Snow White as a Sovereignty Goddess
The surprising correlations of the new Disney adaptation with Celtic mythology and otherworldly lore!
This is not a post about the questionable decision of using AI dwarfs or a Snow White without snow-white skin colour. This is a post about the power of story, the otherworldly origins and the Avalonian/Arthurian connections that the new adaptation of Disney’s Snow White offers us.
And yes there are spoilers, but those you want to know about before you dismiss the movie because of its trailer, like
did:I would love to hear her opinion after watching it. Because it didn’t give any hints of the movie being different to its original bland narrative.
I know it still is a Disney movie and stays surface level but let’s not forget it is a kids movie and compared to other adaptations seems to have been purposely made for an even younger audience. So bear with me, because I found some rather awesome and surprising twists in the story that might change your perspective and lift it up to the best Snow White adaption yet.
I have not been to the cinema in years and with baby number 2 on the way, I won’t go for a while again but after our move to the Highlands, we find ourselves in a small town with a little community cinema that had just announced Snow White. And as you know I am all for fairytales and even though I have been marked like so many of my generation by the Disney distortions and gender roles, I do like to swell in nostalgia and see what the new adaptions bring. Especially with my matured lens of looking through illusions. I went in prepared for disappointment yet nonetheless hopeful for at least some sort of entertainment.
My partner, knowing my addiction to efficiency was pleasantly surprised when I announced that I would switch my two hour afternoon work session for a movie. But not without a smirky smile did he ask if I had my history books or at least a recent knitting project packed with me.
He knows me well: I did take notes.
And they lend themselves wonderfully for a post on fairytale magic, archetypal studies and even a connection drawn from Snow White to the Sovereignty Goddesses of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend!
To my own astonishment I was not at all disappointed by the movie, on the contrary. I though it broke through previous distortions and brought back some themes that could usher in real change of heart, instead of further complicate the power-over-culture or nurture the women-are-as-strong-as-men-narrative (also known as cool-girl-syndrome or the need to oppose patriarchy with another dogma).
The only critical comment I have I will voice right away as it happened directly at the start.
Let me remind you of the original written version of the Grimm’s fairytale’s beginning:
Once upon a time in midwinter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a queen sat sewing at her window, which had a frame of black ebony wood. As she sewed she looked up at the snow and pricked her finger with her needle. Three drops of blood fell into the snow. The red on the white looked so beautiful that she thought to herself, "If only I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood in this frame."
Soon afterward she had a little daughter who was as white as snow [her skin], as red as blood [her lips], and as black as ebony wood [her hair], and therefore they called her Little Snow-White.
The movie however called her Snow White because she was born in a snow storm.
I understand that in an attempt to be more inclusive towards under represented groups they picked a Latina actress who has no snow-white skin and they chose to change the reason for her name. But I think that could have been creatively solved by giving her a skin imperfection like a pigment-less patch that could have still aligned with the original story and further highlighted the moral of the new adaption that true beauty doesn’t require perfection.
Now, as mentioned above my critique isn’t based on choice of actress but more so because of the erasure of the otherworldly colours of white, red and black.
In so many folktales and myths, particularly from Central Europe, Britain, Ireland and Scotland do we encounter this three colours. They usually serve as markers of magic, of faery beings and sort of a divine nature. Like the red and white of Gwynn ap Nudd’s hounds or the white cow with red ears that accompanies the goddess Brigid. The three together, with an additional yellow colour are the basic stages of alchemy. And in more modern context the white, red and black are often used as symbolic colours for maiden, mother and crone.
In the Avalonian Tradition I studied with
, black is associated with the body and corresponds with the Realm of Land. Red is associated with blood and corresponds with the Realm of Sea. White is associated with breath/air and corresponds with the Realm of Sky. Some scholars refer to them as mirror of our human body and the cycle of life: red as the color of blood, white as the color of bone and the brightness of pure light and black as rot, decay and the darkness of death.These colours are not mere indicators of Snow White’s beauty, the are reminiscent of culture, of mystery and of a nature based spirituality that connects us to our pre-patriarchal ancestors.
