Masculinity in Tangled

Tangled From past to present, generations of fairytales have sculpted the thoughts and emotions of young children for many years. In Marcia Lieberman’s essay, “Some Day My Prince Will Come,” she argues that fairytales have a negative impact on young women and children, which teaches them to be helpless, superficial, and unintelligent. However, recent evidence shows that fairytales have a more positive influence onto young children, mainly young women. In fairytales that were made into a book or a movie the so-called “princess” actually proved to be more intelligent and cunning than what Marcia Lieberman concluded her findings. The movie Tangled teaches young children to be independent, equal in relationships and critical thinkers. In Tangled, children, specifically young women are learning positive values. One of many positive values is that young women can be independent and active. When Flynn Rider breaks into Rapunzel’s tower, Rapunzel persuades and bargains with him to take her to see the lights by holding his bag that contains a tiara until he agrees to take her. This example shows Rapunzel’s independence because she doesn’t give up until she gets what she wants. Furthermore, Rapunzel shows her independence when she pushes her mother, Gothel, and says she will never give up fighting for her freedom. This is a true sign of Rapunzel’s independents because she had never disobeyed her mother before. She finally told her mother what she wants, not what her mother wants for her. These examples show Rapunzel’s independence. 

 A second positive value found in Tangled is that relationships between men and women can be equal in all aspects. The first thing to remember is that Rapunzel is supposed to be a defenseless woman and Flynn is a powerful man. However, a turn of events has Rapunzel saving Flynn for the first time in the Snuggly Duckling, a seedy bar. Comparatively in the same scene, Flynn puts his fears aside of being captured, and he fights off the