Analysis Of Disney's 'Rapunzel'

1965 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Role of Women in Modern Society

Many of Disney’s original movies such as snow white, sleeping beauty, and Cinderella all present perfect examples of a strong issue that has been the controversy of the 21st century. These movies bring on an obvious trend that even small children could point out. The beautiful girl is stuck in some kind of sad imprisonment(either brought upon by herself or by others) and a handsome prince sweeps her off her feet and saves the day. Which, raises an important question as to why some women wait for their prince charming to come rescue them, instead of putting on their metaphorical belt and boots and clearing their own path to the future they desire. However the trend is not only seen in disney movies but also in our culture today. In which, many …show more content…

Or, with Wells’s interpretation, why so many young women wait. Within her article she states that Rapunzel is “Largely a tale of adolescence”(82). Which, is correct, in older versions of Rapunzel, the young girl is just becoming to know herself as a woman. She is at the age of change, wisdom, and discovery. However, Wells presents a dilemma: “How can Rapunzel, locked up in the tower, grow to know who she is? She will need the prince to her her with that”(82). Wells is explaining that, a young girl who has only ever known the presence of an older woman in her life, is beginning to adjust to new developments such as hormones. At that young age, Rapunzel is not dreaming of someone to come save her, but for a handsome young man to come meet her. For, in Ladybird’s version of Rapunzel, Rapunzel is not in a hurry to leave her tower: “For many months, the prince visited Rapunzel ever evening and they grew to love each other. After a while, the prince asked Rapunzel to marry him and replied, ‘I will gladly do so’. Then they talked to get of how Rapunzel could get out of the tower”(Smith, 433). Once the handsome man showed up, he started courting her instead of rescuing her from the tower. As I stated before, she wasn 't wishing for a rescuer, she was wishing for a suitor. He had visited her while she was trapped by an evil witch in a tower for months before they decided that they should escape. Rapunzel would …show more content…

Especially during the age when women desired a change in culture. “Men who felt their masculinity has been somehow diminished by women who no longer needed to be rescued: women could rescue themselves. Masculinity was therefor seen as a crisis”(428). Any attempt to give women any independence or strength would make men feel weaker in their minds. For, past culture always held reliance on the docile role of women to sit and wait for their husbands to come home to them and assist them. In which, this new adoption of change in culture is still controversial for men around the world. Which also plays into how much education a woman is allowed to receive. Wolfe states that “In places where femininity is coterminous with domesticity and deference to male authority, schooling for girls alone is unlikely to alter a women’s status”(279).Wolfe is explaining that in places where education is offered for women, no respect is offered. For, the culture is ruled by ample amount of men who feel the need for sp much authority that they would never allow for women to even come close to having any kind of

Show More
Related

  • The Princess Paradox Analysis

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    The woman society wants and idolizes cannot exist because it is impossible to remain true to oneself and one's personal goals completely, while still maintaining a relationship and the responsibilities of royalty. Society is not merely receiving this paradox, but perpetuating and encouraging it by turning a blind eye to something they do not want to see. This unrealistic, unattainable fantasy has become the goal of this modern feminist generation, and Poniewozik highlighted how this new tale has distracted from the true telling and story. Cinderella was simply a woman who just wanted to go to ball, and now she has become someone who is independent and driven, but still falls in love and learns to accept the fact that she is a princess. A woman who doesn't change who she is, but then changes titles and falls in love doesn’t exist, she is a

    Read More

  • Stereotypes In Andy Tennant's Ever After

    1686 Words  | 4 Pages

    Every fairytale seems to have the usual prince saving the poor girl from harm or servitude or whatever horrid situation she may be in, and then companies like Disney add their movie magic and make it into a franchise. Others may add a twist or two, such as the film Ever After, directed by Andy Tennant. Yet no matter how the story goes, there is the same feminine ideas imposed upon the female lead. She has to compete with others for the attention of her “prince,” gender roles are a must, and morals are taught in some way or another through some kind of stereotype. These tend to cause some feminist outrage and even maybe a small outrage among parents who must deal with the children that watch these movies and read the stories because of the behavioral

    Read More

  • Summary Of Susan B. Anthony

    2088 Words  | 5 Pages

    Today, women and men have equal rights, however, not long ago men believed women were lower than them. During the late eighteenth century, men expected women to stay at home and raise children. Women were given very few opportunities to expand their education past high school because colleges and universities would not accept females. This was a loss for women everywhere because it took away positions of power for them. It was even frowned upon if a woman showed interest in medicine or law because that was a man’s place, not a woman’s, just like it was a man’s duty to vote and not a woman’s.