Not that I expect Hollywood directors to know or respect that. But I wanted to point it out nonetheless.
Now on to the good points and juicy bits…
Snow White as a Sovereignty Goddess
The first song they sing when Snow White is a young girl and her parents teach her the ways of their kingdom shows them amongst their people with scenes of abundance and joy (of course they are dancing gleefully in proper Disney musical style):
Look upon this land
On the home we've come to know
Where magic and light fill the air
Where we plant a tender seed
Trusting something good will grow
[…]
A kingdom for the free and the fair
We lead with open hearts
And we live with open doors
With love to protect and provide
And we always keep in mind
That what's mine is always yours
May goodness be our one true guide
[…]
Where the good things grow
This scene is so beautiful in its message as idealistic as it may seem in our contemporary political and societal climate.
The kingdom belongs to those who tend to the land.
It reminded me of the paradise the earth once was when the Faery Accord was upheld and reciprocity was the foundation of true sovereignty. A good opening in my opinion, as it is clear from the start that this paradise is soon to be laid waste and asks to be reclaimed…
Snow White is referred to by her father as the “seed of someone who will lead and make the good things grow: someone fearless, someone fair, someone brave, someone true. Make a wish and you will see her too“.
This indicates her journey of becoming, she is the seed that will learn to lead her people, but not yet is she able to see herself as that. Indeed the qualities she will foster throughout her adventure are those of courage, bravery of the heart, integrity and discernment. She shows that fearlessness does not mean the absence of fear but the ability to continue one’s path alongside it.
But before she faces her fears, Snow White has to see through the lies that the evil queen spun around her to keep her hidden and in doubt of herself. Like Cinderella she is ordered to serve, like Inanna she is stripped bare of any status symbols and like Dorothy she has to find out the truth behind illusions and that the power she always thought others possessed were truly within herself.
The Journey through the Wild Wood
Like every good fairytale Snow White has to enter the dark woods to mark her transitioning from one world to the other and from external to internal. It is the rite of passage she must face to not only awaken to her strength but to fully claim it.
I like how the movie marked the change from the dark wild scary woods to the sunlit magical forest by night fading into day (like the original movie did) but through Snow White’s fall into a hole in the ground which had her dive into a body of water and emerge on the other side.
The diving through water symbolises not only the crossing from real world to Otherworld but also from consciousness to subconsciousness.
As you know I teach about Avalon and the one thing that never misses within its context is the journey over water to the sacred isle. And the otherworldly magic continues with a deer leading Snow White to the safe space of the dwarf’s home.
It immediately reminded me of the symbol of the White Stag that initiates the adventures in Arthurian stories.
Like the unicorn the white hart was used by Christianity to symbolise Christ and said to be only touched by maidens. Snow White being a maiden herself bears the innocence, trust and wonder that speaks to the forest creature. Of course the image of the innocent maiden is a distorted one in itself, as Christianity made it blatantly obvious that innocence referred to a sin-free and basically un-human woman, detached from the physical desires and ever “pure”. When truly I think the connection of the sovereign symbol of the majestic stag or the enchanting nature of the unicorn where actually more so representations of the connection between land and woman, no matter her sexual engagement. I would even argue they highlight the fertile creation force a woman is and the requirement to honour and protect her.
As so many Arthurian knights have to prove capable of after the white hart initiates their quests. They are often judged by queen Guinevere for their actions, or entitled with land and rulership through the ladies they encounter and fight for. Those adventures marked by the stag therefore do not only bear otherworldly and magical qualities but also themes of love and relationship.
Which absolutely is happening for this new adaption of Snow White, too.
Despite having met her guy already - he was the one who ignited her fire for truth and justice and inspired her to leave the castle grounds - her actual journey into the woods enables them to meet without the shackles of the evil queen. Here they show themselves authentically, overcome distrust and disagreement and prove that they are committed to each other and their shared vision for the kingdom.
Meanwhile in the castle…
… the evil queen hears from the mirror that Snow White is still alive and still very much more fair than her.
“I’m only bound to what is true: The fairest lives, she is not you.“
What an excellent phrase for the magic mirror. This part to me goes so much further than the few seconds on screen.
