by Yusra Ahmad

Created on: May 25, 2009

Prince Charming, a global icon, a hero, the ideal "Mr. Right" that every woman has been waiting for since watching or reading her very first fairytale. It is irrelevant whether he is a realistic portrayal of the modern man as that would mean that Rapunzel or Cinderella are a representation of the modern woman. Quite simply they are a fantastical ideal that emerged to enforce a society's definitions of what a man and a woman should be to fit into a pre-defined mould. It is therefore no secret that Disney films are generally based on antiquated definitions of gender roles. In order to define the masculine as illustrated in Disney films, it is therefore essential to explore the feminine, which stands as its stark contrast.

When Disney films first emerged in the late1930s, they were issued to fill a gap within American society. It was a era plagued with insecurity as the world was embarking on the Second World War. Societal norms, not to mention a hero, were desperately required during that time and the films emerging where attempting to generate these. Enter, Disney films, to entertain and educated the leaders of the future, by creating a nuclear world governed by a paternal nuclear family creating an illusion of stability and security for all. Within this ideal, women were to be housewives and mothers while men were the breadwinners. While this might seem like an attack, it is by no means a criticism, but a pivotal exploration of the climate which bred these standardised gender roles which have been marketed through animated films enjoyed by an audience of all ages.

When either Snow White or Cinderella is taken as an example, the heroine is on the surface a beautiful, gentle and fragile girl. Her life is filled with misery and cruelty suffered at the hands of a non-blood relation, usually a step-mother, acting as a key plot-point in highlighting her unequivocal urgency to leave the family home into the cold wide world. Whatever our heroine tries to escape her mundane life, she is incapable of saving herself and must wait to be saved by her Prince Charming.

In the meantime Prince Charming is racing through snowy mountains, scorching deserts to fight fire breathing dragons and evil witches to save his hard-done by princess. Once again, on the surface he appears to be a complete contrast to everything which the poor girl represents. He is physically strong, confident, influential and financially powerful. He becomes the ideal concept of what a man should be, pegging the standard incredibly high. He is a vessel of every admirable quality within human nature. He is honourable, ethical, intelligent and eloquent. He fights evil without a second thought to protect the innocent, namely his future wife. He is a fantastical ideal which most children are raised to believe in, because he was the hero that the world needed to fight the world, but realistically they could never be him.

In all, the contrasts created to differentiate between the two genders have been universally accepted as a typical fairytale storyline formula and hence a defining feature of Disney films. Depending on how the audience may choose to view the storyline, this imagine of the maiden in distress does not necessarily have to mean that she is any less capable than her prince and essentially without her there is no Prince Charming. While there was a purpose for their creation at the time, nowadays they should just be enjoyed for what they are, beautiful fairytales drawn by talented artists.

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