her immediately when he sees her at
the ball as she looks "so beautiful in her golden dress" (Grimm). Similarly, in Jacobs
"The Cinder Maid", the conditions of the princes feelings towards her are the same as
in Grimms version. When he sees her for the first time, he is not fascinated by anything
but her appearance as she wears the most beautiful dress on the ball. Therefore it is
obvious that he falls in love with Cinderella only due to her external beauty, not internal
one. Even the narrator mentions nothing but her look in the relation to the prince, there
is not any passage that would describe a lovely or meaningful discussion between the
prince and Cinderella. Correspondingly, Disneys prince falls in love with Cinderella at
the first sight, he is in love only with her appearance, they do not talk to each other
except for their dancing or singing love songs, he does not even know her name.

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However, as it is said in the film itself, "he loves her . . . [and he is] determined to marry
her" (Disney, Cinderella).
Regarding Dahls version, which can be definitely considered controversial, it is
not written in the text that he would be impressed directly by her appearance but the
way Cinderella dances with him, she is very close to him and it is obvious from the text
that he feels some sexual tension towards the main character, "the Prince himself [is]
turned to pulp, [a]ll he [can] do [is] gasp and gulp" (6). At this time, it is not only
womans beauty that attracts the mens attention, it seems as it is not enough to be
beautiful but a girl has to impress a man by touching him and by some closer contact.
Moreover, when Cinderella wants to leave the ball, the prince does not want her to do
so and he tears her dress by mistake. If we go into details, it is possible that he also likes
her body.
On the contrary, it is obvious that the latest version of the story chosen for this
thesis, A Cinderella Story, is completely different in relation to the main male
characters feelings towards the main female protagonist. They two fall in love with
each other due to their personalities and mutual understanding rather than just due to the
appearance; however, the latter finally intensifies their feelings. This difference can be
connected with the 21st century as there is an appeal to children and teenagers that
although they fancy each other, it is not the most essential item that should be decisive
in the relationship. Furthermore, this appeal can be connected to the equality between
men and women as the women are not only the sexual objects but they are equivalent to
men.
As for the summary of this point related to the princes affections towards
Cinderella, this representation of the emphasis on the eternal beauty can mean that it
does not matter how clever you are, it is not necessary to reveal your real personality;
on the contrary, everything a girl needs is to be beautiful to attract mens attention and
wait for her prince who will choose her to marry her and rescue.
Thanks to the emphasis of the beauty it is possible that not only small girls, but
also small boys start consider beauty as an important attribute a girl should have.
Already at elementary schools boys evaluate girls appearance and if there is a girl who

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is deviating, she is considered ugly or uninteresting. Furthermore, it evokes in boys that

they have to choose their future brides according to the appearance as it seems as if it
could guarantee a happy life. This is also frequently connected with the fact that these
beautiful girls will not talk back and they will keep the household and raise children,
which stresses womens subordination and biased role in society.

4.1.7. Wedding and marriage

Dealing with the wedding and marriage itself is also very interesting and cannot
be ignored in this work. It is obvious that all versions, except for A Cinderella Story,
result in the wedding although there is hardly a comment about the progress of the event
or the progress of the life after the marriage. In Jacobs variation, there is only one
sentence at the very end referring to the ending of the story, which is: "And so they
were married and lived happy ever afterwards." ("The Cinder Maid" 12) Brothers
Grimms variation, the progress of this occasion is described very briefly primarily in
connection with the stepsisters punishment. On the contrary, Disneys version is the
only one that depicts the part of the wedding; however, it is only a brief selection of the
occasion. The lack of the details concerning the wedding can imply the fact that even
though the marriage with the rich and brave "prince" seems to be the main goal in a
girls life, it is not necessary to be perturbed about the married life since the fairy tales
indicates that, on the basis of the appearance and typical characteristics possessed by a
man and woman, the spouses will live happily until the end of their lives.
As it is typical for Dahl and his variation of the tale, the ending and dealing with
the wedding differs as well. Not only is it the only version that, although briefly,
mentions the marriage and the characters satisfaction and happiness after the wedding,
but Cinderella does not even marry the prince, she marries another man who she is
happy with instead. Similarly, A Cinderella Story does not provide the audience with
the wedding at all. This fact is certainly influenced by the modern age and the fact that
there is an increasing number of young people who do not believe in the marriage as
well as the later average when people enter into marriage.

