Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
The upcoming Disney Snow White remake has faced considerable criticism. According to myth and symbol expert Jonathan Pageau, this disapproval is particularly justified because contemporary political correctness has, in his view, distorted the fairy tale’s true meaning. Pageau argues that while sanitized to some extent, the original 1937 animated film more faithfully adheres to the Brothers Grimm’s 1812 German narrative, even with its unsettling elements that may not resonate with modern audiences.
Pageau has authored “Snow White and the Widow Queen,” a book intended to revive the traditionally understood symbolism of the fairy tale for a new generation. In an exclusive interview, the Eastern Orthodox iconographer and artist divulged key aspects of the story’s authentic significance, highlighting the feminine hero’s journey it represents and clarifying the symbolic nature of the seven dwarfs, identifying them as mythical fey creatures rather than diminutive humans.
What is the Underlying Meaning of Snow White?
“Snow White embodies a quintessential hero’s journey, centered on an individual who loses connection with meaning, is detached from a hierarchical order, and plunges into disarray. Subsequently, the protagonist must navigate personal darkness to rediscover and reconnect with a more profound sense of meaning. While presented as the transformation of a young woman, this narrative is universal, applicable to any significant life change.
“It is fundamentally the human story from a female perspective. This is conveyed through the metamorphosis of the feminine to unite with the masculine Prince. Yet, its relevance extends beyond women. While women may identify with it profoundly, particularly regarding the expression of beauty in a manner that is neither weaponized nor cynically manipulative, the story’s themes are universally applicable.”
Snow White’s Journey into the Wilderness and Transformation
“The act of taming the wilderness is central to Snow White’s transformation. This concept is multifaceted, reflecting the experience of puberty, a period of bodily change marked by unfamiliar events, including menstruation and pain. This upheaval represents the ‘wilderness,’ the transformative process itself.
“However, this experience mirrors broader life changes. Whenever our established world crumbles, we confront fundamental questions of purpose. Our task then becomes making sense of, or ‘taming,’ the unfolding events.
“The original Disney rendition illustrates this through the forest, initially menacing, morphing into welcoming animals. Snow White effects this taming, bringing order to chaos and maturing into womanhood. The Grimm’s version depicts her learning traditional domestic skills – cleaning and cooking – in service to the dwarfs, who, crucially, are not her potential partners. This phase, while transformative, lacks complete fulfillment, necessitating the Prince’s arrival to provide ultimate meaning.
“She is transitioning into womanhood, encountering its less appealing aspects, which ultimately culminate in finding her husband. Questions of purpose arise – why menstruation, why these changes? The answer, the story suggests, lies in finding her Prince, in preparation for motherhood. This perspective may be challenging for modern sensibilities, yet it is profoundly beautiful. Rejecting this path, Pageau suggests, leads to declining birth rates and a focus on self-centeredness, a theme he sees reflected in the new film’s portrayal of self-mastery and leadership. This, he argues, does not ensure societal continuation.”
The Dwarfs as Embodiments of Masculine Quirks
“The dwarfs gain significant meaning when viewed in the context of a young woman’s journey toward marriage. They represent the idiosyncratic facets of masculinity – akin to older, eccentric bachelors with peculiar habits, not ideally suited for her. Snow White, through her innocence, elevates them, yet they remain unsuitable as her Prince. They symbolize the transitional phase of puberty where young girls find themselves more mature than the boys around them, who exhibit immaturity and awkwardness.”
Transformation Beyond Innocence: From Eden to Heavenly Jerusalem
“The original innocence portrayed as a Garden of Eden is not fully recoverable in the Christian narrative. The conclusion depicts a magnificent city, incorporating the repercussions of the Fall into its ultimate, glorious form. A simple return to innocent beginnings is not possible. This encapsulates the essence of the Hero’s Journey. Through descent and transformation, Snow White emerges to unite with the Prince, forever changed and no longer naive. She is now impervious to the Evil Queen’s deception. This is not a regression to her former innocent, teenage self within the castle, but an integration of all experiences into a more complete individual, elevated by her journey.”
“It’s a narrative of resurrection. The original Disney film subtly alludes to the Heavenly Jerusalem from Scripture, depicted as a bride in Revelation. The story possesses a cosmic dimension, striving for the highest ideal of male-female union. Its power resides in these interwoven layers – personal, subtly political, yet harmoniously balanced within a broader symbolic vision. This coherent structure contrasts sharply with the new Disney adaptation, which Pageau critiques as incoherently assembled, lacking a profound grasp of the story’s symbolic architecture.”