    Read More

  • Rapunzel Vs The Root Of The Matter

    1188 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the original fairy tale “Rapunzel” it states, “She decided to do all that she could to protect the girl. Therefore, she used her magical powers to create a high silver tower in the middle of the forest, and this tower did not have a door through which one could enter and exit, but it did have a small window toward the top”( Schulz 485). And from the fairy tale “Root of The Matter” it states that, “We live on three floors at the top of the lighthouse; the rest is bricked up. For companionship now I have screening gulls and a wide plain of ocean that glistens day and night. Sometimes objects float by, far away. They never come close. Never. I’m the only means available for coming or going in this tower” (Frost 399). Both girls had long beautiful braided hair by which the mothers were able to climb up to see and take care of their daughters. Both the fairy and Mother Gothel ask rapunzel to let down her her hair whenever they needed to go up or down. In the original fairy tale “Rapunzel” it states, “When she stood at the bottom of the tower, she would always say, “Rapunzel, let your hair down so I can climb up” (Schulz 486). In the retelling “The Root of The Matter” it states, “Whenever she wants to go out, Mother Gothel touches me and says into my ear, “Rapunzel, let down your hair now” (Frost 399). This shows that the only one who

    Read More

  • Women's Suffrage in the 1800’s-19th Century

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    As mentioned above, women’s role were unjust to the roles and freedoms of the men, so an advanced education for women was a strongly debated subject at the beginning of the nineteenth century (McElligott 1). The thought of a higher chance of education for women was looked down upon, in the early decades of the nineteenth century (The American Pageant 327). It was established that a women’s role took part inside the household. “Training in needlecraft seemed more important than training in algebra” (327). Tending to a family and household chores brought out the opinion that education was not necessary for women (McElligott 1). Men were more physically and mentally intellectual than women so it was their duty to be the educated ones and the ones with the more important roles. Women were not allowed to go any further than grammar school in the early part of the 1800’s (Westward Expansion 1). If they wanted to further their education beyond grammar, it had to be done on their own time because women were said to be weak minded, academically challenged and could n...

    Read More

  • The Rights Of Women In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    In fact, Cinderella itself is a prime example on how women should not be suppressed of their own potential. The Cinderella story most known is the “Disney version.” This version is criticized greatly by feminists due to Cinderella’s lack of taking action. Peggy Orenstein wrote an article in the New York Times in 2006 commenting on princesses in today’s society. She speaks of how every little girl these days are expected to be enthralled with princesses. She notes how they cannot grow up wanting to be heroes or anything of that sort. This is similar to “The Yellow Wallpaper” because due to princess stories such as Cinderella, little girls are pushed so often to desire being princesses just like in the short story, wives must succumb to their husband’s authority and ‘superior’

    Read More

  • The Reality as Opposed to the Disney Versions of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty

    1563 Words  | 4 Pages

    Presently, many books and fairytales are converted movies and often, producers alters the original tales to grasp the attention of a large audience. However, some of these interpretations hide the primary interpretation. The original interpretations of the Disney classics Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are greatly reinvented from the original fairytales Sun, Moon, and Talia and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs because of the brutal nature of the treatment women in these original forms. Although there are differences in certain aspects from the original tales to the movies, there are many issues that are influential to the young girls who are still watching the Disney version. I realize this when my youngest niece, Anella asks me, “Why can’t I be beautiful and fall asleep and suddenly wake up to finally find my prince?” This is true in all cases of the four different translations of the fairytales. Every single girl in these stories are in a “beautiful” state of half-death who wake to find a prince who if eager to carry them off. This can lead to negative psychological effects on young girls as they are growing up, creating a large amount of pressure and low self-esteem due to the beauty that these stories portray and maintaining restrictions that these women experience in the stories. While it is true that Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves are considered Disney classics that entertain children and provide meaningful role models, it is evident that the true, vulgar nature of these tales are hidden; these stories are about women who are thrown away.

    Read More

  • Disney and Traditional Stereotypes

    1067 Words  | 3 Pages

    Despite the tremendous steps that have been taken towards reaching gender equality, mainstream media contradicts these accomplishments with stereotypes of women present in Walt Disney movies. These unrealistic stereotypes may be detrimental to children because they grow up with a distorted view of how men and women interact. Disney animated films assign gender roles to characters, and young children should not be exposed to inequality between genders because its effect on their view of what is right and wrong in society is harmful to their future. According to Disney films, it is important for women to achieve the stereotypical characteristics of a woman, such as maintaining their beauty to capture a man, and being weak and less educated than male characters. The women in Disney movies are always beautiful, which helps them to find a man.