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Nevertheless, it is obvious that the fairy tale puts an emphasis on the importance
of the wedding and marriage itself. Due to the lack of particulars concerning the marital
life it seems that the best reward for a poor girl that has been suffering for a long time is
the marriage with the prince. The typical phrase with which the fairy tales conclude is
apposite and there is no need to focus on anything detailed, it is obvious that if you get
married you will "live happily ever after" without any problems as the satisfaction and
consequence of your previous negative experience. At the same time, as Neikirk
suggests, there is also a close connection between the main female characters
attractiveness and the marriage as "the prince and the heroine have never spoken but
[her] beauty is enough to ensure that their marriage will be [satisfactory]. The message
this sends to girls is that the cultural expectation that they settle down and marry is of
utmost importance" (39). This can evoke in children that they do not have to focus on
the personality of your partners as if a girl is beautiful and a boy comes from a rich
family, and they are beautiful enough, you will live happily and you will not experience
any problems during your marriage.

4.2. Snow White

Although this fairy tale is not as celebrated as "Cinderella", it still can be
considered an extremely famous story that is very favourite among not only children,
but also adults. There are also a great number of variations of the tale although "there
are markedly fewer modern texts, and there has been little study, of tales which overlap
with the Snow White tale itself" (Anderson 43).
As for the age of the story, similar to "Cinderella", its history is also rather old. As
Anderson claims in his book, there "are a number of mythical or semi-mythical [stories
of a girl called] Chione [that could be translated as] "Snowgirl" or "Snowey" (46),
whose narrative is very similar to that of Snow White as we know today.
Similar to "Cinderella", there were five different variations of this story chosen
for the analysis. The first one is by the brothers Grimm called "Snow-white" that was
originally published in the same book as the previous tale, i.e. Kinder- und
Hausmrchen from 1812. "Snowwhite", which is the name of the second version, was

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retold by Joseph Jacobs and this story, as well as "Cinderella", was published in the
authors collection of fairy tales called Europas Fairy Book in 1916.
Disneys film adaptation called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was
based on the brothers Grimms version of the story, was his first animated film and it
was released in 1937, 13 years before Cinderella, by Walt Disney Productions. This
variation was directed by William Cottrell, David Hand, Wilfred Jackson, Larry Morey,
Perce Pearce and Ben Sharpsteen. In 1939, Disney also received the Honorary Award
for this 83 minutes long animated film ("Awards").
Roald Dahl is the next author whose variation was used for the analysis.
"Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs", as well as "Cinderella", is the part of his book
called Revolting Rhymes consisting of rhymed fairy tales that can be considered rather
parodical and the main difference can be seen in the portrayal of the main female
character as it is examined in the analysis below. Furthermore, there are some features
of a modern age as the Seven Dwarfs are not miners as in the other versions but they are
gamblers who lost all their money. Similar to the authors "Cinderella", the end is also
different from the other variations since Snow-White does not get married at all as the
prince is not present in the story, she decides to be satisfied with money instead.
The last version that was chosen is called Mirror Mirror, which is a film
adaptation from 2012 with stars such as Julia Roberts and Lily Collins. The film was
directed by Tarsem Singh and was released by Relativity Media. What has to be
mentioned at the very beginning is the fact that this version is the only one that differs
in the portrayal of the main characters. It is obvious that this variation was influenced
by the 21st century and the feminist movement as it will be visible in the analysis
concerning Snow White herself. Contrary to A Cinderella Story, the settings of the fairy
tale is kept.
As for the plot of the story, it always starts with the introduction concerning
the little girl that was called Snow White due to her appearance. Since the king, Snow
Whites father, marries another woman who became Snow Whites stepmother, there
start harsh times for the little girl. Her stepmother is very jealous of her because of her
beauty and she wants to divest of her regardless of the cost. Therefore she decides to
hire a huntsman to kill the princess; however, he is not able to do that and he lets her go.
Snow White then stays with the dwarfs who she lives with, she cleans their house,
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cooks food etc. Nevertheless, the Queen finds out that Snow White is alive and she
finds her in order to kill her on her own. When Snow White is dead, or sleeping, the
dwarfs put her into a glass coffin so that everybody can see her beauty. One day, the
prince encounters it and he falls in love with the princess. Then, either by the movement
with the coffin or the kiss, Snow White is brought back to life and they get married.
Regarding the plot, in contradistinction to "Cinderella", there are a great deal of
differences in the variations of the story. The variances concern even the number of the
dwarfs; while in the versions by the brothers Grimm, Disneys and the two film
adaptations there are seven dwarfs, in Jacobs there are only three. Another distinction
is connected with the portrayal of the main female character, as it is further analysed
below. As it was already mentioned, the biggest difference can be seen in Dahls
version from the eighties. Since this is rather a parody, the dwarfs occupation is not
miners but they are portrayed as former jockeys who lost their money "[a]t the racetrack backing horses" (Dahl 26).
The main themes, in which the author of the thesis was interested, are similar to
those in the study of "Cinderella", namely the portrayal of the main female character,
Snow White, and the portrayal of her stepmother. The analysis also concerns the
presence of Snow Whites father and mother in the story. As there are not any magic
objects that would help Snow White fulfil her dreams, apart from the mirror which
brings her and the dwarfs wealth, the role of the dwarfs is analysed instead since they
could be considered as a means of her help to survive during her harsh times. The next
topic in the analysis is concerned with the prince himself and his affections towards the
main female character

