“Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who’s the fairest one of all?”
The portrayal of beautiful women as the main characters in fairy tales may subconsciously instill, into impressionable, young girls, the idea that beauty is an essential element in relation to personal satisfaction. The vision of physical perfection represented by princesses in many children’s stories emphasizes a woman’s appearance as the most important trait, potentially impacting the self esteems of young girls. Young girls are not only entertained, but influenced by seemingly harmless tales, which primarily focus on beautiful maidens, who, by virtue of their physical appearances, mesmerize prince charming, attain vast treasures, and “live happily ever after.”
A study titled “The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children’s Fairy Tales” by Purdue University sociologist, Liz Grauerholz, and assistant professor of women’s studies at Western Illinois University, Lori Baker-Sperry, and supported by the Purdue Department of Sociology and Anthropology examined the notion that society’s beauty ideals stem from the perception of beauty in fairy tales and that this ideal can negatively impact young girls. The study examined the depictions of physical beauty in 168 Brothers Grimm fairy tales. “Beauty or ugliness is referred to in 94 percent of the Grimms’ fairy tales, with evil characters often being described as ugly” (Hanafy, 1). In Cinderella alone, beauty in a woman was referred to 114 times. The average reference of beauty per story was 13.6.
The study further illustrates a correlation between the perceptions of beauty with regard to fairy tales and the drastic measures adolescents take in attempting to meet implausible ideals. This behavior can ultimately lead to eating disorders or plastic surgery. There is also concern that women will “seek beauty at the expense of other pursuits, such as careers or education” because there is such a powerful message telling them they need to be beautiful (Purdue News, 3). These messages, created by a patriarchal society, may deter women from certain activities or careers including competitive sports or labor jobs because they do not convey femininity. Society’s beauty ideals may limit a woman’s “personal freedom, power, and control” (Purdue News, 3).
Stories such as Snow White, Cinderella, Vasilisa the Fair, and Sleeping Beauty depict that life is dependent upon one’s appearance. For example, the reason Snow White is exiled from her kingdom and subsequently rescued by the prince is because of her “fair” appearance. Had the prince come along and found a hideously, ugly maiden lying in her glass coffin, it is unlikely he would have decided to take her back to his kingdom. In much the same way, Cinderella is forced into a life of misery by her jealous step-sisters because she is more beautiful and kind than they, and she is noticed by the prince because she is more beautiful than all of the other maidens at the ball. The prince does not ask to meet Cinderella or get to know her; he simply desires to marry the breathtakingly gorgeous woman without the need for her to divulge any details regarding her likes and dislikes. Similar to the prince in Cinderella, the tsar in Vasilisa the Fair wants to marry Vasilisa as soon as he sets eyes on her. He does not care about her personality; physical looks are all he needs to make his lifelong decision. In the story Sleeping Beauty, The prince decides to rescue Briar Rose only after hearing how “fabulously beautiful’ she is. Again, it is doubtful that the prince would have risked his life to see the princess had she been ugly or even average or normal looking. All of these stories insinuate that, although beauty will lead one through obstacles, it is that same beauty that will save one in the end.
The Little Mermaid is the only fairy tale in which the princess does not get her prince, but this is simply because she loses part of that beauty, her voice. Though this story encourages girls to give up family and physical attributes and go through unbearable pain in order to get a man’s attention, at least it conveys the message to girls that you don’t always get what you want, and that the cruel world is filled with harsh realities and disappointments. Nevertheless, this story further depicts the necessity of physical beauty and a man’s desire for “perfection.”
The title, The Ugly Duckling, allows the reader know immediately that the story revolves around the importance of physical appearance. Only when the duckling becomes “the most beautiful of all the birds” does he find companionship and live a happy life. Until his blossoming, the poor little duck lives in lonesome misery. No one likes him because he is ugly. He is attacked by ducks, hens, and maids because he is ugly. He cannot even find food or shelter in the winter because he is ugly. As one of the side notes to the story explains, “the duckling’s suffering is so intense (due to his ugliness) that it moves him toward self-immolation.” The desperate duck longs for the salvation of death as long as the executioners are beautiful swans. If there were ever a story that drills into one’s mind the importance of being physically attractive, The Ugly Duckling is the one. How can one expect a young girl to come away from this story without feeling desperation for being as beautiful as a swan? This story conveys the message that only those who are beautiful have friends.
Stories such as Beauty and the Beast, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and Hans My Hedgehog also illustrate the importance of physical appearance with regard to happiness. Even though Beauty does eventually love the Beast, despite his appearance, he still becomes handsome before the happily ever after arrives. And in both East of the Sun, West of the Moon and Hans My Hedgehog the young daughters do not love the prince until they see him in his handsome human form, then they are willing to walk to the ends of the Earth for him. Hence, it all comes down to being handsome or not receiving the love of the one you admire.
No less important is the impact the view of ugliness plays in fairy tales. “Ugliness is seen as a sign of evil in 17 percent of the stories” (Hanafy, 1). This leads to the idea that beauty and ugliness are indicators of good and evil. If you are ugly, then you are an evil witch or stepsister. Maybe this is the reason many children shy away from the old and decrepit.
This lack of self confidence and vanity in women found in the American culture is further perpetuated by boys also seeing, in these stories, the importance of beauty and in turn inspiring the desire to find a lover based on beauty. It is plausible that many men look at women and subconsciously compare them to the princesses they envisioned as young children. Fortunately, not all men base their love on the physical appearance of their significant other, but many do.
Though I have never realized this before taking Children’s Literature, I think some women’s self esteems and vain behaviors are a direct effect of being told through fairy tales that beauty is the key to happiness. This is an idea that has been instilled in them from childhood. There has never been a fairy tale in which the prince chooses his princess based on the fact the she is intelligent, fun to be around, or interesting. Some women feel they need to rely on looks to get their man, not on who they are as a person. I am sure women would want to be beautiful despite the princesses portrayed in fairy tales, but I am also sure that this desire to be visually appealing and the lack of self confidence related to not being beautiful are amplified by these stories.
