As Cameron Diaz labels it, there is definitely a “new breed of princess” in the world today. In a Cameron Diaz Shrek 3 ad regarding the new and improved style of Princess Fiona in the Shrek series, Diaz explains how once princesses were thought to be prim and proper but now they have become independent, capable, and strong women (of course, as she says). “It’s not all crowns and gowns anymore,” says Diaz. In an interview with the actresses who provided the voices of the princesses in Shrek 3, the actresses state that the message of the fearless, fighting, no-longer-damsels-in-distress princesses is one of empowerment. Girls should come away from the film with the confidence that they don’t need to wait around to be rescued-they can do it for themselves.
In an age and society in which gender is not considered an issue that should be debilitating, it makes sense to afford female characters traditionally understood to be passive and in need of rescue a very different role in the twisted Dreamworks version of a fairytale. I’m sure many people were very happy to see girls dressed up as Princess Fiona at Halloween instead of Cinderella or Belle. It is interesting to consider the extent of the development of the fairytale’s involvement in modern culture and society. Some people are so concerned with bestowing the true ideas on life and reality on the youth, while others try to keep the harsh realities of the world at bay for their children as long as possible. I think it is definitely a positive influence on young audiences to have a strong heroine who actually takes care of herself. At the same time, I don’t think that means we need to throw all the other princesses and female characters out the window.
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While I agree that the Shrek series presents Princess Fiona as a more active princess, the series really doesn't deviate from the traditional "damsel in distress" concept. Yes, Fiona doesn’t just sit there and allow things to happen to her. She actively helps Shrek rescue herself, tries to avoid Prince Charming and his mother, the Fairy Godmother, and leads the other princesses in rescuing themselves. But Fiona is never the impetus; she never sets events in motion. She is forever responding to the actions of others. Shrek actually has to get her out of the castle, Shrek has to get rid of Prince Charming, and Shrek goes off to find Arthur so he doesn’t have to be king. I think DreamWorks was just trying to challenge the traditional Disney stories by offering something new. Fiona provided a more realistic character for tomboys and older girls. Fiona is active, sassy, and decides she doesn’t have to be pretty. These characteristics appeal to girls who are no longer comfortable with the string of Disney princesses they may have loved as little girls.
ReplyDeleteWhile not all of us liked Propp, I believe DreamWorks faced limits on what they could do with Fiona because of the elements and characters that Propp articulated. A fairy tale generally has the basic elements and the basic characters. If DreamWorks had gone too far off of the Proppian structuring, audiences would have had a hard time recognizing the Shrek series as a fairy tale.
This raises two big questions:
ReplyDelete1) How far can we stretch the elements of a fairy tale before it no longer resembles a fairy tale?
2) Are you suggesting that the Propp system is gender biased? Must the agent of resolution in a folk or fairy tale be male?