4.2.1. Portrayal of Snow White

What is identical for all the versions is the fact that Snow White is a very
attractive young girl; moreover, she is the most beautiful woman in the world. It is
obvious that her beauty is emphasized throughout the whole story and it seems that
without being beautiful, Snow White would not be alive. When the huntsman is
supposed to kill her, he cannot do that because of her beauty, which is stressed in each
variation of the tale. In Grimms version, Snow-white is "so lovely the huntsman [has]
pity on her" ("Snow-white"), in Jacobs, "she [is] so beautiful that his heart [fails] him,
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and let her go" ("Snowwhite" 203). It seems that the only version where Snow White is
not rescued thanks to her appearance is Dahls one; he decides not to execute her
because of the fact that she is innocent and she did not do anything that she should be
killed for, there is no mention of his mercy on her due to her beauty. In terms of
children and their understanding of the world, it implies that, as in Cinderellas case, if
you are a beautiful young lady you do not have to worry about your life as your beauty
will always save you.
At the same time, as the appearance is stressed very frequently, it is also gives
the impression that it does not matter whether you are clever or good, in terms of
justice, it seems that the fairness is judged only on the basis of beauty and nothing else
matters. Children can interpret this that, for instance, their main goal in the life is to be
beautiful as it is the only thing that is relevant. Furthermore, in terms of the main
characters beauty, she is so beautiful that the dwarfs do not even mind that she entered
their house without their knowing it. It implies that if a girl is beautiful, she can do
whatever she wants and even though she contravenes the norms of the society, she will
not be punished.
Regarding other Snow Whites attributes apart from her beauty, she seems to be
very naive as well as unintelligent. When the Queen comes to her to kill her, she does
not bear in mind the dwarfs warnings not to talk to anybody and despite of that she
accepts her poisoned gifts that serve to hurt her. In the brothers Grimms and Jacobs
version, her unintelligence and inability to learn from her own mistakes is stressed to
a greater extent as she accepts the objects three times although she almost died during
the usage of the first two presents. Furthermore, Jacobs Snowwhite longs for the comb
offered by the Queen so much that she decides to give her the golden ring "that her
father [gave] to her" ("Snowwhite" 205).
On the other hand, it seems that in Disneys adaptation she is not as naive as in
the previous versions from 1812 and 1916 since there is only one gift that Snow White
accepts, the poisoned apple. As for the two latest versions, Dahls and Mirror Mirror,
there is not mentioned any object in the story connected with her naivety. On the
contrary, in Dahls variation, Snow-White seems to be very clever as she steals the
magic mirror without being caught and thanks to this she helps the dwarfs solve their

