Aurora, Damsel in Distress or Heroine?

[yamiiguy]

hero - A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life

The main character is the primary focus of the story. Most main characters are heroes, Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Aladdin, Simba, Pocahontas, Tarzan.

There can also be more than one hero in the story.

But I go back to the definition. Did Aurora do anything courageous? Did she risk or sacrifice her life? No and no.
She might have died in the end but she was in a trance before she touched the spindle wheel.

[Ariel'sprince]

Aurora just gets pushed around a lot, and even Philip just showed up at the right time. The heroines are really the Three Good Fairies.

I definitely agree with that assessment. Without the fairies, Phillip still would've been locked in the dungeon. Not only that, but they supplied him with the sword and shield, freed Samson, turned arrows into flowers, boulders into bubbles, rainbows to shield him and get him across a large gap, freed his cape from the thorns, AND enchanted the sword to fly straight into Maleficent's heart. Phillip had several chances to die, and the Fairies saved him each time. All Phillip really did was strike Maleficent on the snout a couple of times and then wake Aurora up. So not only do the three good fairies have the most screentime of anyone else in the film, they're also the most proactive characters.

That's what not good in this film,the fairies get all the screentime insted of Aurora who is the heroine.

hero - A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life

The main character is the primary focus of the story. Most main characters are heroes, Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Aladdin, Simba, Pocahontas, Tarzan.

There can also be more than one hero in the story.

But I go back to the definition. Did Aurora do anything courageous? Did she risk or sacrifice her life? No and no.
She might have died in the end but she was in a trance before she touched the spindle wheel.

But she did-she gave up on Philip for the royal responsibilty.
And she's the main character,maybe philip is also a hero but she's the heronie.

Edit- Once again, multiple posts have been combined by a Mod.

[yamiiguy]

hero - A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life

The main character is the primary focus of the story. Most main characters are heroes, Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Aladdin, Simba, Pocahontas, Tarzan.

There can also be more than one hero in the story.

But I go back to the definition. Did Aurora do anything courageous? Did she risk or sacrifice her life? No and no.
She might have died in the end but she was in a trance before she touched the spindle wheel.

But she did-she gave up on Philip for the royal responsibilty.
And she's the main character,maybe philip is also a hero but she's the heronie.

The main character doesn't need to be a hero or heroine.

[Ariel'sprince]

But she did-she gave up on Philip for the royal responsibilty.
And she's the main character,maybe philip is also a hero but she's the heronie.

The main character doesn't need to be a hero or heroine.

She does,fine,then Aurora is a heronie.

[PeterPanfan]

Ariel's Prince why do you ALWAYS have to be right?

Aurora is on NO way a hero or heroine.

Name three things she did that heped ANYONE?

[Escapay]

IMO, Aurora is a MacGuffin. Everyone else's story is motivated by her, they all base their actions on her well being. Essentially, she's a human prop.

Scaps

[singerguy04]

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to have to agree with everyone else on this one. Aurora just isn't a hero. She is involved with trigering the action, but she doesn't start any of it and she doesn't finish any of it. She's a very pretty girl with a very pretty voice and that's about it.

However, as far as the label of characters go (speaking in terms of script analysis) Aurora and Phillip would be the heroes of the film because they are the focus of the film.

The bottom line is that there are multiple definitions for Hero. For example here is what dictionary.com told me...

1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
3. the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.

In the end it all depends on how we use the word hero.

[Disney Villain]

The bottom line is that there are multiple definitions for Hero. For example here is what dictionary.com told me...

1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
3. the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.

To add to your definitions, websters says:
Hero
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek hErOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement

Ariel'sPrince, Aurora is NOT the hero in Sleeping Beauty. She is, as Escapay so literally puts it, a human prop. Now I love Sleeping Beauty. I'm sure I’ve seen the film well over 500 times, since my birth. In NO way is Aurora a hero. The main character of a film is NOT always the hero. The fairies are the true heroes. They stand up to Maleficent and ultimately destroy her...they use Phillip as a medium, since they can't defeat Maleficent on their own. Phillip, while he is brave, is not the hero. Aurora is the best thing that ever graced my life, and I’ll defend her till' the death, but she is NOT a hero.


I wrote earlier:

About the Cover:


It's beautiful, but Disney better make some MAJOR changes. I hate how this cover uses all recycled clipart from the 2003 SE. Aurora looks like a rag doll, and Phillip looks like he’s about to molest her. I want a proper looking Aurora and Phillip. I want Aurora with beautiful, big, blonde curls...not Rag doll stringy hair! And where the hell is Maleficent!!! I want her in her fairy form, not her dragon form!

