Shes good, yes, but she doesnt fight for good. Kristen Haddox, Penn State University4. A man (or animal, if you will), kidnaps a girl and holds her prisoner. 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All she knows in this moment is that shes suddenly a princess, torn away from the life shes always known, destined to marry a man she believes shes never met. Once the young woman has lived with her captor long enough and is immersed in her surroundings, she falls in love with him as almost a survival instinct. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! "Belle actively argues and disagrees with [Beast] constantly," Watson explained. Frozen is one of Disney's most successful movies, and it has spawned several short films and a sequel. Matthew has a major passion for movies and television, enjoying a variety of genres from animation and horror to fantasy and thrillers. Sleeping Beauty hammers home the message that Aurora is the perfect woman, but she only has 18 lines of dialogue, which doesn't bode well for that message. Rapunzel is pretty naive, I'll be honest. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Tangled brought the Disney Princess movie into the current age, mashing classic fantasy style with a distinctly Pixar sense of humor and pacing and a 3D look, of course. Shouldnt those around us love us for us rather than the clothes we are wearing? She doesn't really do anything other than meet a guy in the woods (this is a common theme for Disney) and then falls asleep to later be awoken by him. She allows everything to happen to her, even before Maleficent puts her in a trance. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society2. She is also willing to run off into the desolate countryside in search of her sister even after Elsa makes it clear that she wants to be left alone. WebAurora is, undoubtedly, the worst Disney character to ever exist. Okay, Cinderella might be too young to understand that but the Fairy Godmother isn't. However, that one pet peeve still sits very heavily upon my heart. Her neighbors think her father is at best strange and at worst crazy, but Belle gives him unconditional love and loyalty. She clearly fears the Beast when they first meet. WebNot the worst Disney Princess relationship Aurora and Prince Philip, Sleeping Beauty 1959 : Sleeping Beauty does get a lot of flak. But looking back on it, she's all of 16 years old and thinks she knows everything. Every other character in the movie has one motive or another to either protect her or destroy her, and they all fight fiercely to meet their ends. 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She was insulted at the thought of being a man's prize and was willing to run away to avoid a life of loveless marriage, which is something fans appreciate about her. How could she possibly be this independent on her own accord? As far as sucky childhoods go, Princess Aurora of "Sleeping Beauty" could say "Mirror, mirror on the wall, whose upbringing was worst of all? Many grew up watching Disney fairytales and waiting for the famous happy ending at the end, but not all Disney Princesses. She also plays the role of something worth fighting for. Elsa's relationship with Anna suffered because Elsa refused to take her little sister into confidence regarding her ice powers. Since Ariel has been led to believe that her voice is her most appealing characteristic, she's more than willing to sacrifice it to have the chance to have legs and woo him with her blissful silence. Tears fall from my face the same way petals fall from wilted flowers. So, I give her major props for asserting herself. Haven't done anything all day Time to start cramming. The archetypal roles in these early Disney Princess films are that of the Princess, the Evil Guardian, the Fairy God Mother and the Foils. It is part of a deal which says if Eric doesn't kiss her, her soul will forever belong to Ursula. Why does heartbreak automatically ruin a woman? So, here is an account for how your finals week may have went or will be going as your final days left in school come to an end. Young girls all over the world look up to the glitz and glamour of Disney Princesses as role models when it comes to standards of beauty. She routinely ranks as one of the least-loved characters on fan polls, though its more for her passiveness and lack of nerve. However, after meeting Ursula, the sea witch, Ariel trades her voice for the chance to be with Eric, a man she doesn't know. In a Disney cartoon, Ariel's behavior can seem romantic because she ends up together with Eric. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. At one point when Megara is introducing herself, she even chirps, "My friends call me Meg. In keeping with Disney Princess tradition, Pocahontas spends most of her time hanging out with animals instead of people her own age. Reasons Why Shes the Worst: Basically, none. With many college semesters coming to a close, students find themselves procrastinating. Prince Phillip, the first Disney Prince to actually be given a name, also wins over his beloved Aurora with a single song. In the end, Moana is forced to realize that the only person who can define one's nature is oneself, not the sea or a tribe or any other external force. Belle needs a beast in order to escape her "provincial" life. Reluctant but desperate, the king and queen agree to allow their daughter to be raised by the good fairies, hidden away in a cottage in the forest. Snow White's life might turn around and end up being quite fun when she meets the Seven Dwarves, who bring a lot of joy to her life, but that's not the case for her upbringing. She actively risked her own life to save Despite her "mother" keeping her locked away in a tower for her entire childhood, Rapunzel never questions Gothel's actions. Throughout middle school and high school, I played cross country and soccer, leading me to stick with athleisure most days. Even the animals are rooting for a tall, dark, handsome man to bring meaning to Aurora's life, because isn't that the only way to happiness? After all, the live action remake just surpassed the $1 billion mark. Rapunzel was dangerously naive. But