Mirror, Mirror : Framing the Modern Adaptations of Little Snow White by Emma Donoghue and Theodora Goss
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| Year of publication | 2020 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | This presentation deals with the role of the mirror in two modern literaryadaptations of the fairy tale Little Snow White, namely Emma Donoghue’s The Tale of the Appleand Theodora Goss’ Snow White Learns Witchcraft. The magical mirror is undeniably an essential part of the story of Little Snow White. It creates a frame around the characters, fuels the Queen’s decisions and consequently becomes the cause of everything that happens. In feminist criticism, the mirror has been analysed as a tool of patriarchy which dictates that only the most beautiful woman gets to have a happy ending. Authors of feminist modern fairy tale rewritings have reflected this interpretation in their versions of the fairy tale and adjusted the position of the mirror in the story. The two above mentioned authors have taken contrasting approaches in their treatment of the mirror in their versions of the fairy tale. Emma Donoghue removes the mirror from the story entirely and reveals to her readers what lies behind it. To the contrary, Theodora Goss magnifies the role of the mirror as Snow White herself decides to use it. Despite the differences in their approaches, the results of the treatment of the mirror by both authors share some striking resemblance in the messages their stories convey. They both point out the danger the mirror and its voice pose for both the Queen and princess Snow White. |
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