The huntsman is a minor character in “Snow White”, but it is still interesting to note the subtle differences in Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and the Grimms’ and Anne Sexton’s text versions. To begin with, the Grimms’ version goes into quite a bit of detail about the huntsman and his emotions. After taking Snow White out into the woods, the huntsman pulls out his knife to kill her, but cannot do it. Snow White begs the hunter for her life, and “Snow White was so beautiful that the huntsman took pity on her and said: ‘Just run away, you poor child’ ”. In comparison, in the Disney version, the roles are reversed and the huntsman actually gets down on his knees and begs for Snow White’s forgiveness.
In Anne Sexton’s version, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, the huntsman’s duty is simply stated and then the story continues. There is no explanation of the guilt that the huntsman felt, which kept him from fulfilling the Queen’s desire. Sexton writes, “Bring me her heart, she said to the hunter, and I will salt it and eat it. The hunter, however, let his prisoner go and brought a boar’s heart back to the castle.” In both stories, the huntsman decides to disobey the Queen’s order because of his compassion for Snow White, and instead he brings the Queen a boar’s heart. We are never told what happens to the huntsman if he does not succeed.
The huntsman is the one who takes pity on Snow White and disobeys the Queen. Some versions give the huntsman a larger role, while others hardly mention him.
Why do we think the huntsman is even part of the story? Why doesn't the Queen just kill Snow White herself instead of calling upon the huntsman?
One thing that was interesting about the 1916 silent movie version of Snow White was the role of the huntsman. He was almost a second plot line for the story - the viewer was just as worried about his fate (the queen cast him and his children into the dungeon) as he or she was worried about Snow White's. And then it is the huntsman, after tricking the guard to get out, who helps lead the prince to Snow White. He is the hero, not the prince.
ReplyDeleteIt's true sometime his role is greater and sometime it is less. The versions in which the huntsman plays a large part, I personally tend to think of the prince in lesser light. It's the huntsman who really shows bravery and stands for what is right. He's the best guy in the story to me.
I agree's with Sarah's idea that it is the huntsman who demonstrates true bravery, more so than the Prince. In the Disney version, for example, all the Prince essentially does is kiss Snow White--and for a guy, isn't that an all too easy task? The huntsman, in contrast, puts his life at risk by disobeying the wicked queen. His role in the story is much less glamorized than the Prince, even though the Prince just gets to enact the role of gallant Playboy and resuscitate the beautiful sleeping maiden with a romantic kiss. The huntsman seems, to me, the unsung hero of the Snow White tale.
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