Thinky thoughts about princesses and stories

[jelazakazone]

I heard this piece on the radio about princesses and the new movie Brave and it got me to thinking.  I would love to see a story about a princess who isn't fighting an older evil woman, who has a female best friend, and may or may not be a warrior, but she's fighting something and she wins.  Maybe it's time to unpack the original Grimm's Fairy

Comments

[beeej]

Have an awesome vacation! When you get back we'll have to do lunch, or maybe you can come spend a day in the fangirl basement again. Something fun. :)

[jelazakazone]

Thanks!

LOL. The fangirl!basement. I will have the girls with me full time now until school starts, basically, so we'll just have to see. Also, I only have 11 days between this trip and the next one, so I'm guessing that I won't really have time to faff off. I will just have to see. Fangirl time in the basement for a couple hours sounds like a lovely escape:)

[alba17]

Awesome idea. I'm really curious about Brave and my daughter really wants to see it too. She's not into princesses either.

Have a good trip!

[jelazakazone]

Maybe in the fall I can encourage people to do princess stories. I'm far too distracted at the moment.

Thanks!

Oh, I should have noted that a couple years ago DD2 got a concussion and they were trying to keep her awake at the hospital. I was across the room from her while they were evaluating her and I hear very loudly, "I hate princesses!" LOL. I suggested they talk to her about dogs instead:)

[dunderklumpen]

Have fun at your vacation

[jelazakazone]

OMG, write more! You've only touched on the surface here.

What I know of Grimm is that the endings have been changed and that the girls/women get what they want/need at the end of the stories because of their virtue. They stayed strong in their beliefs, right?

So, yes, it seems to me that traditionally a woman's strength is not in her physical power, but in her wit, exactly.

Keep talking, please:) Not sure how much I can chat today, but I'd love to hear more about this.

Thanks! Time to pack this morning.

[dunderklumpen]

I always thought that the Grimm's fairytales were incredibly fascinating. They're called "folktales" which implies that they're tales narrated over many generations and came directly from the people. But that's only half true

[jelazakazone]

*nods* Yes, it's the moral element of the tales that has been lost in the Disney-fication of them.

Not Bettelheim. Joseph Campbell! I had to google it to find it. George Lucas knew about Campbell's ideas when he wrote Star Wars.

[dunderklumpen]

Of course... Leia! Star Wars FTW! :)

[jelazakazone]

Hm, it's been so long since I've seen Star Wars, that I can't remember her story arc any more. She is definitely awesome and has a mind of her own, but in the end, she still falls in love (admittedly, who would not fall in love with Han Solo?).

I'm deliberately trying to find problems with her narrative here. Not sure if there actually are any.

[dunderklumpen]

No doubt: I LOVE Star Wars but the problem I have with princess Leia is that her character doesn't feel properly developed.
It's like George Lucas couldn't decide what he wanted. On the one hand we have Leia as a strong female rolemodel who fights and basically is the leader of the resistance. On the other hand we have this little girl who swoons when Han Solo flirts with her. For me this part of her character doesn't fit with the picture I want to have of her. She doesn't have to be feisty but a bit less teenage girl would do.

Otherwise Star Wars is the perfect example for transferring fairytale basics into a movie. It isn't only the story of the hero who saves the princesses kingdom and gets her hand in the end but even things like the colorscheme (black and white) etc. which fit the theme.

[jelazakazone]

Have you read any of the Grimm's original tales? They are pretty gruesome. As dunderklumpen points out, they are purportedly folk tales, so they came from an oral tradition anyway.

Ok. I will peek at it while I'm there.