Disney movies have not typically been known for their accurate representation of what a woman is or should do. In the classics, a woman was shown as being rosy cheeked, prim and proper, and hopelessly in love with a prince they had just met. However, over time Disney began a change in characterization and this change can be seen in the 1994 movie The Lion King. While The Lion King represents a changing American society in which people were recognizing the strengths of woman outside of motherhood, people were still largely giving power and preference to men. Nala, the overall depiction of the lionesses, and the relationship between Mufasa and Simba exemplified this idea. Nala, in her childhood, is initially shown as being just as courageous …show more content…
His voice is deep, his walk is confident, his mane is impressive, and he is definitely in-charge. Simba looks up to his father because of these reasons. Mufasa does have one weakness that proves to be fatal: his son. While the movie lets us see some sort of vulnerability in the noble pride leader, there is a more selfish reasoning to his weakness. Simba is the only male lion in the pride, so he is heir to it. Mufasa would have to be very cautious in the care of his son because he is the only other person besides Scar who could carry on the line of succession. Simba as Mufasa's son brings a note a narcissism into the ordeal. Being a part of Mufasa shows that the king was concerned about a piece of himself, even if it is external. While this in itself is not important on its own, Nala's very existence makes the relationship status significant. By all technicality, being the daughter of one of Mufasa's pride lionesses means she is also a child of the king, but was shown no deference most likely due to her not being a boy cub. It could be said that Disney was not thinking about incest and polygamy when they wrote the story, but considering the familial relationship between the main characters of the sequel and the absence of other male lions besides Scar, it is quite possible that the future king and queen were
Character summary: Mufasa from the Lion King Mufasa is one of the main characters of the movie he is also the tragic hero of the story. Mufasa is the father of Simba. Mufasa was ready to go beyond any forces to protect Simba no matter what it takes. When Scar, Mufasas brother, sets him up so that he could take Mufasas place, Scar tells him that Simba has been caught in a stampede so Mufasa sacrificed his own life for his son’s.
Animals travel devotedly across the African plains to witness the unveiling of the newborn prince, Simba, the cub of the esteemed Lion King, Mufasa. As he grows into an adventurous yet oftentimes reckless young lion, Simba and his best friend, and eventual mate, Nala get into mischief despite Mufasa’s attempts to teach humility, responsibility, and leadership. As Simba nears the age of assuming the throne his bitter reclusive uncle, Scar, seethes with jealousy. Plotting the deaths of his older brother and nephew, Scar stages a stampede where he murders Mufasa and scares young Simba into believing he killed his own father, forcing him to flee. Timon, a showy meerkat, and Pumba, a clueless yet companionable warthog, find Simba unconscious in
A young lion, Simba, loses his father and king of The Pride Lands, Mufasa, in a tragic and demented incident with his uncle, Scar. The loss of Mufasa leaves Simba feeling helpless and riddled with guilt, so
Born as the heir of King Ahadi and Queen Uru, Mufasa was a courageous lion who ruled over The Pride Land. After the birth of his son; Mufasa, began teaching Simba about the circle of life, training him to take his place as king. As a result, his jealous younger brother; Scar, hatches a scheme to over throw him and rule his kingdom. Once it's discovered that Scar missed Simbas's presentation ceremony; Mufasa, enters the lion's den in order to chastise his brother for his insolence. As the king continues to scold his brother, Scar turns his back and walks away, stating he might attack Mufasa if he turned his back on him. A few months later, Mufasa travels to the Pride Lands to show Simba around his kingdom. As the pair continue their journey,
The Lion King has always been considered a symbolic film teaching children not to dwell in the past. To demonstrate that what happens in the past does not matter, it will prevail how the person grows from it. Simba’s past was not the best, however he grew from it. His uncle Scar made him think that he killed his own father. When he found out Simba still did the kind-hearted deed and spare his uncle's life.
