The Postmodern Feminine Beauty Ideal in Shrek

Abstract

This analysis deals with the postmodern feminine beauty ideal in the computer-animated film Shrek, and considers the impact this has had on the resultant change of the feminine representation in contemporary film productions and fairy tales. More specifically, the analysis will focus on the representational value of female characters in classic fairy tales, compared with the postmodern revision carried out by gender studies. This approach aims at offering some observations on the changes occurred in the classic framing of feminine roles, considering Fiona, Shrek’s wife, as an example of ‘contemporary princess’.

Keywords

• shrek
• feminine beauty ideal