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Fairy tales and gender
Representation of transgender people in media
Fairy tales and gender
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Heteronormativity is prevalent in both, fairytales and Arthurian literature. The idea or belief that people fall into distinct and complementary genders (man and woman) with “natural” roles in life can be hurtful to people who identify with both, the opposite, or neither gender. Shrek the Third reveals two characters that do not fit into the gender binary including Doris, who is introduced as Cinderella’s ugly step-sister, is a transgender sporting make- up similar to that of a drag-queen with a deep male voice. And second, the Big Bad Wolf, dressed in grandma’s clothing and reading a book when encountered by Prince Charming. These characters’ roles can be explained as a transgender agenda with an effort to deconstruct the heteronormativity
Presentational Devices of Shrek and Reversal of Traditional Roles In this essay, I am going to analyse the characters in 'Shrek'. I will mainly focus on Shrek and Lord Farquuad. I will also write about how the film makers use different presentational devices to create an unusual film. Stereotypically the prince is good and the ogre is evil. In traditional fairy tales ogres are pictured as man-eating beasts, while the Princes are tall, handsome and save the Princess.
Fantasy literature is often used as a template for authors to showcase their personal views on things like sexuality and race. When it comes to homosexuality in fantastic literature, it has always been present. In early works, however, homosexuality was often masked with innuendos. The texts Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Huntress by Malinda Lo (2011) are two prime examples of fantasy, both past and present, that use homosexuality as a way to further their plot line. It is appropriate to compare these two stories, because they follow a somewhat similar storyline that uses homosexuality/ homoeroticism to enhance the story itself, albeit they each do it in a vastly different manner. These differing presentations help to showcase how the representation of homosexuality in fantastic literature has changed over time as well as how male versus female same sex relationships are presented in fantastic literature.
Before we begin to answer who was more sympathetically depicted in the story or whether it seemed to be at all important to the plot or overall meaning, let’s take a look at the gender relations within the story. Specifically, the depiction of women within the story.
Disney princesses are fun for all ages, but their target audience is young children and “as children grow and develop, they can be easily influenced by what they see and hear”. Therefore, what they see and hear in Disney movies leaves an impression on them. The first princess, Snow White, was created in a time where each gender and race had a specific role in society. Recently, many believe that Disney has come a long way in regards to gender and race since Snow White, as several multi-cultural protagonists have been introduced subsequently, and gender roles do not appear to be as stereotypical as they once were. However, many of the apparent innocent messages about race and gender in these movies, can be exposed as otherwise. Despite their mask of progression, Disney princesses still have the potential to corrupt the minds of young children through sexism and racism.
Shrek, an enormous, disgusting green ogre falling in love with a beautiful princess (later turning into a nasty ogre) is a perfect example of a stereotypical fairytale, right? Well in the movie Shrek, the voice over in the trailer talks about a “hero” attempting to rescue a “fair princess” with the help of “his trusty companion." Besides the fact that the hero is a voluptuous green ogre and the companion is a donkey, everything fits in normally to the definition of a traditional fairytale (Diaz). Also according to Mary Kunimitsu, in fantasy films “There may be characters with magical or supernatural abilities such as witches, wizards, superheroes, mythical creatures, talking animals, and ghosts” (Kunimitsu). In Shrek, there are many of these different characters. Therefore, by explanation, a traditional fairytale with the beautiful princess getting saved by the prince and falling in love is exactly what happens in the movie Shrek, just with a twist. The voice over in the trailer for Shrek states it perfectly as he says “Shrek is a highly irreverent take on the classic fairytale” (Adamson). As an untraditional fairytale, and a parody, the movie Shrek poses the breaking of stereotypes of gender and film fairytales all the while keeping the criteria of a fairytale.
The Subordinate Position of Women in Shrek 2 Media representations tend to highlight the binary opposition which often depicts female as negative inferior and male as positive superior in the hierarchically arranged modern society (Shaughnessy, Stadler. 2002). By repetition, the media can naturalize the subordinate representation of women that no other interpretation is possible, thus leading to the legitimization of masculinity and denigration of femininity (Rayner, Wall & Kruger. P83). Male, or even female, unconsciously accept this subordinate femininity as both natural and inevitable and in some way correct. The film – Shrek 2 – although attempted to challenge the tradition stereotype of female in a male hegemonic society, its success was limited. The film actually helped reproducing and legitimizing the dominant position of men and the subordinate position of women.
The animated film Shrek is a Dreamworks fairy tale that teaches us to look beyond what we expect to see, by completely subverting the traditional fairy tale concepts of gender, appearance and beauty. The characters in Shrek are vastly different from what we would expect to see in their appearance and behaviour. With unexpected plot twists, the directors of Shrek create important messages and morals that would not usually be conveyed, using techniques such as humour. The techniques have been placed strategically to result in an entertaining and educational film.
