Introduction
Although it is a common belief that everybody may be themselves and accomplishes anything they want in the world, this is rarely the case for most people. Many nations throughout the globe do not treat all genders equally and occasionally do not even acknowledge some genders, such as transgender and non-binary (Streiff & Dundes, 2017). This unfair treatment is highlighted even more by the sex discrimination presented in films. Stereotypes are frequently spread by the way genders are portrayed in movies. For instance, women are commonly perceived as petite and frail, whereas men are often considered vital (Streiff & Dundes, 2017). Films significantly impact people’s lives, especially children, as the characters in children’s movies may serve as role models for young viewers. Gender roles have been a prevalent issue throughout the post-2000 era and continue to do so now. This essay analyzes two films, Frozen and Shrek, which portray women as bright, energetic, and, most importantly, independent, in contrast to the 1930s when society’s ideas about the female gender were prevalent.
The Frozen Film
Disney films frequently featured gender stereotypes from the past, and its lead female characters stood in for established social norms. They shared the same traits: friendliness, passivity, and dependency. In addition, women’s only aspirations in the movies were constrained by outdated notions of marriage and their desperate desire for a dashing prince to save them. Unrealistic depictions of women’s bodies further the one-dimensional impression created by stereotyped heroines from the past. However, society’s evolution has impacted how people view women generally and their place in society.
The movie’s guiding ideas reflect a change in gender stereotypes. This is portrayed through the conflict between Elsa and Anna, which outlines the tension between long-held beliefs and newer perceptions. Elsa is a brilliant, powerful, witty, and independent character who contrasts with Anna’s amorous disposition (Buck &Lee, 2013). Her ideals of independence, ambition, and decisiveness are innate, but her sister’s soft personality suggests a penchant for reliance and empathy. The differences in their attributes illustrate the dissimilarity between Elsa’s and Anna’s visions.
The motivations of female characters in Disney movies are directly tied to the development of goals and ambitions because it is the source of these notions. Anna’s goal of falling in love with a prince embodies the antiquated concept of women being able to find their position in society (Buck &Lee, 2013). However, since such an incentive does not take reality into account, it seems sensible to replace it with other factors. Elsa’s motivations for wanting to be strong, independent, and accepting of her are far more in line with the necessities of the modern world. They contribute to a better impression given to kids by the movie.
Changes in society’s perception of gender stereotypes primarily impact current motivations, values, and objectives, and this is also true of how women are viewed in society. The desire to marry the ideal man and, as a result, have someone who can come to their rescue in a crisis characterized their image in the past (Shu et al., 2022). Such motives and objectives suggest the predominance of values like reliance and empathy. In contrast to this model, modern women seek independence, which involves ambition and initiative. Therefore, this strategy meets the world’s needs and elevates Elsa above Anna as a role model.
The Shrek Film
The discussion of stereotypes in modern movies is less prevalent than it was in older movies. The stereotypes are still prevalent, even though they are not always immediately apparent to the spectator. Many well-known films, including Shrek, nevertheless follow the cliché of the hero rescuing the damsel. Furthermore, the king in the movie is hunting for the ideal princess. While the film does use these preconceptions for fun, it also shows that they are not unchangeable (Adamson& Jenson, 2001). In the movie, Shrek features several male tropes such as prowess, bravery, violence, and grossness.
Gender norms that dictate that males must be affluent and charming princes and those women must be beautiful and ladylike to live as princesses have been defied by the plot, setting, and characters of the main actor. Shrek is a giant, repulsive green ogre who falls in love with a lovely princess. Later, the charming princess morphs into an evil, hideous ogre. In essence, the film’s storyline is a conventional fairytale with a beautiful princess being saved by a prince and falling in love. The traditional fairytale upholds the standards that depict “brave knights” who protect the queen and go on to become affluent, attractive princes. But later in the story, Shrek becomes a good man who gets along with the princess (Adamson& Jenson, 2001). Unlike familiar fairy tales with a happy ending, the typical lovely princess transforms into an ogre.
