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Maleficent is a film with feminist undertones. It’s clear to see the feminist bias in how the movie plays out, especially the ending. Sleeping Beauty, by contrast, is not feminist. Yet it is more pro-women and a better movie overall. Here’s my comparison of the two, and a call for making movies egalitarian, not feminist.
Maleficent: A Feminist Fantasy
Maleficent turns the villain into a tragic figure who became that way literally because of men and their greed. She loves and cares for Aurora.
When Maleficent is fighting the men, that can be seen as a visual representation of feminists fighting the ‘patriarchy’ that ‘oppresses and keeps down women.’ The ending shows the extreme-feminist dream come true. Matriarchy has replaced patriarchy, there is no heterosexual marriage shown, and the only positive male character is literally submissive to a woman (Maleficent’s bird-man). Prince Phillip becomes sidelined, whereas in Sleeping Beauty he was a brave hero.
As a film, Maleficent is okay, but to me is nothing special. The CGI is too sensationalist, reflective of big Hollywood graphics and action. It cannot compare to the stunning visual backdrop of Sleeping Beauty. The internal struggle of the protagonist is a superficial update, turning a sassy villain into a woman who is only ‘bad’ because of a man. This is reflective of 2014, a time of rampant Anglo-American feminism.
Sleeping Beauty: Pro-Female, NOT feminism
Sleeping Beauty, by contrast, is not a feminist film. Instead, it is a movie that is pro-women AND pro-men. It is about good people versus evil people, not women versus the patriarchy. The villain is condemned and the good are rewarded. Maleficent remains a charming sassy villain we love-to-hate.
Princess Aurora herself is probably the most boring of all Disney Princesses (at least, to me). She represents what feminists often criticise about Disney Princesses. Indeed, Aurora does receive very little screen time, and when we do see her she is fantasizing about meeting a young boy (like most teenage girls her age; nothing wrong with that). Ironically, almost all of the others (Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Jasmine, Ariel, Moana, Pocahontas, Tiana), have agency, good character development, and play an active role in their stories.
Anna from Frozen is MORE fussed about finding a prince than those that came before her. (Elsa is the one for whom romance is barely an interest.) While Anna’s first major song is about wanting to find a prince, Ariel’s is about wanting to live on land. Belle’s and Pocahontas’ are about wanting to find adventure and freedom. Tiana wants her own restaurant and Cinderella just wants a happy life.
Strong Princesses
Even Snow White, who does also wish for a prince, spends most of the film taking responsibility by building a new life for herself and caring for the seven dwarves. She bravely hides from her cruel stepmother rather than rolling over and giving in.
Aurora can also be said to do this. When she finds out she is betrothed, instead of protesting and running away from home, she upholds her duty by returning home to the palace. She is still reacting to her circumstances, but she is reacting maturely rather than running off. So the reasons that feminists criticise Disney princesses for (being boring, passive, under-developed, wishing for a prince), can be applied to Aurora (if we ignore context), but not at all to the others.
Three Wonderful Women
The reason why Sleeping Beauty is pro-female is because the true protagonists of the story are three brave, heroic, and courageous fairies. Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather are three of Disney’s most underrated women. It is very sad that in Maleficent, these women were sidelined and practically turned into comic relief.
The three good fairies in Sleeping Beauty save the entire kingdom and deserve full credit for what they did. They save Aurora by raising her in the countryside for sixteen years. They’re the ones who rescue Prince Phillip from Maleficent’s castle and aid him in his fight.
They even put the kingdom to sleep so that they don’t have to find their princess put under the curse of Maleficent. No one thanks the fairies at the end (on-screen anyway). No reward, no big proclamations. Just goodness for goodness’ end.
These three women also show diversity in character. Flora is the creative leader, Fauna is sweet and motherly, and Merryweather is a feisty tomboy. She even insists that Aurora’s dress be blue instead of pink. (I liked it better pink.)
Maleficent vs The Three Good Fairies
In Maleficent, the credit and glory is all given to the feminist figure. This is symbolic of how feminism rewards women who conform to feminist ideals, but doesn’t reward or praise non-feminist women. The three good fairies are the ones who raised Aurora, while Maleficent cursed her because of her own personal vengeance. Maleficent stalks Aurora, and puts her into a trance against her will, and also lies to her. If Maleficent was a man, her behaviour would be seen as creepy and predatory.
Needless to say, what happened to Maleficent was horrible (her wings being stolen from King Stefan). But taking out her anger on the daughter is something no one confronts her on. She wrestles with her own guilt, but is still rewarded at the end despite not doing much besides watching Aurora from afar. Instead of having her and Stefan resolve their differences, Stefan becomes a crazy mad-man. He barely acknowledges his daughter when she returns from home. (Far from the loving King in the cartoon.)
Taking the Feminism out of Films
I hope that one day we can return to films which are pro-female, condemn bad behaviour, and reward good behaviour. Unfortunately, feminist bias will keep making bad women tragic and sympathetic, while blaming men/patriarchy for everything.
I love to watch Maleficent character in movies. She’s fun to watch.
She certainly is!
Angelina Jolie is so beautiful~
I don’t disagree xD