Aladdin and Women in Islam
Writing 2
March 5, 2013
Aladdin and Women in Islam
Christiane Staninger may not be as opposed to the idea that Jasmine’s character in Aladdin is similar to the Islamic woman’s real life as other critics are. Critics voiced that Disney produced a film that supported the stereotypical views of the Middle East. Western culture believes that women in Saudi Arabia are mistreated by their husbands and seen as inferior. The focus of this article (Disney’s Magic Carpet Ride: Aladdin and the Women in Islam by Christiane Staninger) is on the misinterpretations we as Americans may have about Middle Eastern women using views of professional critics and a group of eighth grade girls with Jasmine from Aladdin as the prime example. Christiane Staninger states “I centered my analysis on the nature and implications of the co-protagonist, Princess Jasmine, the Valley Girl in veils.”(1) Staninger touches upon a few different questions. “Why has this character been so appealing to American teenagers for a decade?”(Staninger 65) The second topic is “Jasmine’s representation as a prototypical Middle Eastern woman and her reception by non-Middle Eastern audiences” (Staninger 66). The third topic is the educated truth about life as an Islamic woman. Why is it that we have souvenirs and memorabilia of the princess’s in the Disney movies? “She was created to embody the strong, independent young woman, the new ideal of young girls.” (Staninger 66) The Disney movie portrays a much different character than the original written version we’ve read about. The princess had been an inferior object of denial that Disney transformed into the beautiful, strong, courageous young woman, and renamed her Jasmine. The Disney version of the princess is drawn with huge beautiful eyes, voluptuous hair, a thin, attractive figure wearing a skimpy halter top. “She is very different from the rest; a lot more feisty than Belle, and not as naïve as Ariel.”(Henn 67) This is believed to be why Disney’s Aladdin
March 5, 2013
Aladdin and Women in Islam
Christiane Staninger may not be as opposed to the idea that Jasmine’s character in Aladdin is similar to the Islamic woman’s real life as other critics are. Critics voiced that Disney produced a film that supported the stereotypical views of the Middle East. Western culture believes that women in Saudi Arabia are mistreated by their husbands and seen as inferior. The focus of this article (Disney’s Magic Carpet Ride: Aladdin and the Women in Islam by Christiane Staninger) is on the misinterpretations we as Americans may have about Middle Eastern women using views of professional critics and a group of eighth grade girls with Jasmine from Aladdin as the prime example. Christiane Staninger states “I centered my analysis on the nature and implications of the co-protagonist, Princess Jasmine, the Valley Girl in veils.”(1) Staninger touches upon a few different questions. “Why has this character been so appealing to American teenagers for a decade?”(Staninger 65) The second topic is “Jasmine’s representation as a prototypical Middle Eastern woman and her reception by non-Middle Eastern audiences” (Staninger 66). The third topic is the educated truth about life as an Islamic woman. Why is it that we have souvenirs and memorabilia of the princess’s in the Disney movies? “She was created to embody the strong, independent young woman, the new ideal of young girls.” (Staninger 66) The Disney movie portrays a much different character than the original written version we’ve read about. The princess had been an inferior object of denial that Disney transformed into the beautiful, strong, courageous young woman, and renamed her Jasmine. The Disney version of the princess is drawn with huge beautiful eyes, voluptuous hair, a thin, attractive figure wearing a skimpy halter top. “She is very different from the rest; a lot more feisty than Belle, and not as naïve as Ariel.”(Henn 67) This is believed to be why Disney’s Aladdin