Are there gnomes in Snow White?

The topic of this article is the long-standing debate about whether or not Snow White features gnomes in her story. There are some who believe that the seven small creatures who help the fair maiden are, in fact, garden gnomes and not dwarves. While there is no definitive answer, the theory is an interesting one to consider.

The discussion stems from a discrepancy between Disney’s interpretation of the characters as dwarves and their original representation as gnomes by German author/illustrator Hans Christian Andersen.

Disney’s adaptation was released into theaters on December 21st 1937 while Andersen published his version of “Snow White” in 1845 before any English translations were created. Consequently, it can be argued that Disney adapted its depiction of Snow White based on the seven dwarfs in English-language literature and not on Andersen’s story which featured seven “gnome spirits” who wore red hats, lived in a garden and made their money selling their home-made wine.

“They had lived there for a long time,” the fairy tale begins, “and they were such little gnomes that they had never yet seen a human being.”

In contrast, Disney’s dwarves live in a house, wear blue clothing and work as miners. In the 1937 production, directed by William Cottrell and Wilfred Jackson, Snow White was saved from a vain and wicked queen who wanted to kill her so she could remain young and beautiful.

In Andersen’s version of the fairy tale, published eight years before his death in 1875, the Queen is less motivated by vanity and instead more concerned about protecting her position as queen. This is yet another example of how Disney adapted the story.

Why Gnomes?

Disney Pictures does not comment on this tit-for-tat discrepancy but it can be argued that, when translated into English Andersen’s word for “gnome spirit” becomes “dwarf.”

All that being said: why gnomes? Why did Andersen’s original story feature garden gnomes at all?

The answer can be found in Andersen’s artistic integrity.

Andersen spent his younger years reading the works of German authors, philosophers and poets including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller and Heinrich Heine who were often inspired by ancient mythology. Gnomes are creatures that feature prominently in classic European tales. Dwarves, interestingly, did not.

Where Do We Go From Here?

While there is no definitive answer to whether or not Snow White features gnomes in the story, the theory is an interesting one to consider. What do you think?

Is Disney’s interpretation of Snow White true to Andersen’s vision or a product of its time and English-language literature?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.