Disney Princess
Snow White is the first and original Disney Princess. A main character in Walt Disney Animation Studios' 1st animated feature film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937), Snow White is a beautiful young princess, described by her evil stepmother's Magic Mirror as having 'hair as black as ebony, lips as red as the rose, skin as white as snow' and also dubbed by the Mirror as the 'Fairest Of Them All'. She is forced to seek refuge in the home of the seven dwarfs where she hides from her evil stepmother, Queen Grimhilde, who got angered by the fact that Snow White's beauty was greater than hers. She asked the Huntsman to kill the princess; however, as an act of pity, he ends up setting her free and telling her the Evil Queen's plan. Snow White is often described as a kind, optimistic, tidy and happy person who sees the good in everyone. Originally voiced by Adriana Caselotti and animated by Marc Davis and Les Clark, she and her movie are based on the heroine and story of the German fairy tale "Snow White" (1812) by the Brothers Grimm. She has also been voiced by Mary Kay Bergman, Carolyn Gardener, Katherine Von Till, and most recently Pamela Ribon. A crisp, blood red apple has become her trademark with years of exposure.
Criticism of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company has also been criticized for the lack of feminist values seen on the older, original Disney Princesses. Snow White in particular, is under constant criticism for her lack of feminist ideals. The film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)" features a main protagonist whom at the time, fit the domestic and docile expectations of women in the pre-World War 2 era. Snow White is displayed on screen covered in a long dress, embelished with a white collar, puffy sleeves, red cape, and a red bow constraining her hair; a traditional, modest look on feminity by revealing minimal skin. Through her actions portrayed in the movie, she draws on the traditional femininity that was encouraged in 1930's American culture. In the midst of The Great Depression, women were encouraged to return to the home and care for the household; a theme that is widely displayed in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)." However, with the second resurgence of Disney movies, known as the Disney Renaissance, beginning in 1989 until 1999, Disney transformed the damsel in distress into a strong woman with the desire for adventure. This new approach ushered in a decade of go-getting, proactive heroines, who possessed character traits that coincided with the new era of acceptable sexual roles in a society where women hold the same jobs as men. This is evident in princesses such as Ariel from "The Little Mermaid (1989)", and Belle from "Beauty and the Beast (1991)".