Mother Teresa once said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” This quote is relevant in the 2001 movie Shrek. The star of the movie, Shrek, is an ogre who falls in love with princess Fiona, while rescuing her from a castle protected by a dragon. Shrek has a deal with Lord Farquaad that if he can bring Fiona back to be the bride of Farquaad, he can get his swamp cleared of fairytale creatures. In the satirical Dreamwork production Shrek, William Steig utilizes the device bathos and the technique reversal to target the issue of judging and stereotyping people because one does not truly know and understand them.
Bathos is one device employed in the scene “Ogres are like onions”. During Shrek and Donkey’s journey to rescue Fiona, …show more content…
Layers! Onions have layers. Ogres have layers!” (Shrek)
Shrek explains to Donkey that ogres have layers, so there is more to ogres than how they appear; however, Donkey’s comments show bathos because they are far off the point Shrek is trying argue. Donkey’s statements show how most people think of ogres, smelly and mean, but Shrek tries to convey that ogres are more than smelly and mean creatures. The underlying significance of this conversation is, if one judges people, one will not find out there is more to them than just what meets the eye. Ogres may be smelly, ugly, and unappealing, but similar to other beings, they also have feelings and personalities.
In addition to bathos, the producers use the technique in the scene “Merry Men” when Fiona defends herself against Robin Hood. Robin Hood serenaded Fiona and was about to fight Shrek, but then Fiona swung down from a tree and knocked out Robin Hood. Shrek is not the one defending the princess, which would be expected with common stereotypes, therefore reversing the role of male protector and female in need. Fiona’s actions disprove any previously conceived notions about her being a helpless princess, as Disney movies normally portray princesses. Viewers are likely to expect Shrek to defend Fiona and underestimate Fiona’s ability to fight; consequently, this scene debunks the stereotype that women need a male figure to
Bathos is one device employed in the scene “Ogres are like onions”. During Shrek and Donkey’s journey to rescue Fiona, …show more content…
Layers! Onions have layers. Ogres have layers!” (Shrek)
Shrek explains to Donkey that ogres have layers, so there is more to ogres than how they appear; however, Donkey’s comments show bathos because they are far off the point Shrek is trying argue. Donkey’s statements show how most people think of ogres, smelly and mean, but Shrek tries to convey that ogres are more than smelly and mean creatures. The underlying significance of this conversation is, if one judges people, one will not find out there is more to them than just what meets the eye. Ogres may be smelly, ugly, and unappealing, but similar to other beings, they also have feelings and personalities.
In addition to bathos, the producers use the technique in the scene “Merry Men” when Fiona defends herself against Robin Hood. Robin Hood serenaded Fiona and was about to fight Shrek, but then Fiona swung down from a tree and knocked out Robin Hood. Shrek is not the one defending the princess, which would be expected with common stereotypes, therefore reversing the role of male protector and female in need. Fiona’s actions disprove any previously conceived notions about her being a helpless princess, as Disney movies normally portray princesses. Viewers are likely to expect Shrek to defend Fiona and underestimate Fiona’s ability to fight; consequently, this scene debunks the stereotype that women need a male figure to