Other fairy tales typically feature weak women and princesses who wait for powerful males to come to their rescue. Princess Fiona and her lady dragon are ferocious and strong-willed characters in the Shrek film. The characters in the film are shocked when she defeats an army of men in the forest since they had not anticipated it. In addition, many knights who came looking for her had been slaughtered by her dragon. The issue of gender roles is illustrated through the use of characters in “Shrek.” for instance, Shrek exhibits masculine characteristics in his way of life (Adamson& Jenson, 2001). He lives by himself in a marsh and makes candles out of his ear wax. He is accustomed to carrying out complex tasks like saving Princess Fiona. Just because he is a man and acts in a way often associated with men, such as showing pride, does not make his behavior acceptable to society.
The characters that the ogre portrays are typically associated with masculinity in society. One component of gender roles in an organization is the distance between the two genders. In communities, this form of nonverbal communication is frequently witnessed in routine actions like dressing. For instance, in the movie “Shrek,” when meeting with Donkey, Shrek notices a more considerable distance than when meeting with Fiona (Adamson& Jenson, 2001). This characteristic relates to the gender’s masculine traits. Prince Charming, however, is opposed to such a quality because it would appear to go against the wishes of society. In daily activities, males and females each have specific duties to play. Fiona, however, exhibits male traits in “Shrek” when she engages her assailants led by Robin Hood.
Since fighting is considered the domain of men, Fiona is not supposed to exhibit these tendencies as a woman, according to society. In doing so, Fiona disproves the myth that women should not fight in wars because it is thought that men should be fighting in them. The gender portrayal is justified by the fear of social rejection of odd appearance (Putri & Retnaningdyah, 2021). Fiona, who plays an ogre in the movie “Shrek,” worries that Shrek will not accept her because she is an ogre (Adamson& Jenson, 2001). The femininity is supported when she invites everyone into her feminine dialogue and significantly contributes to developing the relationship between her family and Shrek. The perception of gender roles has changed due to the movie “Shrek.” The masculine and the feminine have moved from one side to the other to achieve more power.
Conclusion
The idea of gender is a difficult one since, unlike the binary gender roles found in cultural artifacts, the idea of gender instability has just lately started to be introduced in certain cultural aspects. A person’s biology does not determine gender but results from their activities. Disney’s Frozen and Shrek are two examples of the development of contemporary movies, and they demonstrate a striking contrast in character portrayal from its earlier princess flicks. Even if they are retrograde, their musical routines expose the audience to traditional gender norms while allowing the protagonists to defy those constraints.
Anna gives herself up on her own to save her sister at the end of the film, while Elsa responds out of pure love to save Anna. The two female characters carry out both heroic deeds. Elsa’s heroic deed was especially intriguing because she sobbed inconsolably, the stereotypical distraught feminine response. As to argue that feminine metamorphosis, not male, is what is driving the advancement of gender norms in society, the movie turns this act of extreme emotion into something heroic. The film Shrek is fantastic because it appeals to adults and children in different ways, provoking thoughts on topics such as gender dynamics and how they are seen in society. It is a film that unquestionably questions the gender stereotypes we are used to, bringing to light our erroneous understanding of gender and the reality that we frequently stereotype and group people based on their behavior, looks, and language.
References
Adamson, A., & Jenson, V. (2001). Shrek. DreamWorks Distribution.
Buck, C., & Lee, J. (2013). Frozen. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Putri, A., & Retnaningdyah, P. (2021). Women’s role in overcoming nature exploitation in Disney movie Frozen II.Humanitatis: Journal of Language and Literature, 7(2), 129-142.
Shu, Y., Hu, Q., Xu, F., & Bian, L. (2022). Gender stereotypes are racialized: A cross-cultural investigation of gender stereotypes about intellectual talents. Developmental Psychology, 58(7), 1345-1359.
Streiff, M., & Dundes, L. (2017). Frozen in Time: How Disney gender stereotypes it’s the most powerful princess.Social Sciences, 6(2), 1-38.