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problems with money and Snow White herself becomes "a millionaire" ("Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs" 28). As for the last version and the portrayal of Snow Whites
prudence, at the very end, when the Queen wants to deceive her with the poisoned apple
to kill her, she is very careful and she offers a piece of the apple to her to eat it first:
"Age before beauty. Its important to know when youve been beaten" (Mirror Mirror).
Undoubtedly, Snow Whites characteristic as being unintelligent gives the
impression that the beauty, again, is the most important and valuable attribute a girl can
have. It does not matter, you do not have to be prudent or careful as even though you
experience something bad, you will be rescued by someone else, in this case the prince,
immediately afterwards. However, if you really want to be rescued, you need to be
beautiful otherwise, as it is suggested in the fairy tale, you cannot survive and be
rescued. At the same time it can evoke in children the feeling that every pretty girl is
unintelligent. It is a known fact that beautiful people, especially women, are connected
with the lack of intellect, which is a widespread prejudice against models.
Snow White is also portrayed as a maiden; she can stay in the dwarfs house
under the condition that she will "keep house for them" (Jacobs, "Snowwhite" 204), and
she will "cook, and wash, and make the beds, and sew and knit, and keep everything
tidy and clean" (Grimm, "Snow-white"). This can be connected not only with the
maidens, but also mothers role. This indicates that womens primary role in their lives
is to be mothers, stay at home and keep the household in order to satisfy mens needs,
which is one of the most widespread prejudice against women. It suggests that the only
goal a girl should be interested in is to be the right mother, preferably attractive, and
stay at home. On the contrary, Snow White in Disneys version cleans the house
without being asked to; however, the dwarfs still consider it an advantage. It is
interesting that in Dahls version and Mirror Mirror the Snow Whites role as a maiden
or cleaning lady is not stressed. This change can be connected with the fact that
expectations from women are not strictly limited to their staying at home.
What cannot be omitted is the fact that Snow White is portrayed as a very
courageous girl in the two latest variations; in Dahls one, Snow-White seems to be very
brave as she steals the magic mirror and uses it to help the dwarfs solve their financial
problems. Similarly, the main female character in Mirror Mirror is heroic as she is not

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afraid to face the problem situations as well as the Queen herself. Moreover, Snow
White can be considered to be equal to the dwarfs as she learns to fight like a man.
In addition, this character is the one who rescues the prince several times throughout the
story. It seems that Snow White adopts the role of the active protagonist as well as hero
in this adaptation. Based on these facts, it is evident that the portrayal of the character
changed because of the influence of the feminist movement and the focus on the
equality between men and women, which is still, unfortunately, rather rare. However,
thanks to such portrayals children can understand that even women are able to be
helpful and they do not have to just wait passively for their prince.

4.2.2. Portrayal of the stepmother

Similar to Cinderellas case, even Snow Whites stepmother serves as the foil of
the main female character in this story. As it is usual for the portrayals of stepmothers in
fairy tales, the Queen is depicted as a very cruel and evil woman. In addition, she is also
very jealous of Snow White because of her attractiveness and the stepmothers jealousy
and hate grows when she finds out that Snow White is even more beautiful than the
stepmother, "and she [becomes] yellow and green with envy, and from that hour her
heart [turns] against Snow-white, and she [hates] her" (Grimm, "Snow-white").
The Queen seems to be even more cruel in this tale as she hires the huntsman to kill
Snow White in the woods and she demands her heart as the evidence of her death. The
stepmothers cruelty also grows throughout the story itself as she decides to kill Snow
White on her own.
It is interesting that in case of the brothers Grimms and Dahls versions
stepmother eats the heart whereas in the remaining versions it is not mentioned what she
does with the heart, as in Jacobs version, or she is disgusted with Snow Whites
viscera. Undoubtedly, the fact of eating the heart can raise childrens dismay of
stepmothers in general and it implies that all older women who are beautiful are very
malicious and they will do whatever they want to divest of their rivals in beauty.
As for the other characteristics, it is interesting that, in comparison to
"Cinderella", the stepmother is portrayed as a very beautiful woman. As it has been

