Post on 22-Feb-2016
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GENDER ROLE CHANGES
By: Lily Deng
THESIS
In the original 19th century stories of Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel, the princesses were portrayed as weak and helpless individuals, while in the 21st century adaptations, Ella Enchanted, Snow White and the Huntsmen and Tangled represented ambitious and independent women that seek to have a better life without a prince rescuing them from their misery.
TR ADIT ION AL GENDER ROL ES O F WO MEN
Job was to maintain the house and take care of children
Purpose was to give birth
Property of men and was not allowed to own their own properties
Known as domestic and emotional
Unable to do hard labor
Was the weaker sex
CINDERELLA
Had a miserable life, working as a slave for her stepmother and stepsisters.
Did not stand up for herself
Took care of household duties
In the end saved by a prince in order to have a better and wealthier life
ELLA ENCHANTED
Movie released in 2004
Book written by Gail Carson Levine
Adaptation of Cinderella
Ella was cursed with a spell ever since she was born to be obedient to whatever she was told to do. Her stepsisters and stepmother makes her do house chores and she can’t refuse.
Ella wanted to go change her future and went to find the witch that casted the spell on her
Throughout her journey, she fights ogres etc.
Very ambitious and brave and isn't afraid to speak her mind
SNOW WHITE
Her duties were to maintain the house while the seven little dwarfs went to work
Innocent and young – ate a poisonous apple and died
Needed a prince to save her life by giving her a kiss
“Lived happily ever after”
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMEN
Extremely independent because she was living on her own when her parents were killed
Fighting back the evil queen and was not afraid
Goes into battle wearing armor along side with the men
Not the typical princess that is girly and dainty
Brave like the men
RAPUNZEL
Obeys to whatever the sorceress told her to do
Weaves a ladder in the story – domestic
Needed a prince to save her from the tower
Runs away with him and lives happily ever after
TANGLED
Was able to escape the tower because she was devoted to find out what her true identity was
Adventurous and outspoken
Was able to confront the witch and ask about her past
Has magical powers and heals Flynn’s wounds with her hair
Saves him from dying with her tear drops
She has greater power in this movie because she is able to heal with her long golden locks
POSSIBLE SOURCES
Dawn Elizabeth England, Lara Descartes, Melissa A. Collier Meek, “Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses” Sex Roles, 64, 555-567, Web, April 2011
Rowe, Karen E “Feminism and Fairy Tales”, Women Studies, 6, 237-257, Web, 1979
Hannon, Carole J ‘Aging with Disney: Depiction of gender and age in seven Disney animated fairy tales” 1997
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
SYNTHESIS
Background information about traditional gender roles of women
Background information about Disney’s Snow White, Cinderella, and Grimm’s Rapunzel
Compare the older versions to the new adaptations
Explain how the roles of princesses were changed
QUESTIONS
How does the new adaptations of fairy tales portray different gender roles of women than traditional gender roles?
How are the older version princesses different than the new adaptation princesses?
What ideals of women were portrayed in the older versions?
What ideals of women were portrayed in the newer adaptations?