“Brave” wild heart

by LAURA PICEDA AND ELIANA ROMERO

Freedom is the condition of being free of restraints. This word represents the most important right in our lives. “Brave”, the American film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2012, is a story which shows us the importance of being free. This movie breaks the mold of classical fairy tales. All of us are accustomed to see a princess who waits for the perfect prince to reach her dreams and to live happily ever after. Despite the fact that in previous fairy tales the issue of liberty was taken into account, for the first time a princess fights for her own freedom, not depending on a saviour, the eternal “Prince Charming”.  

Merida, the protagonist of Brave, is definitely not a typical princess. She reflects a princess archetype that looks like a real girl with real dreams and wishes. She is not the “perfect” princess, she is not afraid to show the imperfections that make her such an unique and appealing character. She wants to take control of her own destiny regardless of the obstacles in her way, just as most women do in our days. She fits the principle of freedom of our times, and her hopes belong to the category of the “ideal” ones for the majority of the female population. Without doubts,”Brave” portrays the change in women´s desires in the 21st century.

For centuries, princesses were the ideal of thousands of girls, they were the perfect models to follow.  The standards of beauty were based on a pale white skin, a thin body and a flawless appearance. A woman had to be confined to “feminine” duties, such as sewing, cleaning or cooking, and never dare to touch a sword or a bow. And, as mentioned before, they seemed to be incapable of saving themselves, their own families or beloved ones. They just had to wait for their saviour, their prince, and never aim to anything else than to be married to him.

But Merida breaks the rules showing us a different reality, our reality. She is presented as a natural girl full of dreams and goals who does not think in the future that was already set for her. She does not care about what she has to do according to her status or about what the others expect from her. Her life is based on what her heart dictates. She wants to be eternally free, and what’s more, she sees marriage not only as something undesirable but also as the end of her beloved freedom, her only husband.

It’s no surprising the fact that most girls or women feel identified with this revolutionary princess. Merida is an empowering role model who speaks to girls' capacity to be change agents in the world rather than just trophies to be admired. Her wild spirit and her “innovative” desires are those that the majority of women share nowadays. Even though some women still long for their “Blue Prince”, now it is generally accepted that kind of events only happen in Fairy Tales. Women have to save themselves, no matter if there is or isn’t a prince. Now they know that they are the only ones that are able to fight for their wildest aspirations. And that’s what Merida actually does. She makes her own trouble and then she gets herself and her family out of that trouble without the help of anybody else. Merida and her mother Elinor argue due to her refusal to get married. Thereupon Merida tears the family tapestry and Elinor throws Merida's longbow into the fire. Merida then storms out in tears and rides into the forest, where she follows the wisps to the hut of an elderly witch posing as a woodcarver. After some bargaining, the witch agrees to give Merida an enchanted cake to change her mother's mind. Merida returns to the castle and gives Elinor the cake, which magically transforms her into a black bear. Realizing that she has made matters worse for herself, Merida returns with Elinor, who still retains most of her human personality, to the witch's cottage but finds only a message left behind. They learn that unless Merida is able to "mend the bond torn by pride" before the second sunrise, the spell will become permanent. In the end, Merida realizes the true meaning of the witch`s riddle, and reconciles with her mother. The Queen is finally transformed back to her human form, and the family is happily reunited.

What’s more, the conflict between her and her mother is another point in which some girls or teenagers may feel identified. The constant confrontation between what the daughter desires and what their parents expect her to be is a recurrent issue in most women’s lives. The Queen´s expectations about  her daughter creates an enormous distance between them. This generally occurs between parents and teenagers, and it's another example of why this movie portrays the change in women's desires during this century. Nowadays girls do not resign to the fate that their parents desire for them, but confront them in order to achieve their deepest wishes.

The idea of freedom in this film presented through Merida´s inner qualities and dreams may inspire moms and daughters around the whole world. Merida exemplifies the role of women nowadays creating a solid identity based on her deepest values. She and her mother learn together that the only way to be truly happy is to rely on their own will to reach their wildest desires and to fight for the liberty that has always belonged to them, but was secretly stolen. This innovative version of a princess transmits confidence, inner strength, bravery, and shows that is possible for a woman to stand by herself. But never forget that, as Merida shows us, if we want to achieve that solemn goal, we will surely need a brave, wild heart.