Abstract

The purpose of this blog is to determine how the princesses of Walt Disney animated productions have evolved and adapted from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), to Frozen (2013). Focusing on gender representations and carrying out a content analysis on the twelve Disney princess films produced in this time period, and how the portrayal of women has changed over the years.
The Disney Company is a global success which has an influence on its viewers. Research has shown that the media acts as a guideline for children on gender roles. A literature review will be conducted, research of the gendered stereotypes and mixed messages conveyed in Disney films, as well as a broader look at the Disney Company.
The combination of these analytical tools offers insight into these Disney feature films, looking specifically at the princesses and the evolution of these characters as well as the plots to their films and the princesses’ worth to the plot.
Over the past eighty years, the representation of Disney princesses has evolved, from a focus on passive, beautiful and defenceless women who wait to be rescued by princes to women who are strong, independent and intelligent. No longer relying on men to make them happy and fulfilled, the central focus of the princess characters have shifted; from women longing for romance to women who are willing to fight for themselves as well as the ones they love.