Inquiry to my madness
Damsel to Heroine
Have you ever noticed how over the years Disney Princesses have changed over time with our culture? Well, I personally have and here I am going to explain why I think this.. From princess to princess as time goes on they all are different and seem to follow the expectations of the women of their time. . I have divided the different eras of princesses into categories by the way they are portrayed, just so happens they are all within the same time period. We will explore four different ages: The Damsels, The Rebels, The Warriors, and The New Age. Join me in my journey through the princess time line.
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Have you ever noticed that over the years that the Disney princesses have gone from Cinderella and Snow white, to princesses like Merida from Brave, or Rapunzel from Tangled? Why have they gone from prim and proper to acting like normal teenage girls? I think Disney has finally realized that girls will never be perfect like the traditional princesses and so they want to show girls that even princesses have their problems and flaws.
The first bracket of princesses I’m going to call the Damsels. They are the ones who get swept away off their feet by prince charming and whisked away to start their new life. These are the most controversial princesses because Walt Disney wanted to gear his work towards all ages, but in today’s society we see them as degrading today’s women since they are such damsels. There are a few more topics that have cause controversy about this section like: Why are the stepmother’s evil? Why do princes always come and save them? There are many opinions but these are just mine.At first Disney portrayed the average women at that time. For example, Snow White came out in February of 1938, women back then did not talk out of line and did do everything to please their husbands, which is why she is seen as never knowing how to do anything besides cook and clean. She may have been a princess, but she was still a normal girl.
At first Disney portrayed the average women at that time. For example, Snow White came out in February of 1938, women back then did not talk out of line and did do everything to please their husbands, which is why she is seen as never knowing how to do anything besides cook and clean. She may have been a princess, but she was still a normal girl. Snow white was trying to be killed by her evil queen witch step mother which seems to be a reoccurring theme in Disney, but then again so is being swept away by a handsome prince that may have never really done anything for them to be in love with. Snow white’s prince did nothing but sing, and kiss her. It could be she just wanted to be away from her wicked stepmother.
Next we have the beloved Cinderella. Her character is more of a dreamer and gusty for her time period in the 1950’s. She was created right after World War two right when women’s rights was starting to get a lot more attention. Now here’s a surprise her stepmother was the villain, who tried to ruin her life. In my personal opinion I think this was geared to make girls never want to stop dreaming and if they kept trying and wishing for it, it could come true. Why did she have to be verbally abused by her step family though? Also once again, she is still seen as only knowing how to clean and sew. Then she is rescued from her hard life by a prince who did nothing but dance with her. Thankfully these two at least spent a night together before saying they were “In love”.
The last Princess in the Damsel Category it none other than Princess Aurora, more commonly known as Sleeping Beauty. She was created in 1959 and I can honestly say has a very bland personality compared to Cinderella. She has a curse that she is going to prick her finger the needle of a spinning wheel. Now I guess in the 50’s no one really wanted to see a princess get really hurt, but I know I’ve pricked my fingers a million times. Back then women were still seen as fragile beings, just add royalty on top of it, then you have the most pure women that ever lived. Let’s not forget that the only one that could wake her up was her true love’s kiss, once again she had only met the man once and gave him her heart.
Damsels
Rebels
The next section of Princesses we are going to call the Rebels. These princesses are curios and don’t want to listen to the rules. They are stubborn and think they can do whatever they want. These princesses also caused a bit of controversy, but not really as bad.
The First one up is little Miss. Ariel who came out in 1989. This one just won’t take no for an answer because she believes in her heart. Ariel seemed like she was never out of trouble. She was always defying her father and his wishes, but if my parents didn’t let me be curios, I would be the same way. She by herself has caused a lot of mixed emotions about her choices. Some people say she taught girl that it’s okay to change for a man, I personally believe she teaches us that you have to look everywhere to find the right person for you, because they might not be right under your nose like they were for the Damsels.
