tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-600862478405403958.post1730466903045821520..comments2021-03-21T12:59:27.072-07:00Comments on Imperfect Tense: Princess Powerclairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061640822218283472noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-600862478405403958.post-3719692053520661162009-06-08T19:17:17.048-07:002009-06-08T19:17:17.048-07:00I don't know Claire -- to the extent Disney mo...I don't know Claire -- to the extent Disney movies have replaced the telling of folktales and fairy tales in modern society, the very "unreality" of Disney princesses may still be crucial element of the story if they are to operate as fairytales.<br /><br />The "princess" in a fairytale is, arguably, merely a symbol in the semiotic sense of the word. As a placeholder for certain values, she must be "beautiful" while the evil counterpart must be "ugly." The "beautiful" princess is a vessel for "good" societal values (generosity, etc.) while the "wicked" counterpart must be "ugly" (representing "bad" societal values like greed). I do absolutely agree that the impossible hourglass figures are a reflection of our society's own warped ideal of beauty (the Disney princesses seem to be gradually transforming into Bratz dolls). But I still think the importance of the archetype remains. The princesses have to be "beautiful" because it is just the fairytale shorthand for "good". If we want to convey societal values to children (one object of fairytales) its easier to create symbolic representations of the values rather than explain why, a priori, the values are good. <br /><br />The absence of mothers in these stories is also a structural feature of the classic fairytale. In the "Morphology of the Folk Tale", Vladimir Propp's study of the structure of folk tales, the first of the 31 narrative units is "absentation" - the forced removal of the hero or heroine from the home environment. The presence of a elder wise woman acting as a "mother" analogue would disrupt the the fairytale, stopping the progess through the narrative phases in the first phase. I think a similar argument can be made for the kiss from Prince Charming; its not a suggestion about how relationships should operate, but a symbol of the heroine or hero's return from the "exile" that began at the beginning of the fairytale, without complex analysis of a real relationship.<br /><br />Obviously, its great to subvert the fairytales, too (and fun), but I think the classic morphology of the fairy tale identified by Propp, Roland Barthes and others still has validity. <br /><br />So, I guess I join you in objecting to the images used by Disney to convey beauty and ugliness, but not necessarily in objecting to the telling of the stories.<br /><br />Hope all is well!<br /><br />- ReedReednoreply@blogger.com