Princess’ Metamorphosis: from Sleeping Beauty to Awakened Woman

Abstract

The prevailing ideals of feminine behaviour have been determined by social characteristics of specific time and place. Controversy under gender inequality is not a new issue but recent cultural and social changes have contributed to the weakening of the traditional power of men and the increase of women’s empowerment and independence in our Western culture. In this sense, Disney’s films based on traditional fairy tales have played a crucial role in shaping and perpetuating these perceptions regarding women and men and their role in society. The following paper explores the way in which those traditional perceptions of the protagonist and antagonist in Disney’s fairies, shifted in the 21st century. In the light of these changes, the following study involves the analysis of the fairy tale the “Sleeping Beauty” and its two subsequent adaptations in cinema of 1959 and 2014, respectively.