The trope of weak incapable males ruled by strong females implies that all problems can be laid at the feet of women, as if we live in a matriarchal society and men have no real power The irony, from a feminist perspective, is that the agent of her oppression is her mother. For much of the time, however, Merida feels oppressed. Another exhilarating early scene sees her fire arrows whilst charging through the forest on her horse. It is a notable moment when she curses her restrictive dress and tears it in order to properly use her bow, no doubt horrifying Barbies everywhere. She even manages to pass through the movie without receiving any compliments on her looks. Her wild red curls may be an obvious symbol of her personality, but unlike the typical Disney Princess, Merida (in the film at least, if not some of the abysmal merchandise connected with it) is not over sexualised. She knows how to wield a bow and arrow, ride a horse and stand up for herself. Merida is far from being the passive, pretty primped princess beloved of traditionalists. The ensuing row between mother and daughter leads Merida into a magical adventure involving a witch and some scary bears. There is an archery competition to win her hand in marriage, but Merida insists on the chance to compete for her own hand and it is she who is the best archer of them all. Pixar’s record perfectly illustrates the misogyny inherent in children’s movies and it is also a bit disheartening to realise that the first film with a female lead my five year old will see is one with a princess.īrave is set in the Highlands of mediaeval Scotland where Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly MacDonald) is told by her parents that she must marry one of three suitors.
The 13th movie from the world’s most successful animation studio is their first with a female lead.
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