So after watching countless movies and reading tons of books a specific type of archetypal journey really stood out to me from these sources. This particular archetype was the idea of a search for love. Basically what this means is that our hero sets out to rescue a princess or a damsel in distress from a great danger and along the way encounters many hardships and setbacks. The overall result of such a plot is obvious, the hero will save the girl and they will live happily ever after. End of story. Everything is sunshine and rainbows, good will always triumph evil and the hero will always save the girl and whisk her away to live a perfect life. This idea is evident in all aspects of media today and in the past, in books, movies, magazines, and even advertisements! It can even be said that the idea of “waiting for Prince Charming” is a way of life!
First let’s explore how this idea is shown in movies and books
Movies and books- For example, in the movie and book Sleeping Beauty a young princes is cursed from a young age by an evil fairy that she will prick her finger on a spindle and die. So the princess is disguised as a mortal and lives with peasant folk in a small town. However, the prophesised events due occur, but the princess only falls into a deep sleep instead of dying. Her sleep can only be awaken by true love’s kiss .Her sleeping body gets put into a high tower and the prince is alerted of the unfortunate occurrence. Out of his passionate love for her, he comes to awake her but must forge his way through a thorny maze and battle a dragon first. In the end, the prince succeeds his hardships and wakes the princess and they live happily ever after. This is a classic example of the archetypal journey of a hero to save his lover.
Now let's explore this idea relates to magazines and advertisements-
Magazines and advertisements- I believe that the archetype of having a hero as a lover who saves the princess is evident in magazines and advertisements indirectly. Why do I think so? Well, if you look at how so many movies and books repeatedly use this idea the answer is evident. This idea of a hero whisking in to save the damsel in distress is well liked and that’s why it’s always used in movies and books. We like to hear stories that make us feel good and end happily. Women especially like to hear the happy/sappy story of a hero who saves the damsel in distress from all her troubles and afterwards they end up together and their lives work out beautifully. It’s a feel good story. Women want to meet that perfect someone, that man who loves them unconditionally and will impact and shape their lives for the better. Seeing these perfect love stories in movies and books makes ladies want such an occurrence to happen to them. And that’s where magazines and advertisements come in. Movies and books containing this archetype have shown women countless fairytale love stories and evoked the desire in these girls to live own fairytale story. The magazines and advertisements foster on this desire through adds that promise that you will find that special someone if you just use this particular beautifying cosmetic product. Or that state that in order to have a fairy life you need to buy a certain style of clothing. Magazines too are involved in this and contain messages that say that if you just diet, dress, or act in a certain way; you will attract that perfect man. Now, how does all this media involved directly or indirectly with the archetype of Prince Charming saving the princess impact women in our world?
Impacts of this archetype on women in society-
As said above, the presence of this archetype in movies and books initiates a desire in women to live their own fairy tale lives. Furthermore, magazines and adds egg on this idea by saying that you need to buy a certain product to have that particular life. But I think most importantly, this archetype creates a specific lifestyle for women and even young girls. Seeing a man come to save the girl or princess from all her troubles and hardships and creates the idea in women that that a man is going to save them. It fosters dependence in girls; that they need to depend on a man to come save them from all their troubles. It abolishes all independence in girls which is fundamental in order to thrive in our increasingly modern and capitalistic society. Instead of working hard to better her own life, some girls have the false dream that they will meet a Prince Charming who will swoop in and impact their lives for the better. This dream is only going to lead to sadness and despair as it is very unlikely that it will ever occur. In the book “The House on Mango Street”, Esperanza words this archetypal idea of “Prince Charming” in a very simplistic way. She says that her friend Marin “Is waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall, and someone to change her life.” Marin like so many other young woman in our world, waits for man to improve her life. She doesn’t take any personal measures in regards to improve her own life, she only waits and waits. Waiting for her “Prince Charming” has become Marin’s way of life.
The relentless use of the archetypal journey of a hero as a lover in books and magazines has without question resulted in this archetype being present in magazines and advertisements as well as in the lives of women in our world. There are many opinions as to whether or not use of this unrealistic idea to such an extent is harming the woman in our word. What do you think on this issue? Is it ethical for advertisements to bombard woman with products and advice on how to attract their “Prince Charming” who will never come and is it ok for young girls to dream of “Prince Charming’s" and “Happily Ever Afters”?
Great posting, Khatidja! Some very perceptive and insightful comments about the impact of archetypes on society. Do you see any female archetypes evolving? Consider texts like THE HUNGER GAMES and the recently released film that reinterprets the story of Red Ridinghood.
ReplyDeleteI keep coming back to your posting. . .I agree, this message of Prince Charming is so prevalent in advertising that it most certainly must have some impact on women. Your posting reminds me of Marin from "The House on Mango Street" who has fully bought into the notion that a Prince Charming will complete her and give her life direction.
ReplyDeleteI think reading about Marin in "The House on mango Street' was what sparked the idea in my mind about the impacts of media on women in our society. After that, I began to notice this idea everywhere, in movies, advertisements etc. I think it’s insane how much women in our world are bombarded with the idea that they need a Prince Charming to achieve happiness. I think this whole notion relates back to the idea of gender inequality.. Men are bombarded with advertisements too about how to attract girls but yet they don’t wait for "their Princess Charmings"! So why have women decided to wait for theirs? It's almost as if women are imposing a gender inequality on themselves!
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