(background on the story)

Little Brier-Rose is a passive character in her own story; the actions of the prince are the focus. This reinforces the idea that women should be passive in their lifetime, waiting for a man to rescue them and provide them with happiness. The action of the prince kissing Little Brier-Rose portrays her fate as dependent on a man: “He bent over and gave her a kiss. When he touched her with the kiss Little Brier-Rose opened her eyes, awoke, and looked at him kindly” (Grimm). The prince initiated this action without considering Little Brier-Rose’s feelings. Her unquestioning acceptance of his kiss through her kind look suggests women should value a man’s authority above their own well-being and desires with graciousness. Essentially, a woman’s destiny should not be self-determined but instead decided and shaped by a man. The fairytale rewards Little Brier-Rose for her passiveness: “They lived happily until they died” (Grimm). Despite having little autonomy over her story, she receives a happily ever after. Her marriage symbolizes social expectations for women to be submissive and seek happiness through a man’s love over self-fulfillment.

This shows how her passiveness can affect the overall narrative for women in current society.

When looking at Sleeping Beauty’s sleep as a metaphor for her transition into womanhood. Bettelheim sees this as an addition to her passiveness and the idea of puberty being attached to a male counterpart. He comments on how this state of inaction is met with praise, ‘“The Sleeping Beauty’ tells that a long period of quiescence, of contemplation, of concentration on the self, can and often does lead to highest achievement”(Bettelheim). Additionally, using Karen E. Rowe's interpretation of Sleeping Beauty. The prince’s kiss signifies the end of her transition and the beginning of her maturity. This pushes the narrative that women have psychic helplessness and require outside male forces for release (Rowe). Sleeping Beauty's magical sleep and awakening present vulnerability and dependency as alluring virtues. Her entrance to womanhood is not a journey of self-discovery but rather a decision made for her by the prince. The story uses the writing element of the double enchantment to present marriage as a second enchantment. Sleeping Beauty trades one stage of enchantment for another as her juvenile dreams of rescue shift to a desire for male protection (Rowe).

Also, using the "Introduction to Sleeping Beauty" by Maria Tartar to look at points made by many scholars over the years about her passiveness.

"Simone de Beauvoir was perhaps the first to alert us to the profound gender asymmetries in fairy tales. 'Woman is the Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, she who receives and submits. In song and story the young man is seen departing adventurously in search of a woman; he slays the dragons and giants; she is locked in a tower, a palace, a garden, a cave, she is chained to a rock, a captive, sound asleep: she waits'"(Tartar).

This shows how scholars have interpreted Sleeping Beauty's passiveness into the role puberty, gender, and sexuality have integrated into society.

(background on the story)

"Snow-White lay there in the coffin a long, long time, and she did not decay, but looked like she was asleep, for she was still as white as snow and as red as blood, and as black-haired as ebony wood" (Grimms). Her passive state was a perfect magical spell that preserved her beauty and allowed her to be seen in her glass coffin, emphasizing the theme of her beauty throughout the story. This is an external trait for the eyes of men. ""Good heavens, where am I?" she cried out.

The prince said joyfully, "You are with me." He told her what had happened, and then said, "I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father's castle. You shall become my wife." Snow-White loved him, and she went with him. Their wedding was planned with great splendor and majesty" (Grimms). She is rescued by the prince, and therefore, her passiveness ending is connected to the presence of a man. She immediately agrees to marry, demonstrating the prince's acceptance as her path to happiness and lifelong fulfillment.

Maria Tatar goes deep into the relationship of Snow White and her stepmother, which demonstrates the passive actions of Snow White. Their relationship and the story revolve around Snow White's beauty, which has nothing to do with her actions and personality, further sexualizing the young girl, emphasizing her transition into womanhood, and describing her beauty as the only desirable trait (for the male gaze).

(background on the story)

Her passiveness was entrapment and she had no desire or means to escape until the presence of a man offering her marriage, "At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man such as she had never seen before came in to her. However, the prince began talking to her in a very friendly manner, telling her that his heart had been so touched by her singing that he could have no peace until he had seen her in person. Then Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him as her husband, she thought, "He would rather have me than would old Frau Gothel." She said yes and placed her hand into his" (Grimms). By being presented the idea of marriage, Rapunzel is freed, further emphasizing a woman requires a man for fulfillment, happiness, and rescue. While also presenting it as Rapunzel's lifelong aspiration.

"You godless child," cried the sorceress. "What am I hearing from you? I thought I had removed you from the whole world, but you have deceived me nonetheless"(Grimms). This showcases her passiveness from the world for her whole life, symbolizing the time it takes to become a woman is a passive stage, the world awaits a girl to enter womanhood and does not address or care for her actions (preferring her to be actionless) in the process while also having the girl awaiting the beginning of her womanhood through the acceptance of a man.

"Young beauties promised a glorious future often start out in the role

of victim" (de Beauvoir). This is vital in understanding Rapunzel's victim situation by the sorceress, which she is then rescued from by a prince. This theme in Rapunzel has manifested into modern culture.

"love and suffering are intertwined in a

troubling way; woman is assured of the most delicious triumphs when falling to the bottom of abjection" (de Beauvoir).

In the fairytales observed, Little Brier-Rose, Little Snow-White, and Rapunzel, the reward of solely being a woman and the emphasis on her passivity and need for assistance provides her with a happy ending: marriage to her savior. It is presented that the female protagonist’s passivity depicts a woman’s destiny, which is not supposed to be self-determined but rather shaped by a man. The Brothers Grimm's tales of Little Brier-Rose, Little Snow-White, and Rapunzel demonstrate three forms of passivity of heroines in fairytales, with their ending and rescue relying on a man while also symbolizing their transition into womanhood.

Passivity is used in heroines to depict their puberty and the preservation of their beauty, but their acceptance of marriage and motherhood. This passive period in their lives glorifies the puperty process for girls and attatches their growth into womanhood to a man and his approval.

Additionally, these three tales showcase how the themes found in society against women is reflective of the pedestal the patriarchy and fairytales have always placed women, marriage, and passivity on. Taking away the power of a woman's own voice and story.

These stories also inherently make beauty, marriage, young ages, and princes the "good" and "magical" elements of the story and degrade older women. In all three of these stories, Little Brier-Rose, Little Snow-White, and Rapunzel, all three girls entered their passive period because of an older woman. The 13th magical woman, the Evil Queen, and the sorceress. Placing more negative attributes on acting women, you're evil if you are not married and beautiful.