So why did I start this blog you ask?

I started this project for my American Mass & Popular Cultures class wanting to talk about the differences between the classic Grimms Brothers fairy tales and the Disney movie adaptations of them. My original goal was to try to sway people into reading the classic literature versions. After reading the original Grimms Brothers fairy tales and doing some research into the origins of some of them, I’m not sure that I would want parents to introduce their children to the classics or the Disney version. One thing that Grimms and Disney definitely have in common is sexism towards women. The purpose of this blog is mainly to point out the differences, similarities, and social issues in the Grimms Brothers versions and the Disney versions.
Showing posts with label Snow White. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snow White. Show all posts

Friday, December 18, 2009

Differences Between Grimms and Disney (a few examples)

The Little Mermaid
  • In the original version, the Little Mermaid feels an indescribable amount of pain every time she takes a step - due to a curse the witch put on her.
  • The Little Mermaid has a mother in the original - her mother is dead in the Disney version.
  • The Captain that the mermaid falls in love with marries another woman (whom he had been in love with in the first place) - in the Disney version the Little Mermaid gets the prince!
  • The Little Mermaid's sisters offer her a knife to kill the prince so she can return to the see in the original.
  • The Little Mermaid dies at the end (turns into sea foam) - she kinds of commits suicide - because she cannot bare to see the prince with someone else.
Snow White
  • In the original - the Queen requests the lungs and liver (as well as the heart)  of Snow White to eat for dinner that night.
  • In the original - Snow White is not awakened by a kiss from the prince (like the Disney version) - she is awakened when she is jostled by the horse on which her coffin is being carried by the prince.
Cinderella
  • In the original - the step-sisters of Cinderella try to cut off different parts of their feet to make them fit into the glass slippers.
  • The Prince is alerted of the step-sisters by two carrier pigeons who then peck out the step-sisters eyes.  The step-sisters live as blind beggars for the rest of their lives.
Sleeping Beauty
  • Woman is put to sleep because of a prophecy (not a curse) in the original.
  • In the real original (not Brothers Grimm version) - Sleeping Beauty is raped by the King (her father) and is awakened when her child sucks the piece of flax that was keeping her asleep out of her finger.