Grimm’s Briar Rose vs. Disney’s Maleficent

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Fairy tales, as any form of art, are always a representation of the conventions that surrounded the artist during the time of publishing. The story of The Sleeping Beauty has been in the collective mind for over 600 years. Throughout these centuries it has been adapted countless times to fit different set of beliefs. This media report focuses on the differences between the 1812 version ‘Briar Rose’ published by the Grimm brothers, and 2013 Disney’s film adaptation ‘Maleficent’. In the following paragraphs this report will take a look at the most obvious differences in plot, narrative and characters. Furthermore, it will go deeper into an analysis about the meaning of good and evil on each adaptation. Finalizing with an evaluation on the role of women, the patriarchy and how these adaptations connect with the set of conventions that were relevant in their era. In Grimm’s version, the tale follows the life of a young princess, named Briar Rose, and a curse set by one of the 13 ‘wise women’. The curse stated that when the princess is 15 years old, she will prick her finger with a splinter and fall into a sleep that will last for 100 years. After the 100 years pass, the kiss of a young prince releases briar rose from her sleep, and they live happily ever after. In Grimm’s version, there’s little background or explanation on why the spell was casted on little Briar Rose. In Disney’s Maleficent, the story evolves around the ‘wise woman’ who casted the spell, which in this case is portrayed as a fairy. Disney’s version offers an in-depth background on why Maleficent, after being betrayed by King Stephan, takes revenge by casting the spell on the little princess, named Aurora. The movie shows a complex relationship evolving between Maleficent and princess Aurora, leading Maleficent to regret her decisions and to try to reverse her curse, with no success. In the end, after
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