Snow White and Rose Red is a fairy tale from the collection written by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. It was very popular at the beginning of the 20th century but now it's almost forgotten. There are several reasons for that and we'll try to highlight the background of the story by simple analysis.
If you want to learn more about the tale of two sisters who befriend a bear, save the life of the mean and greedy dwarf, and finally find happiness with two princes, just continue.
Here are 10 essential elements of the story about Snow White and Rose Red with a short explanation for each one:
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Your Thoughts on Snow White and Rose Red:
Yes, you points are valid, WriterArtist. This story could be way better.
Well - I do agree with you that the pace was not quite alright, character development was missing and the story did not have this secret element - unpredictability. I also disliked that a good bear kills the dwarf. The dwarf was obviously an unthankful chap, stubborn as ever and in the story his character did not evolve no matter what. The end is hurried and the learnings are missing.
Yes, you got it right, DerdriuMarriner. It's one of many weaknesses of the plot. The story looks like it was written in one breath and only later added some details to make it 'a package'. Having grooms for both girls was very likely and an afterthought of first storytellers.
No, DerdriuMarriner, I was not clear enough, probably. Snow White and Rose Red was included in the collection as one of over two hundred tales at the beginning of the 19 century. The popularity at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century is very likely caused by the evolution of picture books as a new medium. Cute girls, a friendly bear, and a grumpy dwarf in vivid colors were more interesting for the publishers than a good plot.
The killing of the dwarf is explained later and proved as wrong from the dramatic point of view. Killing the witch in Hansel and Gretel or the wicked stepmother in Snow White is somehow expected because we learned before about their wrongdoings.
I believe DerdriuMarriner, such a situation is largely dependent on the real experience of the Brothers Grimm. They had a dead (absent) father and alive mother who was in constant need of help.
Hi, DerdriuMarriner, I wouldn't know about the mosquitos. Forests were very important in the lives of Europeans in the 19th century (and in centuries before, of course) and they are useful places for settings of the stories where dangerous stuff happens.
It's interesting that the bear has a brother.
Would it not be according to fairy tale rules for that brother or his princedom to have gone looking for the bear or to have helped him as a bear or to try to take down the dwarf?
Your introduction mentions the "collection written by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm." It then mentions that "It was very popular at the beginning of the 20th century."
Its popularity at the time of its collecting might have been a reason why it was included even as perhaps the Grimm brothers noted the "ticking-clock" popularity of its flaws that would self-destruct its popularity within the near future.
Would the Grimm brothers have left the equivalent of a library of materials and sources that included what they did not put into their collection along with what they did?
The ninth fact, Transformation, observes the bear killing the dwarf. Would fairy tales in general just observe that someone died or was killed without elaborating the cause or means?