Female Disney Characters

Throughout the history of Disney films their have been numerous so called “Princess” movies created. These include films such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “Pocahontas.” However, there have been major changes in these characters from the first Disney film to the most recent one. As I was researching and looking up these different movies, I saw a trend in the way the female characters behaved in the first few films ever created. Characters including Snow White, Cinderella, and Arora all portrayed a very passive and homemaker type of personality. All three stayed around the home doing house work and other duties typically associated with women; they also seemed to rely heavily on the need for a male partnership. On the other hand, as you move farther along in history another trend can be found among the female characters. Arial, Bell, Jasmine, and Pocahontas all exhibited more active personality and portrayed women to be strong and independent. All four were very adventurous women that would explore the world around them, without the need for a man to be around for support.
Along with personality there is also a difference in the type of clothing worn by these characters. In some of the first Disney films women wore long, full-coverage, very conservative dresses, which can be considered old-fashioned now. As you begin to move toward the more recent films the clothing starts to become sexier and less coverage. For example, in “The Little Mermaid,” Arial only has a bra on; in “Aladdin,” Jasmine can be seen wearing very shear pants with a belly shit; Pocahontas is also seen wearing a very short dress with a single off the shoulder strap. When looking at the changes that have occurred among women in these Disney films, it is quite easy to see the ways in which the world around us has changed throughout the years.