The Lens of Feminism: A Look at Motion Pictures Brave, Frozen and Maleficent

Children’s literature and film finally took an irreversibly valiant turn. While the film Mulan (1998) gave the young girls and women of the world an example to take after, it took almost 5 years for the same genre to regain its strapping sense of femininity and sturdy sense of self in female leads.

Powered by the concepts of Feminism for three consecutive years now, both young and full-grown women like Merida of Brave (2012), Anna and Elsa of Frozen (2013) and Maleficent (2014) have redefined the notions of freedom vs. obligation, marriage vs. true love, and resolve vs. the self.

In the Beginning Theory, Peter Barry (2002) wrote Feminism revalue women’s experience; examine representation of women in literature by men and women; challenge representations of women as Other, as lack, as part of nature; and, inspect power relations with a view to break them down. Additionally, Jane de Gay (2004) discussed that the waves of Feminism are concerned with: equal standing of men and women as citizens in public life, defiance of social prescriptions for women’s behavior, fortification of women’s right to choose own lifestyle, and generally, rebelliousness to patriarchal conventions.

An untamed spirit, Merida took a penchant for hunting and vehemently opposed to marry any one of her suitors. Trashing social prescriptions for princess’s behavior and fortifying her choice to live her own life, Merida fought to win her own hand from marriage. In all levels, Merida was a feminist icon.

Orphans Elsa and Anna gave little girls and young women icons to root for. Elsa loved her little sister Anna. She stopped her from marrying a prince that she (Anna) just met. Elsa argued that is NOT true love. Gullible Anna later learned the truth about the prince’s nefarious plans. At the brink of death, Anna returned the same love to her big sister Elsa. The act of true love is redefined as the selflessness and sacrifice of the loving sister (Anna) to protect the family she has left (Elsa). Gone are the days of Prince Charming’s magical kiss supposedly signifying true love.

Sleeping Beauty, the age-old children’s literature is revisited and inspected with Feminist eyes. Maleficent, the evil witch was not so evil at all. Neither was she a witch. In fact she was a fairy. Maleficent sought vengeance for the injustice done to her by a boy she loved. That boy became a king by raping Maleficent’s big and strong fairy wings. Maleficent showed acts of compassion and atonement before she regained her wings. A complete yin-yang balanced feminist icon, she mortified the mortal enemy who broke her heart and who took away her fairy wings with retribution and resolve. What woke Aurora, the daughter of the king and the Sleeping Beauty whom Maleficent cursed, was not a young man’s kiss. Maleficent showed that firm resolve and pure love can break any evil curse.

About the Author: Kathleen B. Solon-Villaneza is currently a University administrator, English language and literature professor, and researcher.