In Tangled, a 2010 Disney movie directed by Byron Howard and Nathan Greno, Rapunzel, a young princess is kidnapped by the nefarious Mother Gothel for possessing magical hair with special healing abilities. Mother Gothel confines Rapunzel in a high tower and distances her from civilization, using Rapunzel’s magical powers to keep herself young. When Flynn Rider, a criminal, barges into Rapunzel’s tower, the two work out a truce through hesitant agreements. Flynn agrees to become Rapunzel’s temporary escort to view the mystical glowing lanterns which always float across the sky on her birthday, and Rapunzel agrees to return precious cargo which she seized from Flynn. The heart-pounding journey to the lanterns invokes a strong affection between the two characters leading to their marriage. Although it passes the Bechdel test, Tangled showcases …show more content…
Her youth and beauty greatly contrast to Mother Gothel, the antagonist of the film, who displays that at the root of every selfish, evil character is age and unattractiveness. One of the defining characteristics of Rapunzel is her long, flowing golden hair. Mother Gothel kidnaps Rapunzel as a child for it, and the movie objectifies Rapunzel for her hair, setting a stereotypical normality that to be a princess, girls must be young, skinny and have long hair.
Aside from her appearance, Rapunzel’s character is also defined by the stereotypical female hobbies she is fond of such as cleaning, cooking, and sewing. Additionally, in the beginning of the movie, a whole song is dedicated to the chores she enjoys to do such as “polish and wax, do laundry and mop and shine up”. While Rapunzel does subvert female stereotypes by being able to defend herself with just a frying pan, for the majority of her life she passive and obediently listens to her mother and remains locked away in her tower, waiting for someone to help