Although Disney's Snow White is ostensibly a tale for children, the theme of "beauty" in the story is strongly sexualized, compared to the more traditional tales in which Snow White's beauty is linked to her snow white skin, blood red lips, and black hair. In the Disney film, however, the Queen is presented as a very sexual being and Snow White only becomes a threat as she grows older - her beauty as a child only becomes threatening as she matures into womanhood.
For example, in the Grimm story Snow Whites is imprisoned even at the age of seven because the Queen perceives Snow White as a threat to her own beauty. In the Disney version, the Queen only concerns herself with Snow White once the girl has become a woman, a sexual rival. This idea of a "sexual threat" is particularly ironic considering the lengths that Disney goes to to completely de-sexualize the rest of the story - from the asexual dwarves to the chaste Prince Charming. Marriage, and romantic relationships in general, are de-sexualized by Disney, yet the main conflict in the story arises from a perception of sexual threat.
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I agree with what you are saying. The fact that Snow White is entering womanhood when the queen finds her to be a rival is enforced by the scene with the prince. He hears Snow White singing and falls in love with her and sings to her declaring himself. This shows that Snow White is now at the age where men are interested her, including princes.
ReplyDeleteI somewhat agree because of the jealousy aspect centered around the maturation of "beauty" into the beauty, but I don't completely understand the sexual aspect as it relates to competition. I believe that the jealousy is competitive in nature but not directly related to a sexual rivalry because the queen is focused on herself being the best just to be the best and not to obtain a suitor.
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