.jpg){kind=link}
Snow White's wicked stepmother, the Evil Queen, offers her the lace
The Wicked Stepmother is a fictional character archetype commonly present in fairy tales, including Snow White , Cinderella , Hansel & Gretel , and others.
Appearances
The character of the Wicked Stepmother features heavily in fairy tales, and are most often potrayed as wicked, vindictive, evil and vain.
Snow White
In the fairy tale "Snow White", the Evil Queen is Snow White's evil and vindictive stepmother who is obsessed with being the "fairest in the land". The young princess Snow White makes her jealous, so the Evil Queen concocts several plans to kill Snow White through the use of witchcraft. She finally succeeds with a poisoned apple, but Snow White is rescued by a handsome prince and they prepare their wedding. The Evil Queen is invited to their wedding but, when she arrives, she is forced to wear a pair of glowing hot iron shoes and dance until she falls down dead.
Cinderella
In the fairy tale "Cinderella ", the titular character's wicked stepmother mistreats Cinderella and favours her own two daughters instead, refusing Cinderella's pleas to go to the Royal Ball as she doesn't want anyone competing with her own daughters for the prince's hand in marriage.
Hansel & Gretel
In the fairy tale "Hansel & Gretel", the brother and sister's wicked stepmother is the one that convinces their father to abandon them in the woods because they can't afford to feed the children. When Hansel & Gretel return after defeating the Blind Witch, they discover their stepmother has mysteriously died and they reunite and live happily with their father.