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said, the stepmother is evil and she serves as the foil of Snow White which gives the
impression that, again, the only good and positive main female character, who is
beautiful at the same time, that can play the important role in the fairy tale is a poor
young woman, or a girl, that suffers a lot. As it has been suggested in the analysis of
Cinderellas story, it is possible that this is related to the readers impression and
sympathizing with the main character, in this case Snow White. It is obvious that this is
also connected with the difference between the good and evil and the moral that the
good always beats the evil. On the other hand, such stereotyped portrayals are very
biased and one-sided as children can interpret this that women, especially the older
ones, are always jealous of their beautiful rivals and they want to kill them.
As for the reason why the stepmother wants to kill Cinderella, in all versions it is
because of her beauty except for Mirror Mirror. Although the stepmother is very
jealous of Snow White because of her appearance, the reason why she wants to kill her
is that Snow White is not afraid of talking back and she is able to say what she thinks,
Snow White poses a threat to the Queen as she is "the rightful leader of [the] kingdom"
(Mirror Mirror). This indicates that a girl cannot express herself since she can be
punished for their opinion and therefore being passive seems to be most suitable.
It is necessary to mention dealing with the Queens punishment at the end of the
story since each version stresses that the stepmother has to pay for her demeanour by
her death. In terms of the moral lesson, it implies that the good always beats the evil;
however, regarding gender stereotypes, this indicates that beauty and good attributes
always defeat, which again stresses the importance of a girls appearance and her
passive and submissive role in the society. Furthermore, this can suggest that attractive
women who are not submissive and passive in the society are always connected with
negative attributes and are the source of the evil.

4.2.3. Presence of Snow Whites father and mother

Similar to Cinderellas case, the role of Snow Whites father and mother is not
usually present in the story. In all versions it is explained that her mother dies in child
birth and since the father is not able to raise Snow White on his own, he decides to
marry another woman. It is interesting that in comparison with "Cinderella", the main

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female characters mother does not provide her with any help or supervision by means
of magic objects. As it has been suggested, it implies that there can be only one good
female character present in the story which again gives the impression that only a young
beautiful girl is good and the rest of women is either neutral or evil. The only exception
is Mirror Mirror as there is Margaret who is on Snow Whites side and she seems to be
her support during harsh times although her presence is not as important in the story.
As for Snow Whites father, he is introduced only at the beginning of the
versions and then there is no other mention about him. He does not serve as Snow
Whites support which also gives the impression, similar to "Cinderella", that the only
male character that can save the princess in the prince himself, a young brave man
whose love can solve all the problems.
The only exception is Mirror Mirror where the King appears at the end of the
story. It is interesting that Snow White is the one who saves him as she manages to
break the spell. At this point it is necessary to add that in terms of the portrayal of men,
in this case the King, he seems to be weak as he is not able to recognize that the Queen
only wants to trick him in order to achieve the wealth and his money. This also give the
impression that beautiful women who are not submissive are always very mean and they
long only for money.
At the same time it implies that mens thinking is very shallow since they are
interested only in the beauty of a potential wife and they are not aware of other
attributes that could be important. This can be in relation to the fact that is stressed in
the fairy tales very often, which again corresponds with the fact that the only thing that
matters in terms of relationships and marriage is the appearance of the potential wife, if
she is beautiful it is enough for the partners to be happy after the wedding (Neikirk 39).

4.2.4. Role of the dwarfs

As it has been already mentioned, there is no presence of magic objects in this
fairy tale that would serve as the help or support for the main character. Nevertheless,
there are the seven dwarfs, three in Jacobs version, who provide Snow White with
support and help her during her harsh times and they protect her from the evil Queen.

