Evil Queen
The Evil Queen (German: böse Königin), also called the Wicked Queen or just the Queen, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of "Snow White", a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm; similar stories exist worldwide. Other versions of the Queen appear in subsequent adaptations and continuations of the fairy tale, including novels and films. One particularly notable version is Disney's depiction, sometimes known as Queen Grimhilde. The character has also become an archetype that inspired unrelated works.
| The Evil Queen | |
|---|---|
The Evil Queen with her mirror in an American illustration from 1913 | |
| First appearance | Grimms' Fairy Tales (1812) |
| Created by | The Brothers Grimm (adapted from pre-existing fairy tales) |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Queen consort, witch (secretly) |
| Spouse | King |
| Children | Snow White (daughter in the original version, stepdaughter since the 1819 revision) |
The Evil Queen is Snow White's vindictive wicked stepmother who is obsessed with being "the fairest in the land". The beautiful young princess Snow White evokes the Queen's sense of envy, so the Queen designs a number of plans to kill Snow White through the use of witchcraft. A driving force in the story is the Queen's Magic Mirror. In the traditional resolution of the story, the Queen is grotesquely executed for her crimes. The tale is meant as a lesson for young children warning them against the dangers of narcissism, pride, and hubris.
In some retellings of the fairy tale, the Queen has been re-imagined or portrayed more sympathetically, such as being morally conflicted or suffering from madness instead of being simply evil. In some of the revisionist stories she serves as the protagonist and has even been portrayed as an antihero or a tragic hero.