research essay

Pick from the following Disney films and compose a 4-5 page feminist analysis of one or more “princess” films. Relevant titles are:

Snow White (1937), Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1959), Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), Mulan (1998), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Tangled (2010), Brave (2012), Frozen (2013), Moana (2016), Frozen II (2019).
NB: Recent live-action remakes are not applicable.

You may compare and contrast films, or trace the historical trajectory of all of them, or focus on just one. You are not required to focus your essay on the princesses themselves – you may look at any element of the film(s) as you wish (for example, the social construction of masculinity, the role of the older woman/women, the “rescue” trope, animal sidekicks, ideas about sexuality). What matters is that your analysis is feminist and focuses on social constructions as we have discussed in class. Race, class, gender, performativity, colonialism, and sexuality are all relevant issues.

Please indicate clearly in your introduction which film or films you are addressing. Your essay must have a thesis statement that is backed up with main points proved using outside research. You must have a minimum of three sources. A combination of academic and non-academic sources is acceptable, but you must use at least one scholarly source (i.e. from an academic journal, monograph, or other peer-reviewed work). Sources must be cited properly as is indicated in the course syllabus. You will be graded on the coherence of your argument, the depth and breadth of your analysis, and your understanding of social constructions. Spelling and grammar count!