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Moreover, they save Snow Whites life when the stepmother tries to kill her. It must be
pointed out that in this fairy tale there is not any other positive female character present
in this story, which can evoke in children the image that women always embody the evil
not only in fairy tales, but also in real lives. The only person a girl can trust is a male.
As for their characterizations, as it has been stated in the analysis concerning
Snow White herself, the dwarfs are depicted as untidy men who are not able to maintain
a household without females help. Similar to Snow Whites case and her portrayal as a
mother, the dwarfs seem to play the role of the main characters sons who has to
provide them with the basic things that usually a mother does. This indicates that men
cannot live without womens help concerning the routines in the household as they are
portrayed as untidy people who seem to be incapable of taking care about themselves.
In addition, this also supports the correlation between the stereotype that womens
primary role in the society is to be mothers and housewives and that men are the only
gender that should go to work and sustain the rest of the family.
As it was already stated, the dwarfs in Dahls version are depicted as gamblers
who are not able to save the money and they need the help of Snow White. It is
interesting that, together with Mirror Mirror, the main female character is portrayed as
equal to the dwarfs or even more clever and intelligent who finally becomes their
leader. This change is undoubtedly connected with the development and influence by
the feminist movement and the emphasis on the fact that men and women are equal and
there should not be any differences between these two genders.

4.2.5. Portrayal of the prince

The depiction of the prince differs in the versions to some extent. While in
Grimms and Jacobs version the prince is mentioned only at the end of the story in
connection with the Snow Whites rescue, in Dahls version the prince is not mentioned
at all. This can be interpreted that women do not need a man to be rescued, they are not
dependent on males since they are capable enough to handle the problems themselves.
As for the two first versions of the story, Grimms and Jacobs, the prince is
portrayed as the rescuer and hero and if he would not be present, Snow White would not

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be able to come back to life. He is the one who saves the princess and, as it is usual, he
gets the princess as a reward. He seems to be the one who can decide about the life of
Snow White, he takes for granted her going with him. It implies, again, that a girls only
destiny is to wait passively for her rescuer as Snow White does not even consider his
offer as she knows that there is nothing better than be with the prince who will, for sure,
provide her with all the happiness as well as money and that women do not have the
right to choose.
It is very interesting that there is no mention about the princes characteristics
except for being attracted by Snow White and that he is portrayed as a very handsome
young man as in Disneys Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The only variation which
concerns with his attributes is Mirror Mirror. The prince is depicted as a very brave
man who is not afraid of anything to protect not only himself, but also Snow White.
On the other hand, this version is the only one where he is portrayed as equal to Snow
White, or even weaker than the main female protagonist herself. When they first met,
Snow White is the one who saves him in the woods and, at this time, he also has to
request her. It is evident that this adaptation of the story is influenced by the 21st
century and the equality between men and women is highly emphasized.

4.2.6. Princes affection towards Snow White

Similar to "Cinderella", princes primary attraction to Snow White is based on
her appearance. Although there are some differences in each version, it is obvious that
the first impression was related to the main female characters beauty. In Snow-whites
case in Grimms variation, the prince decides to stay with Snow White based only on
one situation when he sees her in the coffin on the hill and he is so determined to obtain
it that he is able to offer everything for that as he "cannot live without looking upon
Snow-white" (Grimm, "Snow-white"). The similar case can be applied to the Jacobs
version since he falls in love with Snow White at the first sight and he is determined to
carry her home as well. This implies that women are good only to be looked at and
again it emphasizes the importance of the appearance of a girl, which children can
interpret this that a girl has to be beautiful enough to attract a mans attention so that he

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can be interested in her and decide to marry her. In addition, it indicates that only men
are in the advantage of being the one who can "choose" their partners, not women.
Regarding the two other versions, Dahls one does not mention the prince at all,
it is different from the variations analysed above. On the contrary, the prince and Snow
White in Disneys film know each other from the beginning of the story and it is
obvious that they fall in love with each other immediately. In terms of childrens
perception of the reality, this is undoubtedly a very good attitude as it does not
emphasize only the importance of the beauty of a girl but also the mutual attraction.
Nevertheless, the beauty is stressed throughout the story several times which also
implies that the only thing that is essential is the appearance not only of a girl, but also a
boy and it is not important to understand each other, but the relationship and consequent
marriage is based only on the beauty of the two people.
Regarding Mirror Mirror, the main two characters also fall in love with each
other primarily due to their appearance; however, there is the emphasis on the progress
of their relationship throughout the story. This reversal is certainly connected with the
stress on the fact that not only the appearance, but also the mutual understanding and
other attributes are significant for a satisfying relationship in the 21st century.

