The Lessons of the Disney Princesses

Ah, to be a princess! Nearly every little girl has this dream and stomps around the house in high heels, little satin dresses & a plastic yet very shiny tiara. At the center of these dreams are the Disney movies that have become the conerstone of everything pink & princess-y.

Although often the fantasy of being a princess is based on beauty or wealth, Disney has created dozens of characters who are more than just pretty faces. Each one can teach our daughters valuable lessons about the virtues we are trying to instill in them & the real meaning of being a "princess." Wether a princess by birth or marriage, our favorite princesses delighted us as children and are treasured by our daughters to this very day.

Belle: Beauty and the Beast, Belle's Enchanted Castle, and Belle's Magical World

Perhaps our favorite princess, Belle from Beauty and the Beast saw the truth & beauty in the heart of a beast and was not fooled by the pretty package of a wicked man. Her greatest traits were insight, wisdom and self respect. She didn't settle for a proposal from a man she didn't like and when the Beast frightened and nearly injured her, she simply left until he had redeemed himself. She knew her value as a human being and would not settle for less than she deserved. And since her value was based on what was inside, she made the right choices.　

Snow White: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

The first Disney princess since her premiere in 1937 in Walt Disney's very first animated film, she is a favorite in many hearts. Although Snow White is a very young princess & based on the values of another era which we all don't share, her primary positive traits are kindness and optimism. Her cruel treatment at the hands of her step mother does not leave her emotionally scarred and unable to trust. She believes that happiness will come to her one day and focuses on the future as well as the needs of others. Although some may consider this to be an outdated concept and brutal people have taken advantage of those who are soft hearted, a kind and sweet soul is a wonderful treasure in the world and is something we should hope our daughters possess.

Princess Aurora: Sleeping Beauty

As the title character from Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora also known as Briar-Rose has a very different upbringing than some of the other princesses of royal birth. Raised as a peasant in the woods, she is not even aware of her lineage until her 16th birthday, upon which she is torn from all she knows to her new reality. Although she is written with the values of the time period: obedient and sweet, it is these very character traits along with her natural talents and beauty that win her the heart of the prince and allow her to rediscover her family. While a Princess such as Ariel may not have returned to the castle when asked and simply have stayed to wait for her new found love (only to perhaps be killed by Maleficent), she returns to the castle as she is told and is rescued by her Prince in time for the wedding dance. Perhaps another lesson from Aurora is to always behave well as you never know when your prince will arrive.

Cinderella: Cinderella, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, and Cinderella III: A Twist in Time

Although her circumstances are very poor and her treatment horrendous, she never loses hope or her natural kindness. Imagine if she treated others as she was treated? Not only would the fairy godmother never have visited her, but the prince would not have been drawn to her wonderful personality. Although Cinderella is portrayed as a beautiful blonde woman in the film, its evident throughout the movie that her best traits are found within.

Pocahontas: Pocahontas and Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World

Pocahontas is based on a real Native American princess who did in fact save John Smith from execution in 1607. Her greatest lessons for our daughters is bravery & following your heart to truth. Regardless of the wishes of her family and tribe, she stands up for a falsely accused man and saves him.

Princess Jasmine, Aladdin, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves

Princess Jasmine from Aladdin is very different than most of the princesses who have come before her in Disney fairy tales. Whereas other princesses taught kindness and keeping a cheerful heart through trials, Jasmine teaches to never compromise yourself regardless of the expectations of others. Kept locked in her palace and denied basic human rights such as self determination, she simply refuses to obey a law she finds unjust. She respects herself enough to remove herself from a bad situation, without losing love for her father.

Ariel, The Little Mermaid, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea and the Little Mermaid III: Ariel's Begining

Ariel is among the most rebellious and strong willed princesses in any Disney film and the first modern woman. She has a curious mind and a brave heart and although she makes many mistakes, her persistence and the love she inspires in others wins in the end. This is one of those films in which you may have sit down and disect with your children. Its important to point out her flaws and mistakes, but show how these can become strengths when put in the right direction. In the end, she didn't let fear keep her from saving the one she loved and she always stayed true to herself.

To be a princess is among the ultimate fantasies of very young girls & even many adult woman as evidenced by billions spent on princess merchandise, costumes and movies. Although many fantasies are based a possibly false perception of the life of a princess being full of beauty, wealth, luxury, adoration, power & unlimited leisure which appeals to the needs of little girls self esteem although the reality of the life of a princess may be very different. In these films, the Disney company has captured flawed, realistic princesses with lessons to teach our girls. Perhaps its mostly fluff and a lot of marketing, but if your daughter learns to esteem the positive traits they teach, than you've found the ultimate value of the fairy tale: to teach truths about life.