‘Monsters’ vs. ‘Angels’: A Feminist Approach to the Film Brave Through the Character of Merida
Abstract
Brave (2012) is an animated film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney pictures. Set in the fictional medieval times of Scotland, the story follows the journey of Merida, a rebellious young girl who strives to dismantle oppressive social norms and conventional attitudes upheld by her mother. The way in which the film presents powerful feminist ideologies is discussed by providing insight into the importance of solidarity between women, repressive gender stereotypes and the cyclical nature of oppression within the patriarchal social structure. The concept of gender and its complexities are explored within this study to identify dominant patriarchal ideologies that are marginalizing and discriminatory towards women. The trajectory of Merida which is representative of the struggles of women within the patriarchal social structure is analysed while focusing on the mother-daughter relationship. This research aims to present the oppressiveness of socially constructed gender identities through the challenges faced by Merida in her fight for freedom and self-expression. The feminist elements of the film are discussed based on the dichotomy of the ‘angel’ and the ‘monster’ highlighted by the theorists Gilbert and Gubar in Mad Woman in the Attic (1979). Furthermore, the theories of bell hooks, Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler and Luce Irigaray are used to support the central argument.
