An Analysis Of Disney's Cinderella Villain

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There is no shortage of adjectives to describe a villain: ruthless, sinister, immoral, or perhaps wicked. Yet on more than one occasion they are also ambitious, powerful, intelligent, and determined. Despite their dishonorable reputations, Disney female villains often possess more traits of a strong, independent woman of today’s times than the heroines of the classic Disney fairytale. In comparison, the beautiful princess can be much less of a role model for young girls than the despised villain, a notion that seems absurd, but upon closer examination of these rival characters in many of Disney’s animated films, is closer to the truth than one might think. However, due to the unattractive physical portrayals that often define the female villain, it is easy to be blind to this notion. So, what is the …show more content…

Are they simply the antagonist of the story, the evil figures that stand between the iconic Disney princesses and her happily ever after? Or, are they something more? Disney’s Cinderella in 1957 showcases Cinderella as the kind princess-to-be protagonist and the evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine, as the villainous antagonist. Lady Tremaine is easy to despise because she is the kind of villain that not only exists in the Disney universe, but in the real world as well. Her spiteful treatment and selfish manipulation of Cinderella immediately identifies Lady Tremaine as a villain. Even so, Lady Tremaine displays attributes that are more admirable and role model worthy than the traits possessed by

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