After reading everyone’s responses I have more thoughts.
Some people said that they'd prefer to see Aurora and Philip dancing on the cover. I disagree, the film is called Sleeping Beauty...not Dancing Aurora. I'd be upset if Aurora wasn’t sleeping on the cover.

Maleficent is more threatening looking in her fairy form, and to be honest she's usually the reason why the film lasts in people’s minds. I really thought that Disney was going to put some nice Sleeping Beauty-esque background with the logo in the center, then above the logo a giant floating head Maleficent swooping over a Sleeping Aurora and Phillip below. Why did I think this? Because it would have followed all the other Giant Floating Head Platinum Covers. The only reason the dragon is there is for marketing. Disney thinks that more little boys and parents with just boys will buy the film because it has a hero/dragon fight depicted on the cover. However Maleficent is essential to the films legacy and therefore should be depicted on the cover in her fairy form.

The purple is beautiful, so is the logo. I just hope they change the bottom to depict Maleficent in her fairy form, or if they want to keep the heroic dragon angle, put a pic of Maleficent in both forms (I've seen this in clipart...it's cool. It's like she’s transforming).

[Ariel'sprince]

Ariel'sPrince, Aurora is NOT the hero in Sleeping Beauty. She is, as Escapay so literally puts it, a human prop. Now I love Sleeping Beauty. I'm sure I’ve seen the film well over 500 times, since my birth. In NO way is Aurora a hero. The main character of a film is NOT always the hero. The fairies are the true heroes. They stand up to Maleficent and ultimately destroy her...they use Phillip as a medium, since they can't defeat Maleficent on their own. Phillip, while he is brave, is not the hero. Aurora is the best thing that ever graced my life, and I’ll defend her till' the death, but she is NOT a hero.

Allright,fine,i think she's the hero,for you she may not be for me she is.
and PeterPanfan-i want to speak my mind and there's nothing worng with that.

[Disney Duster]

hero - A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage

HOLD IT! If the hero is someone who does something courageous or noble, especially making a sacrifice, then AURORA IS A HERO! She left the life she knew for a new life as a princess who rules her kingdom, and she left the only man she knew or loved to marry someone she didn't know just to form an alliance between her kingdom and another's! What a sacrifice! How noble! And if courage is doing something you don't want to do because you are afraid, Aurora had no idea what was waiting for, what duties she would have to take on, what her parents would be like, what the Prince would be like, and she was brave or it! She's a hero, deal with it.

Disney Villain, good observation about the littel boy appeal. That's why Luke said maybe the Prince's face is more visible on Cinderella's DVD (and maybe why there's a Cinderella Story fetaure about sports that has nothing to do with the film). As long as Maleficent looks scary, it doesn't really matter with she's a dragon or a fairy with the power of fire. Also, Aurora should be sleeping because she is the Sleeping Beauty, agreed.

[Ariel'sprince]

HOLD IT! If the hero is someone who does something courageous or noble, especially making a sacrifice, then AURORA IS A HERO! She left the life she new for a new life as a princess who rules her kingdom, and she left the only man she knew or loved to marry someone she didn't know just to form an alliance between her kingdom and another's! What a sacrifice! How noble! She's a hero, deal with it.

Disney Villain, good observation about the littel boy appeal. That's why Luke said maybe the Prince's face is more visible on Cinderella's DVD (and maybe why there's a Cinderella Story fetaure about sports that has nothing to do with the film). As long as Maleficent looks scary, it doesn't really matter with she's a dragon or a fairy with the power of fire.

She is a hero,and it was a real sacrifice,and better then Philip's sacrifice.
And about the little boys thingy-
Good point,and Maleficent is in the Dragons franchise and Philip is in the heroes franchise (all the male character franchise).

[CJ]

Well said, Disneykid and Magic Mirror. I agree with both of your assessments. Flora, Fauna, and Merrieweather are the real heroines of Sleeping Beauty. Without them, Philip would have never made it to the castle to awaken Aurora. With that said, I still give Philip hero status for his efforts, at least he tried to be a hero.

However, I absolutely refuse to give Aurora any heroine status. She never did anything heroic. Ariel'sprince, you say she's heroic because she gave up Philip. I disagree, I see no scarifies on Aurora's part. There was really no opportunity for Aurora to officially give Philip up before finding out he was the prince. She left the forest without him because the fairies told her she had no choice. Now, we don’t know if she would have protested the arranged marriage later or not. She found out Philip was her betrothed before that could happen. Think about it, she gets upset when the fairies inform her of her engagement, has a good cry, pricks her finger, takes an enchanted nap, and she is awaken by Philip. All this happens before she ever meets her parents, or has a chance to discuss the arranged marriage with her father. We don't know if she would have went through with the arranged marriage, or if she would have refused. Therefore, I have to agree with those who say she is not a hero, as she sacrifices nothing. Everything conviently worked out in her favor. She gets to please her father by marring Philip, who just so happens to be the guy she loves. No sacrifice ever needed on her part.