Next in the brilliant Belle. She in many ways was like Ariel. Belle may not have been defiant towards her parents, but she was towards tradition. She came out in 1991, when women were still dealing with sexism. Belle was smart and loved to read, but something even better about this movie is that the guy who would be like a prince figure is the bad guy. Her true prince is a beast, and she sees past the fur, and the temper to fall in love with him. She teaches us that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Last but not least is Jasmine from Aladdin, released in 1992. She never wanted to be a princess, she just wanted to be free. She fell in love with a street rat nobody, but he knows he can’t have her unless he is a princess. So he makes himself appear as a prince. If anything this is teaching boys they have to change themselves to impress a girl, but that is not at all what its saying. Jasmine is a strong wiled women who hates all the traditions of her land and just wants to throw them out and be herself and do what she wants to rather then what she is told to do.
Warriors
Next up is the Warriors. These women do not hold back. They do what they want no matter their traditions. When I call them warriors, they deserve it. These are princesses who have made a difference in their kingdom and have changed them for the better.
Pocahontas is the first one who came out it 1995. She was very adventurous and loved everything about where she lived, but maybe not all the people or traditions. She was the princess of a tribe, so she wasn’t a royal princess, but still highly looked upon. Her story is actually a true one, it takes place when America was being settled and the English were coming to find gold. She fell in love with a man who was known to kill her people. She actually saved his life by stopping her father from killing him. From that day on her promoted peace among the two types of people, and her tribe followed, including her father. The Englishmen that were on the field ready for battle even listened. They all left, including the man she loved so she was the one who did not get her Happily Ever After.
Next is the Chinese warrior Mulan. In no way shape or form was Mulan a princess, she was the daughter of war hero, and married a general. Mulan in china was more valuable than any princess though, she saved china and everyone knew who she was and respected her. She stole her father’s armor, disguised herself as a man, and because a soldier in the Imperial army. There Mulan became one of the best new soldiers and defeated the Hun leader Shan U. Her general fell in love with her and together they loved Happily Ever After.
New Age
Last but not least we have the New Age princesses. These ladies are more like todays women, they are all strong but have flaws. They all know what they want and are not afraid of what anyone is going to say to them, or about them. They all have their own individual personality’s and are special in their own ways.
First we have the one and only African American Cajun Princess, Tiana that came out in 2009. All her life she worked and saved up to own her own restaurant. The whole movie she talks about how her hard work will one day pay off and she can make her dream come true. Tiana at first didn’t want anything to do this Prince Naveen, but he tricked kissing him. So at this point he seems like the bad guy because he accidently turns her into a frog. While frogs they fall in love. This time, they spend days and days together before they realized they loved each other and it wasn’t until their wedding day they turned back into humans. On that day Tiana got what she worked for her whole life, her restaurant. This shows us that we all have to work for anything.
Next is Rapunzel, who didn’t come out until 2010. She was a flower who never felt the grass. She had never been outside. But showed she is delicate but not too delicate. She made a wanted thief take her where she wanted to go. Obviously if she can do that she is not a totally incapable of taking care of herself. But she ends up falling in love with him, and he does end up saving her. She is more like the traditional princesses with a “mother” who isn’t really her mother, and her prince figure saves her.
Merida is the most unique princess of them all. She is the most strong willed, and when her mom doesn’t listen to her about not wanting to get married, Merida turns her into a bear. This story is one most different two, there is never a prince who comes and fix’s all her problems. She does it all on her own. Merida’s proves she as a princess is capable of taking care of herself, much like girls today.
Last on my timeline are the frozen sisters Elsa and Anna. For most of the movie Elsa is the queen but is also the cause of a travesty. It was up to Anna to fix it. By surprise the main villain in this whole story is actually the prince who Anna thought she was in love with and the man she falls in love with is an ice farmer. It’s a modern day reality, love at first sight is rare, but the earlier movies make it seem so common. Here we see that first glance is not the way to judge character.
My final statement
Every princess is different, but as you can see as we get to the more modern day princesses, they reflect our culture of today. Some people say it is all political, but I honestly do not believe that. What we see in Cinderella is how women were portrayed in the 50’s but now in the 2010’s we have girls like Merida that just want to be free, and don’t care what anyone thinks. Everyone, Open your eyes. Disney has never tried to make women seem any other way then they really are. It's all about the period they were released in. This period theory is one that I feel catagorizes everything the best. The princesses are based on their point in time, nothing more.
Sources
My only sources were the Disney Princess Movies:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty
The Little Mirmaid
Beauty and the Beast
Aladdin
Pocahontas
Mulan
The Princess and the Frog
Tangled
Brave
Frozen