From dwarf to dwarfism: the different representations in Snow White

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to critically analyze the evolution of the representation of dwarfs, from Romanticism to the present day. Firstly, the representations made in Grimm’s collection of fairy tales will be analyzed, and the terminology used to designate marvelous characters of short stature will be debated and their narrative function will be presented according to Vladimir Propp's theory. Then, the focus will be placed on the various reinterpretations of Snow White, the most remembered tale when it comes to the popular imagery of dwarfs. Disney's full-length movie and current adaptations, including movies and comics, will be debated, demonstrating that, although the focus of the analysis so far is Disney's patriarchal reading and how feminism has influenced its readaptations, these works also reflect the extent to which the representation of dwarfism (the disability and not only the marvelous creatures) has evolved - or how far we still have to go for it to become minimally acceptable. Despite being an article focused on the marvelous, it aims to be a contribution to disability studies regarding dwarfism.