4.2.7. Wedding and marriage

While in the Grimms, Jacobs version and Mirror Mirror the story concludes
with the wedding, the remaining variations do not mention the wedding at all; however,
it is obvious that even Disneys story the wedding is expected. What is interesting is the
fact that Dahls Snow White does not get married at all as she never meets with the
Prince; as it was already mentioned, he is not present in the story at all. It is interesting
that this is the only version that does not end with the wedding.
Similar to Cinderellas case, it can evoke in children that the only goal in their
life is the wedding. However, since no version concerns with the progress of the
marriage except for the phrase "and they lived happily ever after", it can be deduced that
the wedding always means the end of the story and there is nothing bad you can handle.
The marriage is with no problems and it means that if you suffer during your single life,

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you will be rescued by the prince, no one else. Moreover it gives the impression that
you cannot live a happy life without a wedding with a prince as it is suggested in the
versions of this story. The only exception, as it has been mentioned during the analysis,
is Dahls version where Snow White does not get married at all and it seems that she
can be happy without a man. On the other hand, neither this version is suitable for
children as it can be interpreted that you cannot be happy without money.

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5. Conclusion
This diploma thesis dealt with the analysis of gender stereotypes in fairy tales,
that is to say the characteristic portrayals of males and females in fairy stories, namely
the five different versions of the most well-known stories of "Cinderella" and "Snow
White" from the beginning of the 19th century to the present day. The main aim of this
thesis was to focus on typical stereotyped and biased portrayals and their negative
influence on children and their understanding of the reality. The analysis concentrated
also on the alterations connected with the portrayal of the main female and male
characters.
The research was based on the analysis of each interpretation of the tale,
focusing on the main themes that were relevant for each tale, i.e. the portrayals of the
main female character and other main female protagonists, which are Cinderellas
stepmother and stepsisters and Snow Whites stepmother, the presence of the main
characters parents, the role of magic objects in "Cinderella" and the dwarfs in "Snow
White". The next theme concerned the portrayal of the princes

as well as their

affections towards the main female protagonists and dealing with the subsequent
wedding and marriage.
Regarding the portrayal of the female characters present in the stories, as the
findings of the study showed, there are two basic depictions of the women, they are
either good or evil. There are several attributes that the main female protagonists, i.e.
Cinderella and Snow White have in common. Both characters are portrayed as very
beautiful young women who have to endure misery from their stepfamily. They seem to
be defenceless and passive throughout the whole story and they are evidently dependent
on the help of either other animals or people. Thanks to the constant emphasis on the
characters beauty, submissive role, kind personalities and the lack of the descriptions
concerning their intellect in the versions it is evident that the most important attribute
a girl can possess is her appearance, which can save her even from death and which will
provide her with a courageous hero, who will make her happy as the satisfaction for
passive waiting for the rescuer and harsh times she had to experience.

