In modern times there have been plenty of discussions when it comes to Disney princesses and the whole ‘damsel in distress’ trope that people have taken issue with. What’s truly amusing, and shown in some ways in these modernized pictures of said women, is that there hasn’t really been a princess that’s been a true, one hundred percent damsel in distress for quite some time. Even those that have been rightly labeled as such have their redeeming qualities as they’ve been seen to take the initiative at times and go so far as to back down stronger male characters when a damsel in distress might be more subservient to male characters, which becomes, for lack of a better word, boring. The modernization of Disney princesses is quite a thing to see and to be fair, it’s far more inspirational and uplifting, though sometimes less forceful than what has been shown in the animated features. Starting with Belle, above, women in these movies have been given a real voice, a sense of character, and an inner strength that allows them to stand up for themselves even if the time period they live in was less than accepting of such attitudes and behaviors. Belle is a good example of a strong-willed and independent woman that still believes in love and finding the right individual, though she is not about to be ruled by said individual. She is prone to daydreams, hopes, and wishes, but she isn’t about to bend for anyone when she doesn’t wish to.
Mulan has been pretty tough since she was introduced, indicating that she’s more akin to modern women in a way since she’s definitely possessed of strong opinion and is bound to follow her own path. While she’s eager to please her family she also tends to know that she wants more in her life and isn’t afraid to throw down when she has to. Some folks tend to think that Disney mucked up her legend in a big way and that might be so, but the general feeling is that she wasn’t some dainty orchid, but a strong and very determined woman, which is what comes out in this picture.
Tiana’s will is like a piece of iron, it doesn’t bend easily and it holds up throughout most tests that are thrown her way since she is delicate in her own right but beneath that pretty layer that shows her inner beauty as well as her outer, she’s as tough as they come, even if she’s not always seen as being a forceful as others. In a way, she’s the type of individual that has the heart of gold and a will that others can bruise and chip away at but never break. As a modern woman she has her weaknesses but when those are finally knocked out of the way it’s easy to see just how strong she really is.
If Jasmine has ever been seen as anything but strong-willed then it’s news to me, but there are plenty that would point out that in a society such as the one in which she resides her strong will might be more of a detriment than a boon. But realistically her attitude is more fitting with that of a modern woman in the first place since she doesn’t want to be seen as a prize, she can’t stand the thought of being subservient, and she’s very much in favor of being in control of herself. Some might think that her look and her attitude aren’t in tune with the story, but like it or not she did inspire quite a few young ladies to follow their own path.
Rapunzel is one of those few princesses that could have been called a damsel in distress largely because she knew next to nothing of the world outside of her tower. But the moment she started learning a little more she found that her own inner strength translated well to the world outside the confines of her home. Here she’s a little reminiscent of the young princess from Conan the Destroyer thank to her hairstyle and manner of dress, but she looks no less confident and she certainly looks like the type of green-eyed beauty that could take on the world if she so desires.
Cinderella is another woman that could have been called a damsel in distress since she wasn’t much of a forceful individual but she was fairly diligent and she did have a dream of her own that she wished for. But as a modern woman, she does appear a little edgier and perhaps less inclined to take as much flack from her stepsisters and stepmother, who were less than what she needed growing up and far more of a strain on her mental health than anything.
Depicting Jane as a modern woman makes a great deal of sense considering that she was already fairly modern in the Tarzan movie and had her own way of thinking and her own way of doing things. Being the kind of headstrong individual she is actually helped her out more than it hurt her in the movie since despite not being physically strong or imposing, she was still quite forceful when it came to standing her ground against men.
Disney princesses are more modernized than some people think.
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