Disney and the American Princess:

The Americanization of European Fairy Tales

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Marina Alexandrova

Student number 3021874

MA Thesis, American Studies Program

Utrecht University

Course code 200401064

23943 words

12 August 2009

Contents

Title page………………………………………………………………1

Contents……………………………………………………………….2

Introduction……………………………………………………………3

Chapter 1: European Fairy Tales and

Values about Gender and Class………………………………………10

Chapter 2: Disney Animation and American Culture…………………24

Chapter 3: Disney Animation and

(Gender) Commodification…………………………………………..55

Conclusion…………………………………………………………...73

Bibliography…………………………………………………………78

Introduction

Among the various aspects which define contemporary life, popular culture – and in particular, American popular culture – is undoubtedly one of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting. Throughout the twentieth century, people around the world have enjoyed film, music, animation, and written works by various authors and artists. One of the most famous and significant American entertainers of the lot has been Walt Disney, introducing millions of children and adults to his world of limitless (or so is widely believed) imagination and magic, from the earliest short cartoons produced in the 1920s, to full-length feature animations such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to the numerous animations and live-actions films as well as Disneyland theme parks, all kept alive by the thriving Disney Company decades after the death of its founder. Disney’s legacy lives on in a variety of entertainment and consumer-oriented products, enthralling audiences the world over. Nevertheless, one type of art often precedes another, and among the most well known, classic