The Importance Of Fairy Tales In Disney

Fairy tales are no strangers to adaptations. It’s rare, today, to come across a fairy tale that hasn’t been adapted in one form or another –and even rarer to find a fairy tale not known for its Disney adaption. Disney is often thought of as the “machine” for modern day fairy tales, and millions each year get fairy tale fix through the companies’ seemingly endless line of movies. Is this a good thing, to have people know of fairy tales only because of the work Disney did with them? Many would argue yes. But the fact of the matter is this: core elements of fairy tales are often lost a Disney adaptation –elements such as realism, original nature of story, and message/effect. What people are fed by Disney is a white-washed, and often times dry …show more content…
For starters, Disney had this ideology that magic can solve anything, and that fairy tales aren’t meant to be realistic. In fact, it’s become so that people have this predetermined view of fairy tales that is linked to “fantasy” and “fairy tales being unattainable”. Fairy tales, as intended, were supposed to echo real life, and be grounded enough that people could relate to them or take something away from them. Take, for example, the Hans Christian Anderson tale The Little Mermaid. In the original story, the protagonist makes the choice to exchange her voice for legs. She then proceeds to have her tongue removed out of her mouth …show more content…
Historically, fairy tales were not written for children, rather they were written for teens/adults to say things about the world and paint a picture. Having a genetically dark nature made fairy tales have more of an allure, and more of a power over the reader. By way of example, the tale Sleeping Beauty was originally about a princess who befalls a prophecy and ends up getting sexually assaulted in her slumber. The pain of childbirth is what awakens her, not a prince. Similarly, Little Mermaid ended with the mermaid dying and turning into sea foam, and not in the arms of her prince on their wedding night. The dark nature of fairy tales were what defined them in their day and age, and by removing that element (something Disney is known for) Disney removes a sense of meaning, power, and allure of the original works. Those who remember the films would know that they both end on a high note (the mermaid weds, the prince kisses the princess awake), and maintain a even light tone throughout the whole work. Dark and demanding fairy tales were what people responded to the most –and Disney has censored that, both the story and the experience to the story, significantly through their