There´s more than meets the eye

It’s a rainy Saturday evening and you have to do something interesting to calm your children down. Follow my advice and do not hesitate to play Shrek on your TV screen. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, and based on the book under the same name, this movie was on the big screen in 2001 and it seems to be current happily ever after! Not only your children but also you will be captivated by this amazing and catching story of a green ogre who has to carry out a mission to get his land - poor and dirty indeed, but his land at least! - back. Accompanied by a casual friend, a funny and garrulous donkey, he marches towards his aim-- to rescue Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a huge dragon.

So far, it seems to be another typical fairy tale love story, right? It may show a hero riding a white horse who defeats a villain, or contain the typical strong, brave, smart and handsome prince who saves a beautiful damsel and provides a wealthy lifestyle to her. But have you noticed I mentioned an ogre and a garrulous donkey? Let me tell you, as an adult you are, that this fantastic story of fairy creatures breaks all common stereotypes and rules in fairy tales.

For your surprise, as well as Fiona’s, the hero of this love story is Shrek. Yes, the disgusting but lovely ogre who doesn’t know anything about manners. Shrek breaks all royal etiquette rules. For example, when he goes to the bathroom he uses newspapers sheets, instead of toilet paper, to clean himself. Candles? Who needs to buy them when you can take them out of your own ears? Being nice? Not Shrek. He is always shouting and scaring people to be alone in his marsh. He is rude and rustic, but heroic enough.

Let me tell you that Shrek rescues Fiona twice, from the dangerous dragon and also from Fiona’s pretender, the selfish Lord Farquad. And as it usually happens in fairy tales, Shrek should have kissed Fiona to wake her up, although she wasn’t asleep, with the first kiss of true love. Instead, he shakes her and speaks to her rudely; not exactly as Fiona has been dreaming of. As Fiona says, “I’m waiting a knight so bold to rescue me [...] This is our first meeting. Should it not be a wonderful, romantic moment? You could recite an epic poem for me. A ballad? A sonnet! A Limerick? Or something!”.

 What´s also interesting about Shrek is the fact that he is not ambitious. After finally marrying Fiona, he decides to go on living in his pond instead of living in the royal castle highlighting once again his rustic personality.

          In most fairy tales, the prince fights the dragon in a heroic battle and kills it. In this way, he then becomes the hero. Of course, this is not the case. Shrek’s evil dragon is a female and she strangely falls in love with the donkey, clearing the way for Shrek to go and find Fiona without making much effort. This disappoints Fiona. She complains and says that leaving the dragon alive is not right. Later on, we will see that the dragon and the donkey are now a beautiful and odd couple. The evil creature is now their new best friend.  Can you believe it? At last, this short and fat donkey is better and more courageous than the brave, healthy and white horses that always appear in the fairy tales.

        Many princesses are often shown as well-educated, well-behaved, formal, delicate, weak, naive, and with no fighting skills whatsoever. But doesn’t it look a bit strange to see a beautiful thin princess acting in a way in which usually do? Fiona doesn’t really behave as princesses should.  I can tell you that since she has been captive in that high isolated tower, she has learned to defend herself and adopted some manly characteristics. How does she dare to let that noise come out from her mouth? “Better out than in,” as Shrek and Fiona assert. That kind of attitude is usually performed inside-doors, but Fiona is a tomboy. She also fights against other men and her delicate female appearance does not stop her. It reminds me of someone else… She is very similar to Shrek, isn´t she? That’s because there’s something you still don’t know… Fiona has been cursed with a spell and when the light of the day goes away, she turns into an ogre!

By the end of the movie, Shrek goes to stop Fiona and Lord Farquad’s wedding. He is eager to tell Fiona he is in love with her. Promptly, dusk approaches. She is so tired of hiding her ogre image that ends up revealing it to everybody in the church. Finally, they kiss and Fiona becomes an ogre forever due to that first true love kiss, showing that true love has nothing to do with physical appearance, actually.

 What is also relevant is the prince who is supposed to marry Fiona. We are accustomed to see princes who are handsome and charming. However, Lord Farquad is a short, thin and body-hairy man with a bad temper and very selfish, indeed. He just wants to marry Fiona in order to become a king.  What a pity for Princess Fiona! He is neither the lucky one nor the hero in this film. And he doesn’t know about happy endings since he is eaten by the dragon before he gets married.

   To put it in a nutshell, you have to acknowledge that this movie, my friends, is a clear example of how to exterminate all the possible fairy tales clichés. It actually works and makes you feel part of the story. You! A common human being can also be part of a fairy tale. This amazing story allows everyone to see how stereotypes and rules exist only to be broken. It encourages people to think in a different way. There’s more behind the images you see. Different is good and fresh. Believe me! It reminds you that there’s more than meets the eye. And your children will learn it, too! 

Written by Barletta Mariela, Morilla Maria Cecilia and Veneziale Agustina