Disney and Shakespeare, What’s the Difference?
Warren G. Bennis once said “The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it”. In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the two main characters, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, fall in love but are banned from seeing each other as result of their family’s strife against each other. In Brenda Chapman’s Disney movie Brave, the main character, Merida, is an unconventional princess who challenges the beliefs and expectations of her peers. Together, Merida and Juliet both represent a woman’s’ role in defying the status quo in terms of marriage and tradition in a world where women are constantly considered subordinate.
Women have the capability and strength to advocate for themselves, even when it may alter with society’s norm. Juliet does a great job of exemplifying this competence, even in such such an arduous situation as acknowledging the idea that her morals differ from her community’s. Towards the beginning of the play Romeo and Juliet, Lady Capulet enters Juliet’s bedroom and begins to ask her about the idea of marriage. She explains that Juliet is late to be married compared to the many venerated women in Verona. Juliet responds by saying “It is an honor I dream not of” (1.3 71). This line illustrates that Juliet has no dismay in expressing her lack of interest in becoming wed to someone. Lady Capulet was in someway or another trying to entice Juliet into having some interest in marriage by acknowledging the fact that the admired County Paris searches for Juliet’s hand in matrimony. This seemingly has no affect on Juliet’s decision, showing that she is extremely steadfast towards her virtues. She does not allow her mother come in the way of her free-will. This situation does not just represent Juliet’s view and approach on marriage, it shows how Juliet takes on all common, socialistic challenges; headstrong, and with confidence. In Disney’s Brave, Merida exhibits the same form of determination and self-advocacy in such a situation as Juliet was in. During of the first scenes of the movie, a dinner scene with Merida and her parents is presented. Queen Elinor, Merida’s mother, suddenly breaks out into joy as she describes the acceptance letter that she has received from each leader of the brother clans. Merida asks what the acceptance letter is for and suddenly becomes infuriated when Queen Elinor says that the first-born son of each clan leader will compete in a tournament for Merida’s hand in marriage. As she leaves the dining room in much enmity, she exclaims “No! This is what you’ve been preparing me for my whole life. I won’t go through with this! You can’t make me!” Rather than agreeing to take part in this premeditated arrangement, Merida shows the strength she has for herself. This conversation illustrates that Merida can and will defy the future that is laid out for her, even if it means going against her family’s wishes. Throughout her whole life, Queen Elinor has trained Merida for this day when she will get married. Merida has the willpower to point that very idea out and understands that her whole life shouldn’t revolve around getting married, especially if it is forced.
Although it wasn’t seen as a prominent topic, both Juliet and Merida capture the essence of women feeling a need to have authority over themselves and their fate. Many examples of this desire appears in Romeo and Juliet, but one of the most prominent instances develops and most certainly peaks when Juliet fakes her death. It is not until now that we see Juliet lean over the edge and potentially fatally take matters into her own. As she uncorks the concoction that Friar Laurence gave to her to produce a death like sleep, she cries out the words “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to/thee” (4.3 59–60). She then drinks the potion, crashing onto her bed as she falls into a deep sleep. As violent as Juliet’s actions were to avoid marrying Paris, she still exhibited a great amount of determination to dictate her own circumstances. Rather than women having the agency to choose their husbands at the time, the social norm forced them into arranged marriage. Here, Juliet is giving herself the strength to change the outcome of her life. She goes against what is expected of her, and in fact, what is expected of most females during her age. In Brave, the same competence for a women to change what has already been created for her is shown. Before the competition is about to begin, Merida steps onto the field and announces “I am Merida. First born descendant of Clan Dun Broch. And I’ll be shooting for my own hand.” Here, Merida finds a way to manipulate the guidelines of the betrothal games in her favor, but by doing so, she is not just mending the rules, she is changing her fate. This one small, yet clever, step on Merida’s part goes against society’s understanding of what she was capable of. Both Juliet and Merida show that they have the capability and strength to represent not just themselves, but all women of their time periods. Together they help their families to be aware, and most importantly, apprehend these notions.
Women have the power to spark change in their society for the better, and after developing throughout their stories, Merida and Juliet become perfect examples of how this change can be evoked. When Romeo gets news that Juliet has passed away, with ignorance that she is in a death-like sleep, he rushes to a local apothecary to buy a poisonous potion, and drinks it beside Juliet. When Juliet wakes up from her trance and sees Romeo dead next to her, she immediately takes a dagger, stabs, and kills herself. Soon after Capulet and Montague hear of their children’s deaths, they create a peace make in Romeo and Juliet’s honor. The Prince announces this agreement through the words “ A glooming peace this morning with it brings/ The sun for sorrow will not show his head./ Go hence to have more talk of these sad things./ Some shall be pardoned, and some punishèd./ For never was a story of more woe/Than this of Juliet and her Romeo”. Although Juliet’s means of change were conceived through the loss of her life, that very change would not have occurred in a situation where she did not do so. The feud between the Capulets and the Montagues was such an old tradition that it was becoming a part of Juliet’s heritage. So many were already accustomed to the great amount of violence that would take place on the streets of Verona on a day to day basis. Through Juliet’s great amount fortitude and audacity, she was able to help her family forgive what happened in the past. In Brave, Merida goes against everything her family believes is right, but in the end helps the clans become much stronger and united. In a conversation between Merida, her family, the clan leaders, and their sons, she expresses her beliefs on tradition, love, and change. She does so through the words “I have decided to do what’s right and break tradition. My mother, the queen, feels in her heart that I, that we be free to write our own story, follow our hearts, and find love in our own time.” As she says so, many of the clan leader’s sons pitch in, such as when Young Macintosh says “A grand idea! Give us our own say in choosing our fate”. Merida’s word’s do not just reflect her vision and desire for change, but also serves as a voice for others who feel the same way. Here, she shows that she has the courage to touch on the subject of change, and is not afraid to spark others to do so too.
In Romeo and Juliet and Brave, there are many examples of women taking the lead and defying the status quo. Although they are two pieces of historical fiction, they have the ability to teach the modern world a relevant lesson and shed light on the importance of feminism and those who speak up about so. Together these two texts do not just help break the stereotype that hangs above each woman’s head, but show that everybody has a voice despite what society believes.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William, et al. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009.
Chapman, Brenda and Mark Andrews, directors. Brave. ITunes, Disney, 2012.
Fanpop, Inc. “Romeo and Juliet (2013) Photo: Romeo and Juliet.” Fanpop, Fanpop, Inc., www.fanpop.com/clubs/romeo-and-juliet-2013/images/35804451/title/romeo-juliet-photo.
wallpapers-web.com. “Ultra HD Brave 4K (2900x1200 Px).” Ultra HD Brave 4K (2900x1200 Px) #4048468, Wallpapers-Web.com, www.wallpapers-web.com/brave-wallpapers/4048468.html.
