Female Identity in Cinderella and Frozen Disney films
For decades now Disney films have been influencing both the lives of children and adults by giving them outstanding magical kingdoms with princesses and even speaking animals. These movies have also played a significant role in gender identity and projection. Some of these films include Cinderella and Frozen 2. Cinderella is a classic that I can agree to have watched over and over. Getting older and wiser, this movie depicts the issue of female identity that right now people view differently. Cinderella shows the gender roles and stereotypes in society. The film has been adapted from a novel written in 1697; hence, the times were different then. The community had different norms and stereotypes than we know today. Frozen is another Disney movie that shows how far society has come. Cinderella and Frozen are Disney movies which have female characters taking the lead roles, yet they portray the conflicting models of female empowerment and female identity.
Cinderella shows that marriage is the ultimate life goal of every woman. In the 1950s, women received a lot of pressure from society to focus on getting married or even having a ring. Marriage was a sense of security, and it was the only way to escape from the family. This idea can be viewed well in Cinderella since she hoped to get her prince and escape from the family challenges. Every girl in the film aspires to be married by a prince, even Cinderella’s stepsisters. The entire idea of a ball which is attended by every girl who hopes in meeting the prince and has stable marriage reinstates the notion that marriage was fundamental (Geronimi, Luske, and Jackson 40:02). Frozen, on the other hand, has been set in the 21st century. This film shows female characters who are more robust than the historical princesses. Elsa does not need a prince or a man to save her. She is more focused on her inner power and understanding her strength. There is nowhere in the film, and she is focused on finding love or getting married. She tells Anna, her sister, that she can’t marry a stranger because she needs to understand what love is. This shows that marriage stereotypes in the society have been changing and unlike the 1950s when women would kill to get married, currently, women are only focused on defining themselves.
Cinderella also shows that a woman’s place is at home and in the kitchen. Women in the 1950s can be seen as “household slaves.” Women were permanently confined in playing the roles of a housewife. When a woman was married, she was expected to stay at home, perform household activities and make her husband happy. Cinderella is expected every day to perform household chores like sweeping, sewing, and cleaning (Geronimi, Luske, and Jackson 7:13). When she doesn’t fulfil her duties, there are consequences. This shows that a woman must do her best in performing house duties. In Frozen, it’s easier to notice how progressive the nation has been. The value of a woman can be seen clearly. Elsa is a princess who later becomes a queen. Anna, on the other hand, is a courageous young princess who embarks on a dangerous journey to save her sister. Their roles have not been defined as women who should stay in the kitchen. Society respects them and adores them as leaders. Even though she makes a mistake, her redemption can be seen at the end of the movie. Cinderella tries to portray that a woman’s place is in the house while in Frozen, the female identity changes to leaders of the people.
Cinderella shows the stereotype that a woman should be beautiful. The audience can see very well, that when the prince first sees Cinderella, he is attracted to her based on her physical appearance. The prince does not consider other elements she might have. Cinderella always dressed up in simple homely attire, when her fairy Godmother visits her, she changes her into a glamourous, beautiful and impeccably well-dressed bachelorette (Geronimi, Luske, and Jackson 44:03). This reinforces the idea of ideal beauty. In Frozen, Elsa and her sister, Anna, are always dressed as princesses. They don’t dress to impress men or look for suitors. When Elsa falls in love with the prince of the seven ails, Elsa asks her what she even knows of this man. Kristoff, her friend on the journey to look for a sister, tells her she has to understand a person first before falling in love. Elsa in the northern mountains changes her dressing to look beautiful, not for other people but herself. She tries to redefine and identify her beauty the way she always wanted. It’s not about a Godmother or the society but her. Unlike Cinderella, Frozen tries to show that young girls can identify themselves and define their beauty. They don’t have to look cute or pretty to please men and suitors.
In Cinderella, love has been viewed as being superior to independence and education. In the 1950s, women valued finding a husband who was going to take care of them well. Cinderella finds love and takes a seat at trying marriage. Her independence as a woman takes a back place, as she expects her prince to provide for her. Education is something that does not even come up in the film, and this might show that women did not also try to get educated. They only wanted rich men who were going to be providers. In Frozen, this love if different though, it’s the love of a sister trying to save her sister from herself. Anna, in one way, helps Elsa in understanding the meaning of love. Elsa asks Anna, “You did this for me?” Anna responds, “of course, I love you.” At this moment, Elsa understands something, “Love will thaw.” This love helps in saving a kingdom rather than looking for a suitor. Cinderella shows that a woman who found love in a man had found a powerful thing; she had seen a soul mate, but more importantly, she had found a provider. In Frozen, love helps in showing how families can stick together and help each other in finding their character.
Cinderella is a film just like Frozen, which try to paint various problematic imagery of gender roles and stereotypes. Cinderella tries to show how women were viewed in the 1950s. Frozen, on the other hand, shows that society has made progress. Women, currently value education, acquiring college degrees and having a career. Frozen has undone these stereotypes in the community. Elsa gets her happily ever after without having a man or male interest. Elsa has also been given the opportunity of making mistakes. She loses control and even abandons the throne, the biggest mistake a royalty can make. When she decides to lock herself away to protect the people, she becomes the hero. She protects the lives of the people she loves by endangering her own. She transforms into a woman who is in control of her power and can lead her duties well. Unlike Cinderella, Elsa in Frozen challenges the norms of sexuality and the role of women in society. Disney has shown that women can possess agency, control their lives, and mould themselves to who they want to be.
Work cited
Geronimi, Clyde., Luske, Hamilton, and Jackson, Winfred. “Cinderella.” Youtube. Producer, Walt Disney. Initially produced by RKO Radio Pictures, 1950. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG4M8ywN4gM
Lee, Jeniffer and Buck, Chris. “Frozen 2.” Youtube. Producer, Peter Del Vecho. Songwriter, Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Walt Disney Animation Studios, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OCFUNoEPW0