How Disney Princesses Went From Passive Damsels to Active...

When we think of Disney princesses, we think of beauty and song. We also have the vivid vision of true love’s kiss and a castle in the clouds. Disney has received major criticism because some feel as though the model for Disney princesses perpetuates a weak female image. â€Å"In these animated worlds, good women are domesticators and resources; bad women are evil, greedy, individual perversions of natural orders; men ultimately hold procreative and productive dominion as civilizing forces in these worlds† (Bell, Haas, and Sells 11). It seems as though the Disney creators have heard the critics and have striven to change it. The most recent Disney movies celebrate a new Disney princess model, one that is much more independent and self-assured†¦show more content†¦Finally, Disney seems to perpetuate the idea that a woman should use her sexuality to achieve her goals. These ideals are deeply detrimental to the development of a strong identity in young girls who look up to these princesses as role models. In recent movies Disney has endeavored to change this theme and with the release of their most recent hits it seems as though they may be becoming successful. The first theme that Disney projects, especially in their early movies, is the idea that a good girl will get the man. The definition of the good girl usually encompasses a woman who is good at keeping house as well as one whose dream is to become a wife. This good girl type is a passive participant in her story and relies heavily on a male to rescue her. Disney’s first picture was the embodiment of this idea. Snow White was a young girl who basically has no control in her story. She is the daughter of an absent father and a murderous step-mother. Immediately in the movie we see the direction that this movie is going in as Snow White sings, â€Å"I am wishing for the one I love to find me†. When the queen orders her murder, Snow White relies on the goodness of her would be murderer to let her escape. When she arrives in at the home of the seven dwarves, Snow White begins to cook and clean. One can argue that this is her only skill and therefore is the only way she can earn her keep. However, this does seem to send the message thatShow MoreRelatedEssay on From Delicate Damsels to Strong Self-Starters978 Words   |  4 PagesYoung 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 t he 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