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At the same time, they are portrayed as servants who have to keep the household
and satisfy others needs, which supports the prejudiced conception of women being
devoted to staying at home and keeping the household, thanks to which children, whose
understanding of the reality is very simplified, can perceive this biased notion of
females as housewives as the primary goal in womens lives.
The other type of the women that occurs in the fairy tales is the exact opposite of
the main female characters and their portrayal is completely different as well. These
characters are embodied by the stepmothers and stepsisters who are portrayed as evil,
malicious and cruel women who want to destroy, or even kill, Cinderella and Snow
White. Furthermore, in the majority of cases they are portrayed as unattractive females
who are envious of the main characters beauty, which connects the unattractiveness
with the negative traits and children can interpret this that all women who are not
beautiful are "source of suspicion" (Neikirk 38) and they are jealous of their competitors
in beauty.
Regarding the alterations of the portrayal of women throughout the centuries,
there are not many differences in the typical depictions of the female characters.
Nevertheless, the main variance can be found it the versions by Dahl and in the film
adaptations of the stories, especially Mirror Mirror, where the difference is remarkable
as Snow White seems to play the role of the heroine who is independent on other people
and even saves the male characters in the story.
As for the typical portrayals of the male protagonists in the fairy tales, it is
obvious that they are portrayed as the heroes and rescuers without whose help the
princesses could not survive, they seem to be the only satisfaction for a girl for suffering
during her harsh times and their meeting ensues in the wedding, which indicates that the
only and primary goal in womens life is the wedding with her rescuer, the prince.
On the other hand, men are not present in the fairy tales as frequently as the female
characters apart from the prince, which gives the impression that there is only the prince
who women can trust and who they have to wait for to be rescued. In the case of "Snow
White", men are depicted as unable to live without a womans help in the household,
which also emphasizes the womens necessary role as housewives.

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The only alterations concerning the depiction of the males in the fairy tales, as in
females case, can be found in Dahls version and film adaptations of the stories as they
are not present at all or they are portrayed weaker and dependant on the main female
protagonists, which, undoubtedly, is the result of the impact of the feminist movement
and the lifestyle in the 21st century.
As it is evident from the findings of the analysis, women are those who are
frequently depicted in an inferior and passive role in the fairy tales which contributes to
childrens stereotyped and biased perception of gender roles based on their simplified
and superficial understanding of the reality. On the other hand, although men are not
depicted as strong and active characters as they used to be, there still is the correlation
between males and the positive and active attributes and females and the emphasis of
the appearance and submissiveness or negative characteristics, which puts women into
the disadvantage of being perceived in a stereotyped and biased way by children.
Therefore it is necessary to draw our attention to these gender stereotypes and focus
more on the equal portrayals of the two genders in fairy tales.

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Rsum
The aim of the thesis was to examine gender stereotypes in the stories of
Cinderella and Snow White and their negative aspects in connection with childrens
perception of the reality as well as the focus on the alterations in the chosen variations
of the tales.
On the basis of the analysis it is evident that the female characters present in the
fairy stories are described either as beautiful, submissive and unintelligent or as
unattractive and evil women. In the majority of cases, the male protagonists, especially
represented by the princes, are portrayed as heroes and rescuers without whose help the
princesses would not be able to extricate themselves from their severe lives. These
stereotyped and sexist portrayals are prejudiced in favour of men as they emphasize
mens positive attributes and stress womens beauty and their inferior role in society.
Regarding the change in the characters portrayal, it can be stated that the
alterations have been made especially in Dahls versions and the film adaptations of the
tales, which is connected with the feminist movement and the society in the 21st
century.

Clem prce bylo prozkoumat genderov stereotypy v rznch verzch Popelky a

Snhurky a jejich negativn aspekty ve spojen s dtskm vnmnm svta a zamit se
na zmny ve vybranch verzch tchto pohdek.
Na zklad analzy je zejm, e ensk postavy jsou popsny bu jako krsn,
submisivn a neinteligentn nebo neatraktivn a zl eny. Ve vtin ppad musk
postavy, reprezentovny pedevm princi, vyobrazeny jako hrdinov a zachrnci bez
jejich pomoci by se princezny nebyly schopny vymanit ze svch krutch ivot. Tato
stereotypn a sexistick vyobrazen upednostuj mue, jeliko zdrazuj jejich
pozitivn vlastnosti a kladou draz na krsu en a jejich podadnou roli ve spolenosti.
Co se te zmn ve vyobrazen postav, nejvt zmny byly zaznamenny ve
verzch Roalda Dahla a ve filmovch adaptacch pbh, co je jist ovlivnno
feministickm hnutm a spolenost ve 21. stolet.

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