Disney Princess Evolution

Since 1937 with Snow white and the Seven Dwarfs, Disney has effectively conquered the our images on princesses. “It’s worth noting, however, that the studio has come a long way in terms of theirtreatment of these characters. Once subservient and overly feminine, today’s princesses are just as independent and strong as anyone else within the animated landscape” In 1937 Disney presented theoriginal princess trifecta, starting with Snow White, the perfect stereotypical housewife of a full house who patiently waits for her Prince Charming to save her. The same expectation for ladies returns in1950 with Cinderella, again a damsel dedicated to house chores who cannot defeat her obstacles without the help of an outside force, a fairy godmother in this case. The role “kind yet helplessbeauty“ becomes a pattern with Sleeping beauty, who exactly as snow white, cannot wake up from eternal slumber without true love’s kiss, ultimately putting her fate entirely on men.

1989’s The LittleMermaid, as well as 1991's Beauty and the Beast and 1992’s Aladdin. The new trio effectively updated the princess outlook for a new generation, focusing on old-school elements with distinctlycontemporary attributes. The heavily detailed background on the new princesses gave them more personality, causing the passive and quiet expectation for ladies to disappear.


Young girls finally receiveda strong role model to look up to with the bold and “downright fierce princess” Pocahontas, released in 1995 . In addition to fighting side-by-side with her male counterparts, Pocahontas is the onewho ends up rescuing her love– quite the turnaround from the princesses tradition. 1998’s Mulan when a step further and even disguised herself as a man to serve her army. She manages to be strong andindependent without losing her feminine tributes. Princess and the Frog is Disney’s most recent Princess movie (2009) findidn the perfect balance between feminine and hopeful and independent,...