Stereotypes In Walt Disney Movies
A young princess is stolen from her parents by a vain old witch in the dead of night. The magical long haired princess, Rapunzel, is locked up in a tower only to be discovered by a thief on the run. Her world is flipped upside down, by finding out secrets, going on an adventure of a lifetime and falling in love. Walt Disney’s Tangled is a modern day take on the German fairy tale Rapunzel that revolves around a princess with long hair. Walt Disney films are a classic childhood staple for young boys and girls alike. They are exciting, colourful and will pull at your heart strings, yet serve valuable life lessons. Disney has made a tremendous impact on the lives of children by teaching them they can achieve anything they put their minds to, to
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be themselves, and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Yet as young impressionable girls, it is taught that you need a man to save you, you have to be white, blonde and skinny to be respected and don’t have any further defining traits other than your physical appearance. Although these lessons deem to be true, Disney has been taking steps towards embracing feminism and their portrayals of women.
Disney’s take on the German 19th century film, Rapunzel has a modern day feminist twist. Tangled is a prime example of the way in which the world is moving closer to the acceptance and understanding of feminism. An example within the film is that Rapunzel does not wait for a man to save her. Flynn Rider is a thief who was running away from those trying to capture him and ended up in the tower Rapunzel lives in. Once he entered the tower, Rapunzel had to convince him to take her along out into the world. Disney has created a girl who is adventurous, smart and curious which contrasts with previous Disney movies where the princess is only described by their physical appearances and expect a man to save them such as, Sleeping Beauty.
Tangled is also does a good job in equalizing men and woman and portraying that men do have a softer side.
Within the film, there is a scene that commemorates Rapunzel’s birthday and shows the King and Queen, whom are Rapunzel’s real parents, preparing to celebrate her birthday. Rapunzel’s father is seen crying as they celebrate their daughter’s birthday. In previous Disney movies, the mothers are usually the ones shedding tears and being consoled by their husbands, or by a male. Tangled uses an influential character as the King, to show children that men can have emotions and they are not any less of a man if they do. Another aspect of the movie that shows equality between men and woman is when Mother Gothel stabs Flynn and Rapunzel uses her tear to save Flynn’s life. This shows that men need saving too, and a woman has the ability and power to save the man if need …show more content…
be.
At the end of the movie, Flynn cuts off Rapunzel’s hair so Mother Gothel wouldn’t take her away. Rapunzel’s hair becomes a short brown pixie cut. This has a double connotation to it because Rapunzel’s long blonde hair had powers, yet when it doesn’t hold anymore power it becomes brown and short. This may give young girls the idea that in order to be powerful their hair needs to be long, and blonde. However, on the other hand, it is rare for a Disney princess to have short brown hair because for example, even though Mulan was a strong female lead she had long hair, and within The Little Mermaid a large part of the movie depended on her brushing out her long hair. The fact that Rapunzel has a short, brown pixie cut and she still lives happily even after can potentially give girls confidence that it doesn’t matter how your hair looks, you will be happy either way.
Tangled is a prime example of the positive progression that the world is going in regarding views on feminism.
Undoubtedly, the princess falls in love with an influential male, the transgressive woman meets her demise and the heroine lives happily ever after. The Binary Construction of Feminism is continually present within Disney movies even in todays modern era. Princess Rapunzel is views as the angel who is blond, looks innocent because of her youthful appearance, and gets the guy in the end of the film. The transgressive woman within Tangled is Mother Gothel, as she is portrayed an an evil old woman, dark haired, and shifts to dust and blown away. Although there are significant advances in Disney movies regarding female stereotypes and femininity, Disney is still stuck on the classic portrayals of
women.
Disney still has long ways to go before there is a clear view of femininity within their films, yet they are on a clear path to improving the way they perceive their princesses and ultimate view of woman.
be themselves, and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Yet as young impressionable girls, it is taught that you need a man to save you, you have to be white, blonde and skinny to be respected and don’t have any further defining traits other than your physical appearance. Although these lessons deem to be true, Disney has been taking steps towards embracing feminism and their portrayals of women.
Disney’s take on the German 19th century film, Rapunzel has a modern day feminist twist. Tangled is a prime example of the way in which the world is moving closer to the acceptance and understanding of feminism. An example within the film is that Rapunzel does not wait for a man to save her. Flynn Rider is a thief who was running away from those trying to capture him and ended up in the tower Rapunzel lives in. Once he entered the tower, Rapunzel had to convince him to take her along out into the world. Disney has created a girl who is adventurous, smart and curious which contrasts with previous Disney movies where the princess is only described by their physical appearances and expect a man to save them such as, Sleeping Beauty.
Tangled is also does a good job in equalizing men and woman and portraying that men do have a softer side.
Within the film, there is a scene that commemorates Rapunzel’s birthday and shows the King and Queen, whom are Rapunzel’s real parents, preparing to celebrate her birthday. Rapunzel’s father is seen crying as they celebrate their daughter’s birthday. In previous Disney movies, the mothers are usually the ones shedding tears and being consoled by their husbands, or by a male. Tangled uses an influential character as the King, to show children that men can have emotions and they are not any less of a man if they do. Another aspect of the movie that shows equality between men and woman is when Mother Gothel stabs Flynn and Rapunzel uses her tear to save Flynn’s life. This shows that men need saving too, and a woman has the ability and power to save the man if need …show more content…
be.
At the end of the movie, Flynn cuts off Rapunzel’s hair so Mother Gothel wouldn’t take her away. Rapunzel’s hair becomes a short brown pixie cut. This has a double connotation to it because Rapunzel’s long blonde hair had powers, yet when it doesn’t hold anymore power it becomes brown and short. This may give young girls the idea that in order to be powerful their hair needs to be long, and blonde. However, on the other hand, it is rare for a Disney princess to have short brown hair because for example, even though Mulan was a strong female lead she had long hair, and within The Little Mermaid a large part of the movie depended on her brushing out her long hair. The fact that Rapunzel has a short, brown pixie cut and she still lives happily even after can potentially give girls confidence that it doesn’t matter how your hair looks, you will be happy either way.
Tangled is a prime example of the positive progression that the world is going in regarding views on feminism.
Undoubtedly, the princess falls in love with an influential male, the transgressive woman meets her demise and the heroine lives happily ever after. The Binary Construction of Feminism is continually present within Disney movies even in todays modern era. Princess Rapunzel is views as the angel who is blond, looks innocent because of her youthful appearance, and gets the guy in the end of the film. The transgressive woman within Tangled is Mother Gothel, as she is portrayed an an evil old woman, dark haired, and shifts to dust and blown away. Although there are significant advances in Disney movies regarding female stereotypes and femininity, Disney is still stuck on the classic portrayals of
women.
Disney still has long ways to go before there is a clear view of femininity within their films, yet they are on a clear path to improving the way they perceive their princesses and ultimate view of woman.