Shrek 2

I received the movie Shrek 2 from my 12-year-old neighbor last Christmas. Never did I think that this film could tie into one of my college classes. I popped in the movie for the first time a couple weeks ago, and the film proved to be a smorgasbord of fairytales surrounding a classically structured fairytale story. Just for kicks, I’ll apply Vladimir Propp’s structuralism to this cartoon story:

1. Ogres Shrek and Fiona leave their home after their honeymoon to the kingdom of Far Far Away to meet Fiona’s parents.

2. Shrek doesn’t feel comfortable with going and to his dismay is disapproved of by the King.

3. The evil Fairy Godmother wants to break them up so her son, Prince Charming, will marry Fiona.1. Ogres Shrek and Fiona leave their home after their honeymoon to the kingdom of Far Far Away to meet Fiona’s parents.

2. Shrek doesn’t feel comfortable with going and to his dismay is disapproved of by the King.

4. The evil Fairy Godmother threatens the king to help her get rid of Shrek.

5. The King and the Fairy Godmother hires an assassin (Puss in Boots) to get rid of Shrek, but Puss in Boots does not kill him.

6. The Fairy Godmother allows Shrek to drink the “Happily Ever After” potion.

7. Shrek drinks the potion, and turns himself and Fiona into a human.

8. Fiona thinks Charming is Shrek.

9. Shrek realizes Fiona has been tricked by Charming and gives up – he thinks she’ll be happier with him.

10. Shrek then decides to counter-act, kiss Fiona by midnight and reveal the Fairy Godmother’s evildoing.

11. Shrek is chained up by the Fairy Godmother.

12. Shrek’s magical friends help him escape.

13. The magic friends help him break into the castle.

14. The Fairy Godmother and Shrek battle.

15. The evil Fairy Godmother is defeated, and the King blocks her evil spell.

16. At midnight, Shrek and Fiona return back into their Ogre selves.

17. The King is revealed as a hero and turns back into the Frog Prince.

18. Everyone parties. Shrek and Fiona marry.

The film stuffs many classic fairytales into the story: Puss in Boots is the assassin (still possessing his wit and cunning from the original fairytale) who uses an adorable doe-eyed look to lure his victims in. Shrek’s forest friends include Pinocchio, the gingerbread man, the three little pigs, and the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood. Princess Fiona’s father is the Frog Prince.

Although Dreamworks has flipped some of the usual fairytale characteristics on their heads (the main characters are good and want to be ogres, the Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming are evil, the wolf is good, etc.), the movie delivers an ordinary fairytale with a happy ending.

I would, however, suggest watching it, because the references to fairytales and characters from tales that we’ve read are interesting to watch and Puss in Boots is quite adorable.