    Read More

  • Sexism In Disney Movies

    1820 Words  | 4 Pages

    Disney movies have a very narrow view of what women should be like. Since the arrival of the first Disney movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, the idea of it has expanded, but rather marginally. There is a clear distinction of what a young women should be and what she shouldn’t be. Those who do not fit the mold of Disney’s expectations are cast aside to become villains, but those who do, end up becoming the damsel in distress. Ultimately, these stereotypes are what influences young girls who watch these films, and can have devastating effects on their self worth and change their idea of what it means to be a women. Films like Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,

    Read More

  • Allan Johnson The Gender Knot Analysis

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    “There is a double standard here that shapes our perceptions of men and women in ways that support patriarchy as a system. What is culturally valued is associated with masculinity and maleness and what is devalued is associated with femininity and femaleness, regardless of the reality of men’s and women’s lives”,( Johnson 64). In the movie Mona Lisa Smile, Betty’s mother was pressurizing Betty to make her husband read a poem at the wedding not just to act like he enjoyed the marriage but mainly because it was a tradition for men. When Betty said she didn’t care about it, her mother refused and still insisted that she should do it. Women are looked down upon when it comes to the assignment of gender roles and this is because of labels that the society has placed on the female gender. In a home, the father is always the head of the home, providing food and clothing for every family member but there are some women who like to be independent and would also love to work and make money and cater for the family. In the 19th century, women were told they were home makers and were not allowed to endeavor further in higher educational studies. Wellesley College was a college built to raise future wives and not future leaders meaning that society had already placed women below the ladder without any intention or thoughts of them climbing back

    Read More

  • The Difference Between Tangled and Rapunzel The Short Story

    1192 Words  | 3 Pages

    In many fairy tales, there is always a damsel in distress that is beautiful and the male character always falls in love with her. In Rapunzel the short story, Rapunzel is put into a tower and lives there most of her young life by her ‘mother’ before her prince comes to recuse her. The difference between Tangled and Rapunzel the short story is that, Rapunzel is the princess and her prince is actually a thief, which ends up falling in love with her. Tangled illustrates how a naïve and beautiful heroine, evil mother figure, and a shallow egotistical hero can make a fairy tale story end with love and marriage.

    Read More

  • Comparing Perrault's Cinderella with Disney's Cinderella

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ndency on the fairy godmother and the prince encourages a meek and inactive behaviour to achieve a rewarding future (Robbins, 104). Overall, Cinderella’s behaviour is “...weak, silent and passive...” (Trousdale & McMillan, 12) which is unacceptable for a modern western woman.

    Read More

  • Disney Argumentative Essay

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    Disney promotes sexisim by forcing young girls to live in a patriarchal world. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The little mermaid, Aladdin, and Snow White are all examples of popular Disney movies that encourage young viewers that they need a man to save the day. Yes, it’s true that there are recent movies such as Moana and Frozen that prove otherwise, but how long will it take to completely get over the fact that women are mainly viewed as secondary citizens compared to the men? There are countless examples of how Disney movies influence this theme, and how much the female characters’ actions, ideas and thoughts are not included in a Disney movie.

    Read More

  • Cinderella Character Analysis

    1002 Words  | 3 Pages

    Disney and old fairytales threaten gender politics and ideal women roles by giving certain stereotypes for domestic and personality traits. Fairytales that have turned into Disney productions have sculpted domestic roles for women that consist of cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. Disney has also created these princesses with personalities that are shy, passive, and vulnerable. The cause of these stereotypes are making individuals obliterate their own identities and becoming clones from the mold that was prepared for

    Read More

  • The Role of Women in Society

    374 Words  | 1 Pages

    Women have always been essential to society. Fifty to seventy years ago, a woman was no more than a house wife, caregiver, and at their husbands beck and call. Women had no personal opinion, no voice, and no freedom. They were suppressed by the sociable beliefs of man. A woman’s respectable place was always behind the masculine frame of a man. In the past a woman’s inferiority was not voluntary but instilled by elder women, and/or force. Many, would like to know why? Why was a woman such a threat to a man? Was it just about man’s ability to control, and overpower a woman, or was there a serious threat? Well, everyone has there own opinion about the cause of the past oppression of woman, it is currently still a popular argument today.

    Read More

More about Analysis Of Disney's 'Rapunzel'

Open Document