History Literature / TheSnowQueen

* EyeScream (downplayed): The story does start with a little boy getting a shard of a cursed mirror ''in his eye'', but doesn't linger on the physical pain, instead emphasizing the magical effects associated with the mirror the shard came from.

* ''Film/TheSnowQueen1967'', Soviet Russian live-action adaptation by Lenfilm.

** The titular Snow Queen isn't malicious or sadistic, and doesn't seem to have any ill intent; but considering that she kidnaps and brainwashes Kai, it's safe to say she's not good.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSnowQueen1995'', an animated film, and sequel, by Martin Gates Productions.

* EthnicMagician: The old women who take Gerda in and advise her on the last stage of her journey, essentially are. One is a Finn (probably some variant of Sami), the other is a Lapp (Sami), living even further north.

* AntagonistTitle: The Snow Queen whom the story is named after is an evil ice witch and the main antagonist.

* AmbiguouslyGay: The Robber Girl, who says she must have Gerda immediately after seeing her, and makes her sleep in her bed. Considering Andersen was bisexual, it's not too hard to imagine he consciously or subconsciously included sapphic subtext.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Rather, Gerda keeps losing her shoes throughout the story.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* BigBad: The Snow Queen.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* CosmicHorrorStory: The prologue.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* {{Determinator}}: Gerda.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Rather, Greda keeps losing her shoes throughout the story.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* EvilIsDeathlyCold

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* TheFairFolk: The Snow Queen.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* FriendToAllLivingThings: Gerda.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* GrimUpNorth: The Snow Queen's land is like this.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* TheHerosJourney: Gerda goes through a variation of one.

* SwissArmyTears: Gerda breaks the spell on Kai when her tears melt his frozen heart.
%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* TheVamp: The Snow Queen, which makes her one of the few (presumably) non-sexual vamps.

* SwissArmyTears: In the musical, making Kai cry with the memories of their childhood also gets the shards in his eyes out.

* HaveAGayOldTime: There are quite a few mentions of Gerda's muff... that is, her handwarmer. Including The Robber Girl mentioning wanting to 'put her hands in Gerda's muff'.

* PrayerIsALastResort: Gerda overcomes the last defense of the Snow Queen`s palace because of this. She has forgotten her warm gloves and her boots, she is literally down on her knees, and starts praying the Lord's Prayer. Her breath takes on the form of an angelic army, which defeats the winter monsters and breaches the way to Kai.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: The Robber Girl really, really wants to keep all the companions she's captured, out of some weird form of love - but when she finds out none of them want to be captive, she reluctantly lets them all go.

An evil troll, actually TheDevil himself, creates a magic mirror that magnifies all the bad and ugly aspects of whatever it reflects. He intends to carry the mirror into Heaven and make fools of the angels and God, but it slips from his grasp and falls down to earth, where it shatters into billions of pieces —- some no larger than a grain of sand. These splinters are caught onto the wind and occasionally lodge in the hearts or eyes of passers-by, causing them to see only the ugly in the world around them.

* HaveAGayOldTime: There are quite a few mentions of Gerda's muff... that is, her handwarmer.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snowqueen3.jpg]] [[caption-width-right:350:]]

"The Snow Queen" (Danish: "Snedronningen") is a 19th century FairyTale by author Creator/HansChristianAndersen which was first published in 1845.

* MistressAndServantBoy: The Snow Queen and Kai, to some extent. He is a young and naive boy (even after the mirror shards get into his heart and eye), and she is a beautiful, mysterious and aloof woman who likes keeping him around as a foster child of sorts. Some adaptations even add the romantic subtext to their relationship.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/efa4a0b1_39cb_432c_8670_3d31ec58d809.jpeg]] [[caption-width-right:350:]]

* AmbiguouslyEvil: Whether the Snow Queen can be called truly malevolent or not is up in the air, owing to the unclear nature of her relationship with Kai, her reasons for taking him with her and Kai's willingness being mysterious, and the fact that we never get to see her react to Gerda's attempts to get him back.

* AntagonistTitle: The Snow Queen whom the story is named after may not be evil, but she is still the antagonist.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snowqueen3.jpg]]

* AdaptationalVillainy: In the original fairy tale, the Snow Queen is simply a neutral entity who picks Kai (whose willingness is ambiguous) up when he gets stuck to her sled and while she likes having him around as a foster child of sorts, she gives him a way to free himself from her icy kingdom if he ever so wishes (although he has to accomplish an almost impossible task to do it). Though keep in mind, the fact that angels themselves have to save Gerda from her minions towards the end implies the Snow Queen may be some type of witch or demon. A lot of adaptations change her into a proper villain that kidnaps Kai and holds him hostage against his will in her castle where Gerda has to fight her somehow. Several [[AdaptedOut Adapt Out]] the devil in the prologue and have the Snow Queen create the evil mirror instead.

* DarkIsNotEvil: The Snow Queen herself is the antagonistic dark force but at the same time is far and apart one of the least overtly evil ones in fairy tales.

* AnimatedAdaptation: In addition to other animated adaptations, the Queen Nehellenia arc in the fifth season of ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' is based on "The Snow Queen".