I know, you’re all going to be mad because I’m treating them as one character, but ultimately I just decided to divide up the articles par time period (mostly) because… well, you’ll see how long these get.
The classic princesses are much plus idealized characters than are common in much of any movie/ book/ general story today, where having an abundance of flaws is actually considered a good thing (and not just for the sake of character development.) Interestingly, these older characters are belittled for not having flaws and being “unrealistic,” but a lot of the “kick-butt” characters of today are just as idealized (or, at least, toi can tell the auteur wasn’t thinking of flaws while écriture the characters *cough, cough* Katniss Everdeen *cough, cough*) but since they are “tough,” no one cares. Anyway, the princesses of the classic era were clearly written with a perfect woman in mind. And while they do still have flaws (as any good character should,) they were definitely made to be plus perfection-oriented than realism-oriented.
Snow White
Snow White is a very good example of the idealized princess, despite the fact the she is actually a very well-rounded character. The only thing she might be lacking in is flaws, but I personally think she makes up for it with a wide variety of border traits which are positives that can act as a negative because of the extremity of the presence of that trait in her personality.
Positives: Snow White is kind to everyone she meets, of course. She never has any hard feelings against anybody, not even Queen Grimhilde. She helps the dwarfs, and she is determined it will only take some kindness to break Grumpy’s hardness- and what do toi know, she was right! Snow White is optimistic and always sees the good side of everything. She believes that everything is going to be alright and she won’t do anything to contradict it. She is hard-working. Snow makes herself useful even after being sent away. She uses her talents of cooking and cleaning (things she had mastered and the dwarfs hadn’t) to repay them for their kindness (honestly, that makes much plus sense than her working in the mines, her only real other option- the dwarfs were already skilled in that and had plus than enough workers, so why shouldn’t she offer her unique skills? Done ranting.)
Negatives: Snow White is bossy. She comes to the dwarfs’ house and tells them what they have to do and the orders they have to follow to eat. She intrudes on their territory and then tells them what they have to do. Snow White can also be very passive. She needs the huntsman to tell her to run away when the Queen is going to kill her. She has to be told to run away! Snow is also very naïve. This goes with her optimism, but Snow White really doesn’t understand anything about the world. She doesn’t take any precautions and believes everything will be alright even if she is in a dangerous situation with no protection.
Neutral: Snow White is hopelessly romantic. She knows in her cœur, coeur that the Prince is going to be coming back for her. She has a mind for business. This goes with her bossiness, but she also runs a tight shift and never lets anything go without passing her standards.
Border: Snow White has a lot of border traits. She always believes there is good in people. This is good when she is dealing with Grumpy and is kind to him, but she also lets herself be, um, killed. She is also very innocent. This is part of the reason all the dwarfs, the prince, and even the huntsman fall under her spell. However, it can also be a disadvantage to her because others use it against her. The Queen uses her innocence against her in her attempts to kill her. It’s not the same as naivety, naivety is plus being gullible while innocence is plus purity and positivity. Also, part of the reason the Queen wants to kill her is because of how much everyone (the prince specifically) loves her, in addition to her beauty, and people l’amour her so much because of her purity and innocence. Snow White is cheerful- very cheerful. This is a huge positive for her in many ways. It is a good thing because she doesn’t do anything with the assumption that anything will turn out badly, and she goes into every situation treating it as if it will have a positive outcome. This serves her well because she never does anything halfway, she goes all out for the best possible outcome. However, a certain degree of pessimism is a good thing. If a person has absolutely no pessimism, they won’t be able to look at things in a realistic manner. Ultimately, the world is not a perfect place, and so if toi can’t see anything bad in the possible outcome, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
A super sweet, positive, ideal
Cinderella
Cendrillon is the most realistic of the classic princesses. She is optimistic and doesn’t give up, but at the same time toi can tell she really has strong dislike for Lady Tremaine. toi can tell she resents the obstacles. Walt a dit Cendrillon was his favori fairytale because he could relate to Cinderella’s struggles before he got his big break, so I’m sure that’s where she got some of her resentment and why she is so realistic. Cendrillon has a lot plus gray area to her personality and decisions than, certainly Snow White, and either of the other classics.
