Friday, May 1, 2009

Snow White the ideal



In Gilbert and Gubar’s “the Madwoman in the Attic”, the stereotyped forms of women are portrayed. They are mentioned to wear masks and disguises in order to gain acceptance from male dominated society. Women must assimilate men to be successful and be ridiculously feminine in order to fit that role. One major character (which was mentioned within the text) was Snow White. As we know, Snow White is a princess. She is beautiful, soft-spoken, giddy, and can sing. She cares for seven men and they look up to her for many reasons. They love her because she can cook, clean and dance. Snow White is the ideal stereotype. If a woman is not the ideal, then she is subconsciously considered a monster such as her evil stepmother; stereotypes leave no grey area. “both the submissive feminine symbols (witches, evil eye, menstrual pollution, castrating mothers) and the feminine symbols of transcendence (mother, goddesses, merciful dispensers of salvation, female symbol of justice)” (Gubar 598). Further in the reading, Gilbert and Gubar also exemplify another character, Honoraria, who is another female stereotype. Just like Snow White, Honoraria, as well as many other female icons have no sense of self.
Fictional characters such as these have women not only submit to feminine stereotypes but also have them enjoy their submission. This is very true…in all forms of seriousness…when did Snow White complain about cooking and cleaning for the dwarves? “Of course, from the eighteenth century and on, conduct books for ladies had proliferated, enjoining young girls to submissiveness, modesty, selflessness, reminding all women that they should be angelic” (Gubar 600). Snow White exemplifies complete selflessness which is a role that even within our modern day, is still focused upon. Many women have been in masquerades of submission for a very long time



Works cited


Gubar, Sandra Gilbert and Susan. "The Madwoman in the Attic." Ryan, Julie Rivkin and Michael. Literary Theory: An Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 1998. 596-611.

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