The mirror reflects the truth, not mere illusion nor wishful thinking. In its non-judgmental reflection it reveals the shadow as much as it does the light. And again I repeat: without judgement. It is thus a representation of our intuition or the innate truth that we all have access to when we dare to stop and listen. Our mind programming is quick to judge, our attachment to identity will value one answer more or less.
There was almost a glimmer of humanity in the evil queens eyes (or so I imagined) that revealed the pain of realisation that she could have been fair if she returned to the goodness in her heart and allowed herself to be washed clear by her emotions.
But as soon as that glimpse of truth appeared, it was taken over again by avoidance and greed. It is as if her fate was sealed in this moment. The moment she could have chosen a different route. But because she attached to her created identity of feared power and strength, she wasn’t able to face her own fear nor to look at what resided suppressed beneath the facade of material wealth and hardness. It is as if her apple enchantment is the last desperate reach for something that is already over, and to me explains why she was so easily defeated in the end. No magic could safe her then. But we’ll get to that soon.
Back to the forest…
As Snow White discovers that her love interest is not as he previously claimed (working in service of her father or at least in rebellion of the queen) but only looking out for himself and his little bandit crew, she reminds him of something he almost had forgotten in all these years of oppression:
“There’s more than enough for all of us, it just requires faith in each other!”
Another strong line that when applied to life is so much easier said than done but equally so much more important to highlight than to neglect.
This is the underlying relationship I go on and on about in my writing on Sovereignty (as explained here and put in contemporary practice here). The reciprocity of which the Faery Accord speaks, to which the Maidens of the Well appeal and that the embodiment of the land, the sovereignty goddess of mythology requires.
It is literally what I just wrote about for the upcoming May Archetype of Avalon, the Lover. This is an exclusive post for paid members but I will share with you this quote from it that illustrates my thoughts further:
Most [relationship] struggle surfaces due to triggers but the triggers are not the actual struggle. The struggle is rooted in old trauma, past experience and a baseline fear of being rejected, abandoned or not loved. When we realise this, we can bring compassion to the table. That doesn’t mean to bypass toxic behaviour or gaslight yourself or the other. It simply means to step out of the daily drama triangle, take a breather and ask yourself how you can each contribute towards your shared vision.
This can be hard work, especially when we are deep in our own righteousness or already stressed, annoyed and/or hurt. Hence why we need a motivation and sacred reminder of why it is worth to practice getting yourself out of the downward spiral.
This is where a shared vision comes in: Driven by the same motivation to make the relationship work, thrive in life and actualise your true self will benefit both parties and act as motivation for self regulation, personal development and looking at one’s own issues instead of blaming the other for not feeling the way one wants to feel.
This can be one way of cultivating faith in each other.
After establishing new friendships and receiving help from her woodland companions (common features in fairytales, the guides and helpers appear once the scary step into the Unknown has been taken) and the curse of the evil queen was broken with the famous true love’s kiss (which again I think is worth noting that true love this time was not portrayed in form of a prince who has no clue about the princess’ character and opinions but through a random guy who reflected on his own values through her input and acted on his words), the human and otherworldly crew gained enough courage to face the evil queen and take back the reigns.
The clever ending didn’t indulge in fast paced action scenes or violence, it actually slowed everything right down.
Those expecting a spectacular scene with thunder and lightning will be disappointed but those like me who never cared about fighting fire with fire will hopefully find as much meaning in it as I did.
Instead of destroying the queen with magic, physical weapons or trickery, Snow White uses her social skills and speaks to every person in her court to remember their own authentic self, personal joy and human compassion.
They feel empowered to break free from the spell of fear conditioning which the evil queen put them under. And it perfectly shows how every spell, as powerful as it may seem, is never able to withstand our own sovereignty - once we (re-) awaken to it. It’s like a foundation lesson in witchcraft!
The best part about it though is that this also works in reverse. If no one can curse you to death, you yourself can:
Furios about the people’s defiance, the evil queen storms into the castle to ask the mirror her desperate question, who in his steady, neutral voice exclaims:
“Famed is thy beauty, but it goes no further than the skin. For Snow White beauty comes from deep within. And so my queen, at last you see, she will always be more fair than thee.”