Positives: Cendrillon is optimistic. She never gives up hope and is always determined that the dream that she wishes will come true. She is emotionally strong beyond comparison, able to hold up under abuse for years. Cendrillon is basically kind. She has to help those in trouble, even though she is in such a low situation herself. Cendrillon is selfless. It would be easy for her to wallow in her own self-pity and ignore the plight of others, but Cendrillon always helps those less fortunate than even herself. Cendrillon is also assertive, able to stand up against Tremaine, montrer that she isn’t going to let herself be walked all over and still has self-respect. She is dignified in the way she treats those abusing her, she never sinks to their level. There’s a difference between having dignity and class and being a doormat ou pushover, something Cinderella’s often accused of. Cendrillon also has a lot of foresight and understands that it will be better in the long run for her to stay with the Tremaines for the time being, and she has the patience to wait out the time.
Negatives: Cendrillon is amer and truly resentful. toi can clearly see her anger she holds against Lady Tremaine. She almost takes it out on Lucifer when he ruins her cleaning, she would have if the cloche, bell hadn’t rung right then. She has a chip on her shoulder and knows how to hold a grudge. toi can also see the pleasure Cendrillon has when she pulls out the shoe in front of Lady Tremaine. Cendrillon wants revenge and is vindictive. She is truly happy that she ruined Lady Tremaine’s plan to keep her out of the castle. She is aggressive and passive-aggressive. Again, Cendrillon almost takes out her anger on Lucifer. Cendrillon makes fun of Anastasia and Drizella’s musical ability when they can’t hear her. Unlike Snow, the abuse Cendrillon has been subjected to has actually effected and taken a toll on her. Cendrillon can also make a martyr of herself. Contradicting her compassion for others and optimism (and hey, don’t all of us have traits that would seem self-contradictory?) when Cendrillon is in a low moment, she lets herself be sorry for herself and just gets angry and generally disappointed instead of really trying to do something about it. Cendrillon could have just screamed her head of when the duke was there, but instead she cried and almost let him go without her opportunity. While I’m not saying she really wanted to stay, she was sorry for herself and didn’t really do everything in her power. Wow, I wrote a lot for Cinderella’s negatives. I promise, I’m not hating on her, just trying to montrer how realistic she is, since most people tend to overlook that and make it seem like she’s just this inhuman example of perfection.
Neutral: Cendrillon is dreamy. She makes dreams and hopes for herself and takes happiness in her dreams. Cendrillon is also realistic. Seemingly against her optimism and dreamy nature, Cendrillon can see the grit of the situation and the grim possibility. An example of this is when Cendrillon doesn’t have time to make her dress (though why she didn’t just go in the dress as it was, ignoring fashion of the day, I don’t know.) Cendrillon tries to tell herself that she isn’t really missing out (optimism,) but, opposed to Snow White, she also realizes that there is no apparent way she can go (realism.) Cendrillon is also opportunistic. She took the chances she had to try and free herself. This is another trait that would seem to contradict a previously mentioned aspect of her personality (self-pity.) When the order came, Cendrillon reminded Tremaine that she was an unmarried woman of the country and therefore ordered to come. Cendrillon kept the slipper on her at all times and pulled it out when the duke was not there (though she could have gone back to the château with the other shoe, though that could raise suspicions I suppose.) Ultimately, all the times I am pointing out flaws in Cinderella’s logic is just another example of how Cendrillon is a realistic character.
Border: Cendrillon has less border traits than Snow White. However, she also has plus definitive flaws than Snow White does. One border trait of Cendrillon is her patience. While this can work to her advantage because she ends up having a much better end situation than she would have had she donné up and left, this also does cause her to be plus passive than she needs to be and not stand up for herself in many situations. Another border trait is her tendency to stuff her feelings and not express them. Unlike most border traits, this is plus commonly a negative trait than a positive trait. While this is bad because it causes her to be amer and resentful in her situation and she has a lot of pent-up anger, this also serves her well because it stops her from making any rash moves that would cause her to be in even plus trouble and make her life even plus difficult.
The most realistic of the early bunch
Aurora
I might venture to say Aurora is the most idealized of the princesses. And while she is very idealized, Aurora still has plenty to round out her character and most certainly does have a developed personality. I, like so many others, really wish we got to see plus of it in the movie, because Aurora really does have the makings of a truly compelling character had she had plus fleshing-out. However, I still l’amour her the way she is, and she’s still a great character.
