Reflections

Okay so for this assignment, we were to watch a second-wave princess film and blog about differences between (or just feelings about) first and second-wave princesses, so I picked Beauty and the Beast because I have never seen it in full before. But wow let me just tell you…Beauty and the Beast just blew my mind. I figuratively walked into the movie thinking that this was going to be a terrible experience, that Belle was just going to be another one of Disney’s stereotypical princesses because Ariel, a fellow second-wave princess, let me down a little. Usually, I like to play devil’s advocate and make exceptions, but for all the crap that we’ve read about her in our articles for class, I was sure Belle would succumb to a charming prince like Ariel. HOWEVER, my experience was SO DIFFERENT than what I expected it to be. I might even say that this is now my favorite Disney princess movie. It has saved second-wave princesses from being just as limited as their older counterparts.

First, let me just say that this movie made me feel something stir in my chest, something I never felt watching Cinderella, Snow White, or even The Little Mermaid. I actually had feelings for the characters, especially Belle and the Beast (does he even have a real name?). But why? The main characters are actually developed in this movie, and they’re dynamic for a change! We could actually see Belle and the Beast’s love develop, as they actually get to know each other beyond superficial things like looks and a pretty voice. Many critics are harsh on Belle, saying that she is forced to love the Beast because she is in captivity, likening her case to Stockholm Syndrome. I would like to point out, however, that she chose to be imprisoned, to take the place of her father. After she ran away, the Beast saved her from the wolves, so out of gratitude, she stayed a while to care for his wounds. Throughout that time and through learning to care for each other, they began to have feelings for each other. These differences do not fit the definition of Stockholm Syndrome.

Belle’s and Ariel’s actual efforts to get to know their princes draw a distinct contrast to their first-wave counterparts. Cinderella, Snow White, and Aurora fall in love at first sight and after a kiss or a night of dancing, are ready to marry. Sorry to break it to you, but that is not how love works! I’m glad that in the second-wave princess films, love is expanded on as a result of getting to know one another, and that love is not the main plotline of the film. It comes as secondary to caring for each other, as in Beauty and the Beast; fighting alongside one another, as in Mulan; and rebelling against overbearing fathers, as in The Little Mermaid.

But going back to Beauty and the Beast, can I point out how Belle absolutely destroyed Gaston’s advances on her? She doesn’t even say polite things like “I’m sorry but I don’t think we fit together” or “I’m not looking for marriage;” she literally says “I don’t deserve you.” Like YASSS THAT’S RIGHT YOU GO GIRL!!! Filthy, misogynist Gaston doesn’t deserve anybody even 100 times less awesome than Belle. This is definitely the 90’s feminist movement’s influence on Disney princesses. We start to see the beginning of third-wave feminism, and “down with the patriarchy!” that is not present at all in the first-wave Disney princesses. In context with the times and the way Disney as a company works, this makes sense.

Disney is more of a reactive entertainment company rather than a proactive one, so it is a little behind the times as far as progressive social ideologies go. In efforts to protect their profits, they do not pioneer ideas, but rather only follow them when they become more socially acceptable. Therefore, Disney’s first “second-wave” princess, Ariel, was still very much controlled by the patriarchy. Only after the public’s astounding reception of The Little Mermaid did Disney dare to venture into more feminist themes. Enter Beauty and the Beast. Here we see a total renouncement of the super macho-man who oozes patriarchy from every pore. Although Belle ends up with a man, at least the Beast is more considerate of Belle’s thoughts and wellbeing, respecting her love for books like nobody else ever did.

Although the second-wave princesses are called “pseudo-feminists,” I still think they made good progress in the realm of feminism. Aside from The Little Mermaid, which was the guinea pig in Disney’s new era of feminism, all the other films had prominent aspects of female’s free thought and focused less on the idea of superficial love. All in all, they have made good progress.

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