[Disney Duster]

But CJ, if the fairies and Phillip sacrificed their lives, but ended up getting their lives in the end, that doesn't negate their original intent. Same with Aurora, she had no idea things would turn out well. She gave up her old life and old love.

[Ariel'sprince]

Disney Duster-i agreed with you.
And i noticed the Philip marchandise for boys,well,i like him (someone told me i look like him ) but i don't think it's really change something.

Yay, I'm glad someone agrees! Oh, and if you look like Phillip that is such a good thing, I think he's the cutest/hottest Disney Prince!

I"m glad you're glad she's the hero,not the fairies and not Philip,Aurora is the hero.
You think he's hot?.
Are there any more Philip marchandise?.

[PeterPanfan]

Ariel's Prince-Will you please stop trying to always be right???? Aurora is DEFINITLY not the hero. And don't say something like "It's my opinion" because it's a FACT that Aurora is not a hero.

[Ariel'sprince]

Ariel's Prince-Will you please stop trying to always be right???? Aurora is DEFINITLY not the hero. And don't say something like "It's my opinion" because it's a FACT that Aurora is not a hero.

But it is my opinion,for me she's a heronie,it's not a fact,everyone see the film from a different point of view and you might see the film in a different point of view then mine.

[Disney Duster]

Ariel's Prince-Will you please stop trying to always be right???? Aurora is DEFINITLY not the hero. And don't say something like "It's my opinion" because it's a FACT that Aurora is not a hero.

I just gave reasons for her being a hero. Sacrificing her old life and old love to make her parents and guardians happy as well as dutifully help and rule her kingdom (and her first duty was to allow the marriage to unite her father's kingdom with another, to form an alliance). This is something noble, and the definitions of hero included just someone who does something noble or makes a sacrifice. She was also courageous in being brave enough to face whatever lied ahead of her, for she knew it would be vastly different from everything she knew up until then, and did not know what was in store for her (her parents, the things a princess would have to do, the man she would be forced to marry!).

When you said Ariel'sprince shoudl give it a rest, remember, I'm pulling to say she's a hero myself.

Anyway, nice cover Jeremy, though, I'm sorry, it's just a mix of the old VHS (and laserdisc) cover with the logo from the Special Editon. Basically, you did what this new cover did, it re-used old art (that's the old Special Edition art). I don't like re-used art. However, if what you mean is to have new art, but the same character positions, maybe. Maleficent above them, to the right, and the Hero and Heroine on the bottom? I still don't like that because it wouldn't fit in with the other Platinums, the heros are always on the top. Except Lady and the Tramp. Well...maybe it could work then, but I'd rather have Maleficent in the middle.

[Disney Duster]

Phillip riding off to save his True Love,

It's not a rescue (it's like saying that Belle rescued Beast).
And the fairies had to rescue,him,and his horse,and his cap,damit,they even killed Malificent for him.

Belle DID rescue the Beast! And it's true the fairies rescued Phillip, but they needed him to use the power of True Love to help them defeat Maleficent, and they rescued Aurora from the spell and rescued the kingdom from being without a princess and her parents from being without their daughter.

Simba3: I don't think there's too much wasted space, true it does seem like it's floating, but if all the pictures had a backrgound, the backgrounds would mix and would look weird. I like having the characters spinning around the title in a one purple background.

Disneykid: Yay, you like some things I liked. I think we'll just have to disagree about the re-appearing characters, it's just not annoying me with this whole new "story" style. As for the rebooting, well, I think because this is Sleeping Beauty's second DVD release and her Special Editon seemed so much like a Platinum, the reboot is fine starting with her for me. Anyway, I've seen those studio shirts I think! They have the main foreground character colored and then the rest not colored-in, correct? i love those!

[Ariel'sprince]

It's not a rescue (it's like saying that Belle rescued Beast).
And the fairies had to rescue,him,and his horse,and his cap,damit,they even killed Malificent for him.

Belle DID rescue the Beast! And it's true the fairies rescued Phillip, but they needed him to use the power of True Love to help them defeat Maleficent, and they rescued Aurora from the spell and rescued the kingdom from being without a princess and her parents from being without their daughter.

Okay.
I like the new cover (i believe they"ll use it becouse they allways put the Princess in the center of things like the new cover).

[Ariel'sprince]

Yeah,Aurora is the hero,she should be the main character on the cover.