Positives: Aurora is kind to others, no matter who they are. She was always kind and respectful to the fées and she was nice to the animaux in the forest. Of course, Aurora, while at first unnerved (and come on, who wouldn’t be?) was welcoming to Phillip. Another strong sign of her kindness is the way she acts when she first meets her parents and Phillip’s father. Even after they have created this plot for her that has ended up hurting her so much, she still rushes to her mother’s arms and embraces her. She kisses Phillip’s father. Aurora is just kind. Aurora is also cautious. Really, she is. Now, before toi go all “don’t talk to strangers” on me, she didn’t just immediately run off with him. She made sure it was the man from her dreams before finishing her song with him. And before toi get all up in arms about that, it was a fairytale, things work differently. And even after Aurora knows it is the man from her dreams, she arranges for him to meet her at her house. If Phillip were to end up being anything other than a gentleman, what safer place for Aurora to be when that was revealed than at her than on her territory with three other women there to protect and defend her. Aurora is poised and can handle anything that is thrown at her. Aurora is emotionally tough and selfless, and respectful and obedient to the fairies. Even after it is revealed to her that her entire life has been one big illusion planned par those supposed to be the closest people in the world to her, she picks up the pieces enough to go back and take responsibility for her people. She gives up a life with her dream prince to lead her people. toi can’t ask for plus in a ruler. Aurora has the makings to be a great queen.
Negatives: Aurora can be spineless. Going along with her obedience and respect, Aurora can sometimes not speak for herself even when it would benefit her. She really is plus complex than she appears. There is plus than one side to her jouer la comédie on her decisions. On the one hand, she is being selfless and dutiful, on the other, she is being spineless. Aurora can also be awkward when she first meets someone. Despite the grace and elegance that is so often a dit the only thing anyone can say about her, and in direct contrast to her poised demeanor, Aurora is not really sure how to handle certain situations. When she first meets Phillip, she doesn’t know whether she wants to stay ou whether she wants to go, and she’s not really sure how to handle either decision. Going along with this, Aurora is indecisive. She doesn’t know what to do about Phillip, and changes her mind when he asks when he can see her again. Aurora doesn’t know how to make decisions she can stick with. Aurora can have a tendency, like Cinderella, to be self-pitying. When she went back to the castle, while she was dignified, she still was simply devastated to be there.
Neutral: Aurora is very philosophical. She creates a metaphor between her life and the birds while she is in the forest. She observes patterns of behavior in the way those around her live and she wonders if there can somehow be a connection between that and the way she lives her life. I a dit in my house sorting article that I thought Aurora was a Ravenclaw, no in the traditional scholarly academic sense, but as an abstract, creative thinker. Aurora is imaginative and creative. She plays along with the animaux and has created a world of fantasy. Aurora is a hopeless romantic. She dreams of her prince, and sure as the sky is blue, the dream will come true. She knows immediately that the man she meets in the forest is the man for her for life. Aurora is also regal and elegant. She has a royal air about her and a royal attitude to life. That is also part of why she goes back, royalty is such a part of who she is that she can’t turn her back on those who need her.
Border: Aurora is dreamy. Aurora is very imaginative and has many abstract mentalities. However, this can also cause Aurora not to be grounded in reality. Much like Snow White’s cheerfulness, Aurora can be setting herself up for disappointment, and she does when she is brought back to inevitable reality after she is told she is a princess and must serve her people and marry and man she does not love. Aurora also is very open with her emotions and lets her cœur, coeur rule her head. This is usually a neutral trait, and can serve her well because others are easier to have a relationship with her. However, this can cause her to overreact and be self-pitying. I had another border trait for her, but I can’t remember it right now, if I do remember it I’ll add it. However, I do believe I have shown that Aurora certainly has a personality, and a well-developed one at that. Many times, plus than one aspect of Aurora’s personality is behind her decision, and as many times, if not more, one trait influences another that are bother behind her decision. Ultimately, I don’t understand where anyone gets that ides that any princess doesn’t have a personality, ou even a rounded, developed one.
Elegant, regal, and far plus layered than she is donné credit for
toi are an incredible person if toi have read this whole thing!