as much as Elsa has done to show Disney Princesses in a powerful new light, she has also been the cause of much misery. Luckily, movies like Maleficentand TV shows likeOnce Upon A Timeare taking the traditional prince and princess fairytales and turning them on their heads. Esther Heller has loved movies and TV for as long as she can remember, though one might not guess it from how much she likes to critique them. Sure, she is technically the main character, but the events of the movie happen "to" her rather than "because of" her. While escaping for her life into the woods, she meets seven dwarfs who help her and take her to their cottage. Imagine if she had gone to the ball all dolled up and looking nice, and the Prince had decided to dance with someone else instead what would happen then? But the message that this princess sends to young girls is that they can get a man only based on looks, which is what Ariel did. And unfortunately, Maleficent escapes their attempts to seize her, and the deed is done. Viewers have also claimed that she is a damsel in distress who needs Eugene's saving, which is an overused message. Shes skeptical, but not cold. There is a strong case for those who say Belle suffers from Stockholm Syndrome. Other characters prompt most of her actions, which happens even more in Frozen 2. That's right, in a children's movie, Alice eats a mushroom because a caterpillar smoking a hookah tells her to. In fact, Im almost tempted to say that shes even less feminist than Snow White, the reason being that Aurora speaks less than any other Disney princess. She is willing to fall in love with Prince Hans after knowing him only for a few hours. This rejection appears to have left a deep scar on Anna's psyche, and as a young adult, she frequently places herself in the most dangerous positions on the off-chance that she would find love. They uncover everything about him that I promised myself I would forget. Coming from humble beginnings, Tiana had a more world-weary and cynical outlook than other Disney female leads. One of the first rules of healthy relationships is that you should not have to change your personality to suit your partner. Sure, she's beautiful and has one of the best singing voices of any princess but she is just so bland. Moana is Disney's most feminist role model to date, and Emma Watson brings us a brand new, more deeply developed Belle inBeauty and the Beast. Despite being mistreated daily by her wicked step mother and sisters, Cinderella always did everything they told her to, bore their insults, and was finally rewarded when the Prince chose her to be his bride over every other girl in the land. I write about TV, movies, books, and LGBT issues all over the web. The sights, sounds, and smells of a summer day in your hometown. Disney Nope, not our Mulan. Today is not OK. Her personal struggle isnt the focus. But they are also the source of their own problems. 30 Apr 2023 15:14:08 The rays of music may salsa on her skin, but they dig deep into mine. This being a Disney movie, things ended up working out, but it's a very poor worldview to encourage. The 1937 Disney film depicts a lonely princess as white as the snow that lives with an evil stepmother who resolves to kill her. She marries the first man she sees after he kisses her while she's unconscious, which is a problematic sentiment. WebAnna is goofy, outspoken, unstoppable and totally relatable. Your work will be featured on our homepage and in our weekly Overheard on Odyssey newsletter. While this isn't always the case, it certainly is a stereotype that Disney has helped create for these characters. Meg gave up her life essence, her soul, to Hades as a bargaining chip for her boyfriend. Many viewers also criticize Anna for having a love interest in a film that many people lauded for emphasizing familial relationships over romantic ones. Pre-studying study break at Starbucks. One of the biggest complaints about Disney princesses is that they're damsels in distress. Thats why, for example, all Disney heroines are shown as being beautiful. However, her lack of friends and the fact she is constantly harassed by Gaston doesn't make it the most exciting upbringing. After her banishment, Tink even sells out Peter Pan's hideout location to Captain Hook. She considered him her true love, even though she had absolutely no other male companionship to compare him against. Now those packs will suffer as hunters are injured by The Beast This is an uncomfortable sight, especially with today's standards and what children should be learning in mind. Jasmine's independence was a relatively new concept for a Disney princess when Aladdin came out. Look at that distinctively quirked eyebrow. I always wondered what the third gift would have been, if evil had not interfered. At first, I felt pressured to wear the same, their matching sets, bike shorts, crop tops, and more. Not only is she a skilled warrior, but she actually uses those skills to kill her enemies. You've been studying all day and still don't understand the majority of the terms. It's no wonder we all begin analyzing our waist and portion sizes before we even hit puberty, just look at these girls. Most people who watched Pocahontas know that it's a retelling of a real story. Snow White is simply known as a beautiful woman who can sing and talk to animals. Our analysis can reveal that the most eco-friendly princess is Aurora, from Disney classic Sleeping Beauty (1959). I hear the last words of the song and I lift my head cautiously. For a woman who lives under water, she sure does seem thirsty. Seriously Aurora, date a bit. Hollywood.com ranked Sleeping Beauty Disneys worst princess film because its main character remains asleep for the majority of it. ", On the day of her christening as an infant, Aurora was cursed by Maleficent todie on contact with the spindle of a spinning wheel. Afterbeing cursed by Maleficent, Aurora spends her entire childhood living away from her parents, not knowing who they are as she lives with guardian fairies, who disguise themselves as peasants. She spends her time cooking and doing chores, relies only on the prince to save her, and becomes a princess through marriage. Were excited to hear from you! Your brain hurts. I rather think that Aurora represents innocence, and she is therefore defended by the good and attacked by the bad. This is without mentioning the caterpillar who is always smoking a hookah pipe. I dont know how well we ended up fitting in, especially when we were speaking English most of the time, but nonetheless. Why is Aurora the worst Disney princess? Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook3. To top it all off, she meets a talking caterpillar and follows his instructions to eat pieces of an unknown mushroom to change her size some more. The three key Disney princesses of this era, Jasmine, Ariel and Beauty and the Beast s Belle, were sold and embraced as not your average princess characters. As such, her lack of personality and character exploration is due to when Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released. Your favorite summer hobby and how you got into it. 9. Instead, it's about how Mulan saves China almost single-handedly. The title of the move sets this standard from the moment you press play. Quote Tweet. WebAurora is the worst Disney princess, no doubt, boring ass blondie . And while Snow White and Cinderella shared similar situations, Aurora became the focal point of an entirely different kind of story. Her refusal to see Hans's true motives is only reversed when he explicitly tells her that he aims to let her die and kill her sister as well. A girl loves a boy enough to make a sacrifice to him, and a boy can fall in love with a girl even without her "best" feature. I think back to the day I met him; the day I started loving someone more than I have ever loved myself. Speaking of damsels in distressed, just about every Disney princess fails to be the hero of her own story. She even spins. These body types are unattainable, yet we continue to perpetuate the idea that real royalty and beauty is directly related to a perfect hourglass figure and flawless bone structure. WebCinderella. In real life, things aren't so tidy, and allowing others to use you as a punching bag more often than not will end poorly. While Mother Gother might go and get things for her to try and make Rapunzel's life nicer, she literally lives the same day repeatedly, and never knows about her true parents. Pocahontas portrays a romanticized sequence of events, ending with the Englishmen leaving Pocahontas in peace. After barely venturing outside her family's castle for her entire life, Anna is bedazzled by Hans after a few snappy one liners and, you guessed it, a single song. Over time, the definition of what constitutes a "happily ever after" for a Disney Princess has evolved, and so their stories have evolved as well. To sign up, email glorie@theodysseyonline.com. It's clear and feminine without a lot of trilling like the old-school princesses. Sure, the motivations behind Elsa's tendency to be withdrawn from her sister for fear that she will hurt her again are selfless and brave, but the drastic isolation she chooses does just as much damage. In the end, she has to learn that being good at your job and being a hard worker is not enough. The day of her birth is declared a national holiday, and everyone who is anyone is invited to celebrate and pay tribute to her. If you're in a relationship romantic, familial or otherwise where the other person abuses you, belittles you, makes you do all the work, and never says or does anything nice for you, then you are in a toxic relationship and need to get out quickly. "She has none of the characteristics of someone with Stockholm Syndrome because she keeps her independence, she keeps that freedom of thought.". Once Elsa's secret comes out, she runs away to once again live in isolation. Naturally, such an upbringing took its toll on the princess. Id like to skip right to the controversy with Princess Aurora, because she does not fit the mold of the strong, independent women. Furthermore, just as Cinderella, she is illustrated doing housework in the dwarfs' cabin. Disney dipped its does into a puddle of feminist resurgence with the release ofFrozenin 2013 by presenting two sisters who save one another with an "act" of true love rather than a kiss from a man who is nearly a stranger. However, the love story message is packaged and presented pretty much unchanged. In 2015, illustrator Loryn Brantz redrew the Disney princesses to reflect their actual ages, resulting in hilarious images like Snow White as an actual 14-year-old dealing with puberty and all the acne and bad eyebrows that entails; Mulan experimenting with hair and makeup like an actual 16-year-old; and Aurora being rightfully freaked out as a 16 Oh wait, it doesn't? Shes not supposed to talk to strangers, and he is one. She really thinks she loves a guy who she's seen one time (while he was unconscious no less). He always had a good taste in music and its no wonder this song was his favorite. That being the case, there are few who could be considered more powerful. Despite her positive and warm personality, she is certainly made to feel very lonely and isolated until they open things up again. At one point, the name Aurora became a popular baby name, with parents often naming their daughters after the character. So, here is a ranking of the Disney princesses, from worst to best. It's hard to say that the upbringing of Princess Jasmine is truly tragic, as she grows up within a palace and wants for nothing. Aurora is to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday. However, with the feminist wave that we've been having recently, Cinderella was no longer considered a positive role model for girls than the classic feminine stereotype. Being locked away in a tower without ever learning about the outside world is certainly a very difficult and tragic upbringing for Rapunzel. Her snarky attitude is off-putting to viewers, and her arrogance in her archery can become quite jarring. Surprisingly, this involves women typically. Fortunately for the Princess, he shows mercy, but that only leads to her having to frantically run around the dark forest all alone, and basically start her life all over without any help.