In anger the queen destroys the mirror and with that is shattered herself in tiny pieces.
Her ending is her own doing, which again goes to show that it is truly ourselves who are our own enemies or allies, depending on our choices. This act is the consequence of the many times in her life she could have taken a different route.
I meant to bring this all back to our own Shadow Selves and those parts that simply want to be loved, recognised and acknowledged but because we keep shutting them out, their voices grow angrier, their acts more destructive and because we identify with them, we block ourselves from experiencing what we truly desire.
But this post is longer than I anticipated already and I keep those reflections for the archetypal exploration posts and my paid members. You can join us on our journey of self-reclamation and embodied change through the seasons and various facets of Avalon by upgrading to paid.
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From Shackled Maiden to Sovereign Queen
Snow White truly has to pass through her trials to not only remember herself, her ancestry and her values but also to find her strength, her friends and her courage to step into her purpose.
She is the one who chooses her man, and only she can appoint him as rightful ruler of her father’s kingdom (which is exactly the story of Creiddylad, Brythonic goddess of sovereignty, who I write in the May Archetype post).
I think it is rather poignant that the movie highlights her royal heritage and legacy whilst choosing a common bandit as her love interest. Another emphasis on real worth being found internally instead of external riches.
This is especially true for the partner of a sovereignty goddess: For she is the seed, the fearless, fair, brave and true seed that makes the land grow. She is the embodiment of land and is only giving the sovereign right over to a man than proves himself worthy of her love and respect. A man that vows to protect and uphold the sacred (and mundane!) reciprocity.
How fitting then that Snow White aired in cinema this spring season, just as the hawthorn blossoms and opens the faery portal to Beltane season. The season of the Flower Bride blooming into the May Queen who represents love, fertility and sovereignty.
The Flower Bride is innocence and openness, led not by strategy but by the heart’s truth. She becomes May Queen not through conquest, but through alignment with her essence, her love, and her willingness to choose with discernment: herself and her King.
In her sovereign way of choosing the champion rule alongside her, she becomes the May Queen and in the Great Rite, also known as Sacred Union, the two enact the merging of man and woman and bless the land with their fertility, representing the nature blooming and opening in reception of the sun and the coming bounty of summer.
In the Celtic stories of old, we find her again and again:
Blodeuwedd, created from blossoms to be given to one man, yet falling in love with another, reclaiming her own desire.
Creiddylad, the maiden of May Day, whose presence determines whether summer or winter reigns.
Enid, the devoted one, who captures the heart of her beloved and stays with him thruth the many trials that tests his love from lust to responsibility.
Guinevere, the May Queen, who joins with Arthur to initiate a new age for land and people.
These women are more than myth — they are representations of the sovereignty goddess. Through their bodies and choices, they embody nature’s laws and feminine creative force. They are not merely chosen; they choose.
They do not simply support the story; they shape it.
Their journey mirrors your own. These archetypes live inside you.
Whether you are at the beginning of your path or well into your unfolding, you carry the seeds of each of these figures in your psyche. Age, stage of life, or appearance does not matter when we engage with myth. Archetypes are timeless. They exist within us all.
So ask yourself:
What parts of yourself do you resist or reject?
Where are you still waiting for permission to lead, to love, to create?
And where is your Queen already alive and waiting to be acknowledged?
When we begin to see our lives through the lens of myth, we reclaim aspects of ourselves we may have long forgotten. In doing so, we begin to live with greater clarity, deeper love, and a felt sense of magic woven into the everyday.
If this speaks to you, I invite you to join me on a transformative adventure:
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In our next phase, we explore the archetype of the May Queen and the Lover and how they teach us to fall unabashedly in love with life and move from relationship struggle to shared vision!
Through story, embodied ritual, individual inquiry and mythic insight, we reconnect with the power that is already within us — not as an idea, but as a lived, anchored presence. That radiates out and fuels our lives, relationships and work in the world!
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Lovely read! I don’t understand “art”—and movies are art—reviews that tear down. Thank you for this refreshing angle!
Just don't take your kids to a Pokemon movie. That was painful : )