Character Analysis: Mirana, the White Queen
Sooooo....yeah, I've kinda been neglecting my LJ for quite some time now :( But now I've got something to post that's not totally worthless or random! Probably going to do another one on Jessica Rabbit at some point.....
I love the depth Anne Hathaway gives the White Queen in this movie. There are quite a few specific instances in the film that imply that she’s not as air-headed and whimsical as she appears. Anne has even described the Queen as follows: "She comes from the same gene pool as the Red Queen. She really likes the dark side, but she's so scared of going too far into it that she's made everything appear very light and happy. But she's living in that place out of fear that she won't be able to control herself.” That in itself makes her such a complex character; it’s a shame we don’t get to delve more into her story since this one is all about Alice.
The first is when we first see her as Bayard races to deliver the news of Alice going to the Red Queen’s castle. She almost floats in from the side, surrounded by her attendants, commenting on how sad the trees seem to be. When she sees Bayard, she dismisses her entourage and continues her floaty-walk-thingy towards the dog…until everyone else is out of sight. Then she runs to meet him as he gives her the update. Her smile disappeared the instant the others were gone, implying that her aloofness is nothing more than an act.
The second is when Alice brings the Vorpol sword to her. The Queen takes the sword and holds it close to her face, her eyes closed and a smile on her lips. This gave me the definite impression that she either used to be a warrior herself and revels in the feel of a sword again, or finds that holding a weapon designed for killing isn’t as horrible and loathsome as she would like everyone to believe.
The next is when Alice tells her she can’t imagine what goes on in the Red Queen’s castle. She stops what she’s doing, looks her dead in the eye, and says “Oh, yes I can,” with a hint of sadness in her voice. This means one of two things: she was witness to her sister’s atrocities, or she can most certainly think of what she can do. Like Hathaway stated, they come from the same gene pool. They both have the capacity for evil and sadism, but the difference between them is that Mirana chooses not to act on any impulses she may have.
Another is her final judgment on the fate of her sister and the Knave: she banishes them both, the Knave begging her not to force him to remain with the Red Queen, forbidding any inhabitant of Underland to show either of them any kindness or even speak to them. And just like that, she turns her back on them both. Though she has vowed to never kill any living thing, she is obviously not above harsh punishments.
Another is her costume itself. Everything she wears is white, including her hair. However, her nails are painted black as are her lips, she has darker eyeshadow that is almost red in hue, and her eyebrows are left dark brown or black as well. Granted, this last piece may have been purely a design choice by the costumer, but it could be interpreted in another way. It’s possible that Mirana has bleached/colored her hair so that it appears white to give her a more ethereal, delicate appearance. She may well have had black hair before becoming queen, hence the dark eyebrows. Had the brows matched the hair, I wouldn’t have thought anything about it, but since it was such a drastic contrast, it certainly can be perceived as something significant.
And finally, the fact that she had taken a vow to never harm or kill anything. Why would she need to make such a promise? Had she done so earlier in life when she and Iracebeth were children and therefore more likely to do the same things together? Does she continue to have violent thoughts and emotions under the surface? Hathaway has commented that that’s the reason she surrounds herself with peaceful people and a calm atmosphere: because she fears losing control of herself and giving into the darkness that clearly resides in her. She’s terrified more of herself than even her sister…and that alone makes for such a dynamic character that I wish she could have her own movie!
I love the depth Anne Hathaway gives the White Queen in this movie. There are quite a few specific instances in the film that imply that she’s not as air-headed and whimsical as she appears. Anne has even described the Queen as follows: "She comes from the same gene pool as the Red Queen. She really likes the dark side, but she's so scared of going too far into it that she's made everything appear very light and happy. But she's living in that place out of fear that she won't be able to control herself.” That in itself makes her such a complex character; it’s a shame we don’t get to delve more into her story since this one is all about Alice.
The first is when we first see her as Bayard races to deliver the news of Alice going to the Red Queen’s castle. She almost floats in from the side, surrounded by her attendants, commenting on how sad the trees seem to be. When she sees Bayard, she dismisses her entourage and continues her floaty-walk-thingy towards the dog…until everyone else is out of sight. Then she runs to meet him as he gives her the update. Her smile disappeared the instant the others were gone, implying that her aloofness is nothing more than an act.
The second is when Alice brings the Vorpol sword to her. The Queen takes the sword and holds it close to her face, her eyes closed and a smile on her lips. This gave me the definite impression that she either used to be a warrior herself and revels in the feel of a sword again, or finds that holding a weapon designed for killing isn’t as horrible and loathsome as she would like everyone to believe.
The next is when Alice tells her she can’t imagine what goes on in the Red Queen’s castle. She stops what she’s doing, looks her dead in the eye, and says “Oh, yes I can,” with a hint of sadness in her voice. This means one of two things: she was witness to her sister’s atrocities, or she can most certainly think of what she can do. Like Hathaway stated, they come from the same gene pool. They both have the capacity for evil and sadism, but the difference between them is that Mirana chooses not to act on any impulses she may have.
Another is her final judgment on the fate of her sister and the Knave: she banishes them both, the Knave begging her not to force him to remain with the Red Queen, forbidding any inhabitant of Underland to show either of them any kindness or even speak to them. And just like that, she turns her back on them both. Though she has vowed to never kill any living thing, she is obviously not above harsh punishments.
Another is her costume itself. Everything she wears is white, including her hair. However, her nails are painted black as are her lips, she has darker eyeshadow that is almost red in hue, and her eyebrows are left dark brown or black as well. Granted, this last piece may have been purely a design choice by the costumer, but it could be interpreted in another way. It’s possible that Mirana has bleached/colored her hair so that it appears white to give her a more ethereal, delicate appearance. She may well have had black hair before becoming queen, hence the dark eyebrows. Had the brows matched the hair, I wouldn’t have thought anything about it, but since it was such a drastic contrast, it certainly can be perceived as something significant.
And finally, the fact that she had taken a vow to never harm or kill anything. Why would she need to make such a promise? Had she done so earlier in life when she and Iracebeth were children and therefore more likely to do the same things together? Does she continue to have violent thoughts and emotions under the surface? Hathaway has commented that that’s the reason she surrounds herself with peaceful people and a calm atmosphere: because she fears losing control of herself and giving into the darkness that clearly resides in her. She’s terrified more of herself than even her sister…and that alone makes for such a dynamic character that I wish she could have her own movie!