Arthur and Guinevere now know everything Merlin had done (or attempted to do) for them during the years he hid his magic. It was a gradual, seemingly endless process, because just when Merlin thought he had remembered everything, he would remember something else.
England, D. E., Descartes, L., & Collier-meek, M. (2011). Proquest. “Gender role portrayal and the disney princesses”. Sex Roles, 64(7-8), 555-567.
Fairy Tales have been around for generations and generations. Our parents have told us these stories and we will eventually pass them down to ours. In this time of age the most common fairytales are Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and The Beast and many more. Children idolize their favorite character and pretend to be them by mimicking everything they do in the stories. The character’s behavior is what is viewed as appropriate in society. These fairy tales show a girl and a boy fall in love and live “happily ever after”. The tales in many people’s eyes resemble a dream life that they would want to have of their own. However, have you ever really looked at what makes up a fairy tale? Many things are unrealistic but the most unflattering aspect of these tales is how women are depicted in them. Fairy tales give an unrealistic view to how women should look and behave in real life.
The folk tale of “Little Red Riding Hood” has numerous variations and interpretations depending on what recorded version is being read or analyzed. “Little Red Cap,” by the Grimm Brothers, and “The Grandmother,” as collected by Achille Millien, are different in numerous ways: the depth of the narrative structure, characters involved, length – yet, the moral lesson is largely unchanged between the two versions. One of the more glaring differences between the two versions is the way that the narrator and the actions of the characters are used to describe the young girl, female, and the wolf, male. Being either female or male are matters of biological makeup. The characteristics of femininity and masculinity that are associated with being female or male, however, are socially and culturally defined. How do these different descriptions inform gender construction, and more specifically, how do gender constructions help to naturalize stereotypes within the collective conscience of society?
In a society unbridled with double standards and set views about women, one may wonder the origins of such beliefs. It might come as a surprise that these ideals and standards are embedded and have been for centuries in the beloved fairy tales we enjoyed reading as kids. In her analytical essay, “To Spin a Yarn: The Female Voice in Folklore and Fairy Tales”, Karen Rowe argues that fairy tales present “cultural norms which exalt passivity, dependency, and self-sacrifice as a female’s cardinal virtues.” Rowe presents an excellent point, which can be supported by versions of the cult classics, “Cinderella” and “Snow White”. Charles Perrault’s “ The Little Glass Slipper” and the Brothers Grimm’s “ Snow White” exemplify the beliefs that females are supposed to be docile, dependent on the male persona and willing to sacrifice themselves. In many cases, when strong female characters are presented they are always contradicting in these characteristics, thus labeled as villainous. Such is the case of the Cinderella’s stepsisters in Perrault’s “Cinderella” and the stepmother in the Brothers Grimm’s “Snow White.” These female characters face judgment and disapproval when they commit the same acts as male characters. With such messages rooted in our beloved fairy tales it is no wonder that society is rampant with these ideals about women and disapprove of women when they try to break free of this mold.
Great Expectations shares many of the conventions of fairy tales. The one dimensional characters, the use of repetition, and the evil women seem to make the similarities strikingly strong. However, are they strong enough to conclude that it is indeed a fairy tale? It can not be ignored that it also falls short on some important areas, such as the traditional fairy tale ending. Is there enough evidence to classify it either way?
Throughout the centuries, writing an epic is considered as the major qualification of being master poet for the European writers and many writers attempt to give an example in this genre along their life time. Unfortunately, big portion of such writers fail and burry in the dusty shelves of the literature whereas some other writers’ life time could not be long enough to complete “such divine duty that puts on the poets’ shoulders. (Sydney 47).Especially, when we look through the English literature, till the first existence of the national epic works, English writers feel the lack of epic writer figure such as Homer of Greeks, or Virgil of Latins in their literature and this obligates them to focus on writing in epic genre and this need causes them to complain about this absence more frequently. For instance, Edmund Spenser claims in one of his pastoral, The Shepheardes Calender, as if a poet wants to be master in poetry, s/he has to abandon writing the basic forms of poetry such as pastoral and has to write an epic then his/her name will be written in the sky. Spenser deeply believed that it was necessary to construct an English, Christian Epic. The reason for this can be found within Sir Philip, An Apologie for Poetrie. It is Sydney’s desire to prove that the art of poetry is not a waste of time to Elizabethan society. By legitimizing poetry as a true art form, he is also validating the English language’s need for a great national epic. On the other hand, Spenser, himself achieves to fulfil such a call with one of the best examples of epic poetry, through his incomplete masterpiece, The Faerie Queene, to the English literature. Unfortunately his life could not let him to finish the whole work as his intents, he is able to write o...
Disney and old fairytales threaten gender politics and ideal women roles by giving certain stereotypes for domestic and personality traits. Fairytales that have turned into Disney productions have sculpted domestic roles for women that consist of cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. Disney has also created these princesses with personalities that are shy, passive, and vulnerable. The cause of these stereotypes are making individuals obliterate their own identities and becoming clones from the mold that was prepared for