Lazarus states her thesis by saying: “The Lion King is breaking box office records. But it’s not breaking stereotypes (1)”. She discusses how at first she believes it will be different from the traditional Disney movies because it is based on a group of animals and not on sexist princess movies such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast (1). Lazarus says she had grown “weary of reinforcing women’s subordinate status by screening fables about a beauty who tames an angry male beast or a mermaid who gives up her glorious voice and splits her body to be with a prince.(1)”
The birth of Simba not only represents the birth of the new king, but it signifies the birth of royalty, which is the establishment of Simba's identity. With the birth of royalty, comes the birth of reverence and veneration. Along with the reputation and status that Simba earns, comes many friends. Simba quickly builds a strong sense of comradeship and solidarity towards a young lioness, named Nala. His friendship with Nala also contributes to his sense of identity because she is a close friend.
One of the main controversies discussed in this video is the way that Disney portrays women
In the beginning, Mufasa takes Simba early in the morning to watch the sunrise, the mixture of colors and light symbolizes the beauty, health, and powerful land of Pride rock. Mufasa teaches Simba about the kingdom of Pride Rock, how to be king, and how to survive the quest Simba was going to take later on in the movie. In this scene, when Mufasa tells Simba that he will not always be there for him, to save him, and that someday he will be in the tars of the sky looking down on him like the ancestors in the stars do now, foreshadowing that something will happen to Mufasa. This explains Mufasa being the mentor because he teaches Simba the tasks he needs to do to survive and prepares him for what is to come.
Lazarus states her thesis by saying: “The Lion King is breaking box office records. But it’s not breaking stereotypes (1)”. She discusses how at first she believes it will be different from the traditional Disney movies because it is based on a group of animals and not on sexist princess movies such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast (1). Lazarus says she had grown “weary of reinforcing women’s subordinate status by screening fables about a beauty who tames an angry male beast or a mermaid who gives up her glorious voice and splits her body to be with a prince.(1)”
“Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance, and respect all the creatures from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope,” said Mufasa, a supporting character in the film depiction of Walt Disney’s: The Lion King (1994). The Lion King is a timeless archetypal work that time after time has given youth hope and has shown them that courage is not always innate, but can be learned from just living life with a little “hakuna matata”. The Lion King, through the use of classic archetype, vivid surrealism, and iconic symbolism, shows a coming to age story that shows children that life is an adventure worth the trouble.
Disney as a producer of films and tv programs is one of if not the most known media brand in the world, everyone either has seen or knows about a Disney movie. This is quite a large audience for a company to have the ability to influence. These films do all have positive messages that come from them but unfortunately due to this large audience critics have began to notice a pattern in the presentation of the films and believe that Disney's seeming innocent nature is not just that when these films are viewed more in depth. It is seen that the genders in the film are all portrayed in the same manner, females having to be kind caring, built with a small waist and that their sole purpose is to find a man and succumb to his needs. Males must be
For decades now, Disney Corporation has been providing us with countless films made to delight and amuse children and adults alike. But not all Disney films seem particularly appropriate for their target audience. Many of these films portray violence, gender inequality, and skewed views of leadership roles that seem altogether inappropriate for impressionable young children. Better and more contemporary heroines need to be added to Disney’s wall of princesses in order to counteract years of sexism.
The Disney film “The Lion King” is a great example of how females are seen as subordinate to males. Giroux states, “All of the rulers of the kingdom are men, reinforcing the assumption that independence and leadership are tied to patriarchal entitlement and high social standing” (Greene 582). This is the case for most Disney films that the male characters have power over the female characters. The female characters are depicted as weak and dependent on the male characters. This can give young girls the wrong idea of what type of roles they should take on. If they keep seeing female characters being portrayed as weak and dependent on males they may think that they should be the same way. However, not all of the female characters in these movies are portrayed the same way.
Little girls everywhere spend their childhoods watching the princesses portrayed in Disney movies, dreaming about the day they too will meet their prince charming. They see how Sleeping Beauty is woken up by a prince, Cinderella marries a prince, Sleeping Beauty turns a beast into a prince, and countless other instances of a girl just like them meeting their perfect man. Disney is infamous for their outdated illustration of gender roles. Mulan is one of the first Disney princess movies in which, instead of waiting for her prince, the heroine actually saves the day, or in this case, China. Mulan makes a variety of statements about gender roles that can be examined through many