Gender Roles In Fairy Tales

It is no secret women's roles have changed but, no one seems to notice they have also changed our fairy tales. Over the years fairy tales have evolved making women play many roles, some submissive others assertive; the females in Little Snow-White and Beauty and The Beast portray these roles as reflections of the times in which they were created.
Written in the 1800’s Little Snow-White personifies the submissive roles assigned to women at the time. In this time period being a housewife is typical and expected of a woman. "If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything that you want"(Grimm’s 57) In order to get anything
She had a beauty so big she had to be put in a glass coffin. One day a prince found shelter in the dwarfs home and as soon as he saw that dimension of beauty Snow had he could not leave without her, for in that moment he fell in love. “I cannot live without being able to see Snow-White. I will honor her and respect her as my most cherished one"(Grimm’s 140) Beauty, a woman’s best feature. As in the story, man fall for looks many times forgetting any other traits a woman can offer. Letting them turn beauty into a thing they must have. Moreover not only is the prince allowed to take snow but she awakens and is quickly told what has happened then is offered to marry the prince. Instantly they marry "I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father's castle. You shall become my wife."(Grimms 146) In the time this was written woman would marry for money and a good home which is what the Grimm Brothers are emphasizing in this passage. In addition to marrying for a good life woman would come to be the housekeepers and motherly figures letting man do the hard work. As a women in the 1800’s they are meant to comfort man without complain. It is known that if your home is in disorder no one must know. Therefore women would only settle for good, never going out to try anything different.Many times being different was just unacceptable for society making it hard for women to progress. For many there was
Yet allowing her to create her own criteria of the circumstances. In the story Belle’s father is captured and taken prisoner by a monster far away on an enchanted castle. Once Belle finds out she decides to take the place of her sick father, losing all hope of any future she had ever planned to have.“But I've lost my father, my dreams, everything.”(Woolverton 40) Belle on the other hand is presented as hope for Beast, for in order to break the curse that has him dressed as a monster he needs to love and to be loved back. With Belle present he has a chance, but it is not easy to love a beast. Ultimately making this sacrifice of staying with a monster and giving up all of her dreams puts on a hero role for Belle, a role mostly known to be for