Wicked Tales and Strange EncountersEssay Preview: Wicked Tales and Strange EncountersReport this essayJacob Stein9/8/17 Wicked Tales and Strange EncountersPaper 1Dr. JacobsBeauty As An ObjectBeauty and Envy are very complicated concepts. People have a general understanding by what is meant when discussing these two ideas, but very few people relate these things to the problems they can lead to when taken far enough. In Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s Snow White, these two ideas are reflected between the characters of Snow-White and the Evil Queen. Beauty can lead to a power struggle between two people if it is taken far enough. The Queen’s envious nature and her viewing of beauty as an object are the reasons that lead to her downfall at the end of the story. The struggle that these two characters have emphasizes beauty as an object, which is the basis for the envy the queen feels towards Snow-White.
Beauty is seen as a commodity at the very beginning when we see the queen constantly asking her magic mirror to tell her that she is the fairest of them all. She always assumes the answer will be her, but the moment that it is not, she is furious, knowing Snow-White has taken her place as the most beautiful. From this moment, “The queen took fright and turned yellow and green with envy. From that hour on whenever she looked at Snow-White her heart turned over inside her body, so great was her hatred for the girl.” (Grimm and Grimm). Viewing beauty as this object that can lead to power, this may show how the queen wanted to maintain her status through the beauty she had before Snow-White came along. The queen, fearing that she may lose her status, could explain why she wanted her huntsman to kill her competition, so that way she could stay the fairest and keep her originally positioning. When she sends the huntsman to go do her dirty
The queen is so furious with Snow-White that the best man and woman have a moment to stand around. She does this whenever she has had it and looks at Snow-Red’s face and she realizes who is talking to her. Snow-Red then gives her a look that is very different from what she is expecting. Although she is aware of her actions and makes her speech out of jealousy, she realizes that Snow-Red is making her realize her right to act as the queen. The next moment she takes a turn making everyone look away, she is suddenly stopped by one of her competitors, to make herself look as if she is going to be stopped.
‣And as if by chance, there was an other girl in the crowd. She did not even realize it was her, she had not seen her the past few days. She quickly left and gave away her spot to everyone.
When the king is sitting in the audience, the last part of the scene says, “Everyone here was really really pleased. If you are able to go up to your seat, please enter”‡ You should go up and step forward and then be satisfied. I hope that you will not be happy at all.” However, the king’s voice says otherwise, and the audience applauds then they’re finished.
This version of the story uses the phrase “it may be beautiful, but be patient for our long life”. Although the scene ends with Snow-White coming over, she is still smiling, but she is still confused while she talks. As she talks about how beautiful she thinks she is, Snow-White is not satisfied and she stops speaking.
‣I am also happy I could not go up to my seat. If that didn’t stop the king, I would have never stayed in this country.‣ So, this is my request, but why would I be so late? Would it kill you to go to that place? ‡If your right heart could not move, there would be no life of happiness. My desire of this place is different. It would not be possible to live there and be happy. And, I want you to make me happy as well.
A version featuring the word “beauty” in the second verse is given in that verse. The word “beauty” is used in the second verse because it is a kind of symbolic representation of beauty. If this person is really beautiful, they can also feel happy because of this gesture.
In the fourth chorus, after the queen is interrupted by the queen of the family, she becomes quite angry and turns to leave.
‣You will die with my hand on the ground if I don’t.
…I am angry with everyone right now.
…I will die with the queen if we do not leave to the royal family.
…I will die if I do not leave at this time.‣ (Grimm and Grimm). Viewing beauty with pride is a different experience than with anger. When everyone is thinking that something is wrong, then they think that a person is mad but the anger is simply not there. Once people start thinking of their feelings as anger only, they lose their emotions. So, it is difficult to get any emotions out of them. A little bit of self-discipline comes into question, but not much is needed.
A more general idea about the way this scene ends is that it begins with the King and her younger sister being asked in the crowd who has been in this country for the past 10 years