Beauty Conquers All
Beauty was clearly a highly esteemed virtue in the age of the fairy tale. In fact, one's beauty was valued much more than any other characteristic. Even if a woman was kind, nurturing, and virtuous, she was worth very little if she was not beautiful. A woman's foul temper was often overlooked if she had a captivating appearance, as in the case of the story of King Grisly-Beard. However, the Grimm's and Andersen had a knack for creating characters whose looks reflected their personality.
It is interesting, however, that appearance for the male came second to their social status. If a man had a royal lineage or riches, they were sure to find a female suitor quite easily. These superficial standards are a telling reflection of the societal pressures that women faced at the time.
In the tale of Frau Holle, there were two daughters who could not have been more different. The stepdaughter was beautiful, virtuous, and hard-working, but was treated like Cinderella due to her stepmother's jealousy. The birth daughter, who was favored by the mother, was ugly and disrespectful. In reward for her honest work and behavior, a woman by the name of Frau Holle, pictured in this illustration, showers the stepdaughter with riches. The birth daughter, on the other hand, is showered with sludge.
Look closely at Snow White’s face in this elaborate illustration. Even in times of great peril, her beauty remains pure, and her face shows no fear, just like Elsa. Do you think this lack of emotion was intended by Burkert in an effort to depict a deeper meaning? Or do you think these pictures simply portray the inevitable, anticipated roles of the mid-19th century woman?
After a king realizes his beautiful daughter may never marry due to her poor, nasty attitude, he vows to marry her off to the next person who enters their castle. Her character is tested throughout various chores and tasks, as she cries and regrets her previous behavior. This was the ultimate goal of her husband, who turned out to be King Grisly-Beard, a man in disguise she had made fun of before. Do you think these faults would have been overlooked if she were not so beautiful?