The Damsel Of Distress And The Knight s Shining Armor ...

The Damsel in Distress and the Knight in Shining Armor: Gender Roles in Disney Movies â€Å"How about a girls who’s got a brain, who always speaks her mind?† (Bancroft and Cook 00:43:30-00:43:40). This was Mulan’s (Mulan (1998)) response to her fellow soldiers’ desires for women who are beautiful, will cook for them, and will worship them. The men brush off Mulan’s suggestion without thinking, but what do objectifying comments like this being included in a children’s movie say about society? Movies play an important role in shaping the beliefs of children, because they are susceptible to the ideas to which they are exposed as they mature. It is the responsibility of movie producers, like the Walt Disney Company, to create characters and†¦show more content†¦It is alright to want to want to find a â€Å"prince,† but it should not overtake a young girl’s desire for her own successful future. On the other side of the s pectrum, young boys watching these tropes are affected as well. When the prince swoops in to save the princess, he is also â€Å"[claiming] the spotlight† that is not his (Leek 5). There are many instances, such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty in which the movie is titled after female characters, â€Å"yet it is men who are thrust into the role of heroes† (5). Even the movie â€Å"Beauty and the Beast [1991] devolves into a battle between two male characters while Belle helplessly awaits the outcome† (5). Young boys seeing all of these heroic princes may lead to them believing they are entitled to the spotlight over girls. This promotes inequality between men and women in society. The imbalance of the two extremes may be attributed to the other personality traits female and male characters are given. The characteristics given the the females and males of Disney movies reinforce gender roles for how each gender should behave. Many of the Di sney heroines share the common traits of being docile, obedient, weak, nurturing, and domestic. For example, Snow White â€Å"finds a shelter in a dusty and dishevelled cottage and immediately feels compelled to clean it from top to bottom (since theShow MoreRelatedSummary Of The Twelfth Century By Marie De France s Lanval1524 Words   |  7 Pagesthe day when things are going horrible for the female. The knight in shining armor, for example, always saves the lady. This is shown in fairytales like Cinderella, written in the 17th century and Rapunzel, written in the 19th century. No matter what the problem is, the man has to save the day or else he is not a man. In Marie de France’s Lanval, written in the twelfth century, the witty lai satirically challenges the stereotypical roles of women. Evidently, every story does not contend male dominanceRead MoreFairytales : The Way Of The Society And Mainstream Pop Culture1457 Words   |  6 Pagesfemales in them are not accurat e. Women are often seen as damsels-in-distress who wait for a brave knight in shining armor to come rescue them and live happily ever after. Men are often described as handsome heroes ready to save the day. How is this proper representation on what women and men roles are? In the majority of fairytales the way gender roles are displayed it fosters up an image that women are inferior to men. Traditional gender role stereotypes in fairytales negatively impact young childrenRead MoreGoblin Market and Bloody Chamber1213 Words   |  4 Pagesas pornographic objects whose solitary purpose is to be a man’s appealing possession. Evidently, the objectification of women impacted the way each author constructed their texts. Feminist movements aiming to undermine these rigid female and male roles are prominent in the time period of both literary works. Both Christina Rossetti and Angela Carter use strange worlds to differentiate from the typical fairy tale’s predictable conclusio n and instead make a statement through the use of a female heroineRead MoreChivalry Is Not Dead : Chivalry1781 Words   |  8 Pagesthat chivalry is changed for the better. The problem people have with modern day chivalry is its correlation with their definition of â€Å"chivalry†... which is...according to Webster’s dictionary, â€Å"Gallantry, courtesy and honor. The noble qualities a knight was supposed to have, such as courage and a readiness to help the weak. † This is a precise definition for sure, however; it leaves some unanswered questions. â€Å"How can I demonstrate chivalry today? Why should I be chivalrous?† â€Å"Who are â€Å"the weak?†