The Movie Shrek

1208 Words3 Pages

The Movie Shrek

Shrek is a spoof of traditional fairytales. It uses stereotypical

features, structures and characters. These features are challenged

throughout the film by special effects, reversal of stereotypes,

intertexuality, twist of plots and through comedy. In order to explore

this in depth all aspects will be considered, like setting, structure,

characters, stereotyping and humour.

Shrekis about an ogre who in order to keep his swamp he has to rescue

a princess from a castle, for Lord Forquaad, the ruler of the land.

Shrek accompanied by his new friend Donkey rescue princess Fiona, and

are on track to take her to Lord Forquaad, but princess Fiona and

Shrek fall in love. Fiona still however agrees to marry Lord Forquaad.

Fiona at night however, turns into an ogre because a witch put a spell

on her, and until she has true loves first kiss she will become an

ogre at night for the rest of her life, but when the spell is released

she will be beautiful. No one knows about this, apart from Donkey who

found out accidentally. Shrek then saves the day, by interrupting Lord

Forquaad and Fiona's wedding ceremony and telling Fiona his true

feelings. These two kiss which releases the spell on Fiona and she

turns into a beauty… which happened to be an ogre! Then Fiona admits

that she is an ogre and explain the story to Shrek. Shrek and her then

live happily ever after.

In the first rescue scene it is fairly conventional. For example it is

set in a castle, there is a dragon living there and princess Fiona is

awaiting her rescuer. Many of these features are contained in Snow

White and other fairytales. The dragon is the protector and...

... middle of paper ...

...ot very stereotypical.

Then as we all think Princess Fiona will be captured, she starts to

fight the men. This part of the scene uses intertexuality to be funny,

where she parodies a scene out of The Matrix and also is humorous to

us because it is not stereotypical. She then beats all of the men in

her fight and walks off! The use of voices and words that especially

Donkey uses throughout the film are humorous, in the way that we would

not expect that from a fairytale.

Shrekuses all the conventions that I have mentioned in this essay to

challenge traditional fairytales. Through reversal of stereotypes,

intertexuality and twist of plots. The main reason why I think Shrek

challenged conventional fairy tales well is that it was humorous, as

no fairytales are funny, which made shrek different, in a league of

its own.

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