In the film “Ella Enchanted”, the female protagonist Ella displays many masculine characteristics from the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Despite being cursed with obedience, she attempts many time throughout her childhood to fight against the curse, as is narrated in the beginning of the film when the storyteller says that Ella never stopped trying to defy her curse. She grows to be a woman who defends her beliefs, hosting protests and leading debates about the kingdom’s corrupt enslavement of giants and other mythical creatures. Ella is assertive with Prince Char upon their first meeting and continues to demonstrate her independent nature with each dangerous encounter they have – fighting off bandits, defending herself from trolls, etc.
Ella’s feminine traits appear primarily when she is under the curse’s influence. She only behaves yieldingly when she cannot do otherwise (stealing from the market when her step sister uses the curse’s compulsion against her and obeying countless commands). Despite the curse, Ella proves herself truly defiant when she is not being controlled by the people around her, and eventually uses her own moral strength to destroy the curse altogether. Her truly feminine characteristic is her compassion. She rescues Slannen from his tormentors, encourages peace between Char and the oppressed giants, and stands up for those being taken advantage of countless times throughout the film.
Ella of Frell is a very positive female character, showing that a woman can be both strong willed and compassionate throughout the movie.
Shared by: Riley Schwahn
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