Introduction: Cultural Representations of Dwarfism

The dominant discourse of dwarfism is centred on entertainment. Shakespeare, Thompson, and Wright point out that dwarfs are very prominent within popular culture, including mass media, and suggest that there is a cultural fascination with them (20). Cultural representations of dwarfism are abundant in literature, television programmes, and films. Dwarfism has a “unique and ambiguous history with roots in mythology, the commodification of anomalous bodies through enfreakment, and the pathologising of bodily differences” (Kruse 496). From ancient Egyptian times to the present day, people with dwarfism have been well-known figures and have been sought after as entertainers and as curiosities due to their bodily appearance (Backstrom 686). It can be argued that no other impairment’s identity has been shaped more by cultural representations than has dwarfism.

Characters with dwarfism are popular within literature, including fantasy, children’s fairy tales, and science fiction novels. There is also a strong connection between dwarfism and the mythical that blurs the boundary between fiction and disability. Dwarfs are prominent in films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Austin Powers (1999, 2002), Time Bandits (1981), and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1971, 2005), where their dwarfism is their main feature and is played upon as comedy or fantasy. Haberer suggests that dwarfs are used in movies mostly for novelty purposes linked to their stature (10). A person with dwarfism is rarely represented as an ordinary human being, but rather a mischievous being—happy to be ridiculed and laughed at rather than with. In mythology, again dwarfs play a prominent role along with elves, leprechauns, imps, dragons, and unicorns. In addition, a strong connection between dwarfism and the mythical blurs the boundary between fiction and disability. Indeed, the linguistic representation of mythological “dwarves” and dwarfs often blurs the boundaries between fiction and reality. This also makes our choice of terminology important to consider.

There are several terms used to refer to people with dwarfism, including but not limited to dwarf, person with dwarfism, little person, person of short stature, and person of restricted growth. In this special issue, the authors adopt their own terms, dependent on where in the world they are located. Although often contested by some people with dwarfism, dwarf seems to be the most popular and accepted term both medically and socially. The term dwarfism is sometimes deemed problematic due to its connection to mythological dwarves. Similarly, the term little person can be used to refer to a leprechaun or a child (Adelson). While there is no agreed-upon term, most people with dwarfism do agree that the one term that is strictly prohibited is midget. The term originated and was popularized within the Victorian freak shows. The choice of terminology demonstrates the influential effect of cultural representations.

Cultural representations of people with dwarfism have shaped, and continue to shape, how people with dwarfism are perceived within society. This makes how they are represented within culture, including literature, important to consider. Most people have grown up with stories and films featuring characters with dwarfism, but have had limited or no interaction with a person with dwarfism in society, and one of the “main obstacles of disabled people’s emancipation is the stereotypical portrayal of disabled people in popular culture” (Barnes 1). Considering how people with dwarfism are represented in literature and culture helps to unpack the way they are conceived and perceived by non-disabled people. The non-disabled person creates the characters and subsequently decides how the audience should perceive a person with dwarfism. However, Adelson points out that there is a changing representation of dwarfism emerging, which is powered by actors with dwarfism. For example, the actor Peter Dinklage, probably most famous for playing Tyrion Lannister in the internationally acclaimed Game of Thrones, refuses to play stereotypical roles associated with dwarfism, such as elves and leprechauns.

Dwarfism is scarcely included in conversations about disability, even within academia. The Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies has provided a wealth of knowledge regarding different representations of disability, an extensive list that cannot all be included here. However, up...