Top 5 OG Disney Heroines for Young Girls.

As a 90’s kid, I have to correct myself each time I am about to say Disney “princess” instead of the correct term, that is “heroine”. I have grown up admiring the beautiful gowns, delicate hand gestures and submissive gentleness of most of the OG princesses. However, now that I have a daughter of my own, I am jolted to a hard-faced reality of this time and age. I do not want her to grow up admiring princesses for their poise rather than strength, for their submissiveness rather than opinion and for their gowns rather than courage. Here are five of the top OG Disney heroines that would inspire young girls of today.

Mulan – Mulan

It might have come as no surprise to most that Mulan tops the list. When she is first introduced to us, she is so far from the typical princess that the refreshing take on this famous heroine makes her all the more human. She is clumsy, lacks the grace of an “honorable” wife and daughter in law, and above all, is outspoken, even “in a man’s presence”. The song “reflection” ticks all the right boxes as she relates to most young girls, wondering who she is and when her true self will “show who I am inside”.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the movie however, is not how she goes against all the rules and dresses up as a man. It is the noble reason behind this bold and brave act, which is to save her father. Therefore, the daughter becomes the savior of her father, and a woman becomes the savior of the entire nation, men and women included. Not only that, the way she does it is to get her warrior friends to dress like women so that they can distract the enemies while she and the hero, Li Shang run to the emperor’s rescue. She shows that enemies can be beaten with feminine intellect rather than just masculine bravado.

There are certain aspects of the movie that highlight how women are treated differently than men. Dialogues like, “she is a woman! She’ll never be worth anything” are able to disturb and offend audiences enough to make them realize how important it is to change such notions.

Esmerelda – Hunchback of Notre dame

One of the most evocative Disney movies, the Hunchback of Notre dame, portrays a war against an unjust and selfish world. The heroine of the movie, Esmerelda, is a gypsy and an outcast, and above all, a woman. Yet, when Quasimodo is being ridiculed by the people at the “festival of fools”, she is the only one brave enough to openly stand against the cruelty. Later on, she befriends him, despite his appearance and social status. It is ironic that at a time of religious extremism, a gypsy and an outcast is described as an “angel” by Quasimodo in the song appropriately titled “Heaven’s Light”.

Furthermore, as a stark contrast to most Disney princesses, this heroine saves her knight in shining armor, captain Feebus, rather than the other way around. She rescues him from drowning when he is hit by an arrow and then she makes sure he is safe with Quasimodo.

In the end, even when she is sentenced to death, her dignity and morality do not falter at the hands of the unforgiving Claude Frollo. She chooses to die rather than submit to his evil wishes. Her strength in the face of adversity gives Quasimodo the courage to come out of hiding and be accepted as an equal in society.

Pocahontas – Pocahontas

Pocahontas represents the voice of the oppressed at the time when Native Indians were forced to flee their land and make way for the white people. It is one of the most iconic movies of its time whereby a woman makes us realize that being civil has nothing to do with race, color, or having the most “gold”. “She goes wherever the wind takes her”, which puts perfectly her free spirit and oneness with nature. The whole concept behind the words “civilization” and “savages” presents a great juxtaposition throughout the movie. While those who claim to be “civilized” are out to kill one another, Pocahontas makes them see how destructive “the path of hatred” can be.

Moreover, she is another one of the brave feminist heroines who does not need saving, but rather, rescues John Smith, the man she loves, from being killed. She proves that love conquers hate and that a world filled with hatred goes against the very fabric of nature.

Apart from the song, “colors of the wind”, one of the most seemingly inconspicuous scenes in the movie presents the greatest insight into Pocahontas, and all her people. It is when John Smith tells her that they have come for gold, and Pocahontas naively pulls out an ear of corn, thinking that’s the gold he is talking about. It shows us that for Pocahontas, the Earth, its creatures and its wonders are more valuable than any form of silver or gold.

Beauty and the Beast

The common theme that we see with all these Disney heroines, is that they are different in one way or another. In Belle’s case, the word is “odd”. In a “small provincial town” where people are afraid of change, Belle finds solace in books. She comes across as reserved, composed and curious at the same time, dreaming of adventure that she reads about in her books. This habit of her makes her “very different from the rest” and is worded bluntly by the protagonist, Gaston. He accuses her of having her head in the wrong things, claiming that “it’s not right for a woman to read, soon she’ll start getting ideas… thinking!”, as if that is the worst crime a woman can commit.

Here also, Belle stays in the Beast’s castle as an act of bravery to spare her father’s life. Moving forward, she changes the Beast’s heart and revives his hope for true love, that had almost been shattered. The Beast initially comes across as what can be considered an extreme case of a modern-day sociopath. It is Belle’s intellect and insight that makes her realize that there is a deeper story to the Beast and looks can be deceiving.

The theme of ‘looks being deceiving’ is carried out on both ends, whereby she rejects Gaston’s marriage proposal. This is because she knows that behind the Beast’s monstrous appearance is a kind and gentle human, whereas behind Gaston’s good looks is the real ugly monster. Her confession of love to the Beast releases the entire castle from the treacherous spell and she becomes the ultimate hero and savior.

Nala – The Lion King

It might seem as though “The Lion King” simply had to be on the list because it has to be on every ‘best of Disney’ List. Well, it just gives us so many reasons for that, the reason here being Nala. Nala is Simba’s best friend and ultimately the lioness he falls in love with. What makes Nala great is that she is tough from the start, even as a young lion cub, when she pounces on Simba and pins him to the ground. But physical strength is not all that Nala is equipped with.

What makes the Lion King great is how each character is exceptionally deep. The main character, Simba, is wounded and hurt, which often clouds his judgement and makes him extremely indecisive. He is often left doubting himself and being unable to face his fears. It is Nala who helps him find and regain the courage in himself, pushing him to do the right thing. While Simba signifies self-doubt, Nala is the voice of reason and practicality. In a heated argument, Simba tries to brush off her opinions as “starting to sound just like my father”, to which she doesn’t flare up, but coolly replies “Good. At least one of us does”.

Therefore, not only does this show that a female is capable of creating change with conviction and reason, but also that men are just as vulnerable and scared. Nala perfectly articulates a male’s false pretense of being brave all the time with her sarcastic comment, “Danger! Hah! I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha!”

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