From Delicate Damsels to Strong Self-Starters

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Young girls from all over the world idolize the princesses created by Walt Disney. The Walt Disney Company (also known as Disney) is a mass media corporation founded by Walt Disney that is known for the creation of widely known and loved animated films, many of which include greatly admired princesses. The popularity of these princesses reached such a height that Disney created a franchise featuring various female heroines from several of Disney’s successful films. Society’s views on gender roles at different periods of time are reflected through each Disney Princess’s character and the time in which they were created.
The first three princesses Disney creates each represent society’s ideal “woman” at the time in which they are created. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, released in 1937, is a movie of many firsts. Not only is it the first full-length, animated feature film, it is the first Disney movie and its protagonist, Snow White, is the first princess to join the Disney Princess franchise. Snow White, an iconic character, is a kind and beautiful damsel who is victimized by an evil queen who is jealous of her beauty and youth as the queen is both older and uglier than she. Snow White dreams and wishes for a prince to rescue her from an inauspicious situation yet she never attempts to save herself. Society is expectant of this behavior because women are viewed as weak beings in 1937, having only just gained their right to vote. Cinderella from the movie, “Cinderella”, released in 1950, and Aurora from the movie, “Sleeping Beauty”, released in 1959, share many characteristics with Snow White. All three leading ladies’ “happily ever afters” require a dashing prince who is attracted to their beauty to make it happen. In response ...

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...e changing views of women’s roles in society. At first, the Disney Princesses are weak and powerless women, saved only by their beauty. Eventually, the new Disney Princesses are independent, and do not wait around to be saved. Now, the Disney Princesses are the heroes of their own stories and have illustrated that women are as capable as men. Without a doubt, the Disney Princesses will continue to evolve as they have for the past seventy six years. How? That is up to society.

Works Cited

"Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
Hugel, Melissa. "How Disney Princesses Went From Passive Damsels to Active Heroes." PolicyMic. N.p., 12 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Feb. 2014.
Salt, Limara. "The Evolution of Disney Princesses." Virgin Media. N.p., 14 Aug. 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
"Walt Disney Company." World Book. Vol. 21. Chicago, IL: World Book, 2009. 20-21. Print.

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