Merida Aurora Contrast

I think it's interesting that Aurora from Sleeping Beauty (1959) and Merida from Brave (2012) are both sixteen, but Merida seems much more youthful. In fact, Aurora's genteel and passive, that's one thing, but she's also stately - she has this perfectly drawn face, this elegant figure, and she seems altogether finished and refined. Meanwhile, Merida's much more quirky and roughshod - and while I understand why some people argue otherwise, I think she has a fair bit of agency. So: immaturity = power.

So that got me thinking: what would each heroine look like if Merida was designed in the late 50's and Aurora in the early 2010's? I think Merida would still be a champion archer, but she'd be more like Queen Susan from the Narnia series - skilled and a symbol to her people, but never actually engaging in combat. She'd have to stay at home and take care of Dunbroch while a suitable leading man appeared and defeated whatever needed defeating. Also she would not have such awesome hair. On the other hand, Aurora might get to do something besides singing with woodland creatures all the live long day. She's Aurora, so she'd have a certain class, but she'd also have more of a spark to her. Maybe she'd try to genteelly exploit her three nannies' magic for fun and profit.

So yeah, just looking at two different takes on the concept of a sixteen year old princess. And in case anyone thinks this is less about the time period and more of a Pixar-Disney difference, I'd argue that Rapunzel is equally quirky, youthful, and un-Aurora-like. And she's 18.

On a semi-related note, both movies are completely gorgeous to watch.

media: mechanical pencil, pens, markers, gel pen, sharpie.