The 21st century prince charming: The types of masculinity by the male lead character in the contemporary animated fairy tale movie series, Shrek

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the types of masculinity by the male lead character in the contemporary animated fairy tale movie series, Shrek. A content analysis was used of fourseries of the movie Shrek. The sample consisted of the top money-making children’s animated movie Shrek 1, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After. The complicit masculinity was the predominant type Shrek manifested in the movies Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek The Third, and Shrek the Forever After. As what Connell stated, being complicit is being aware of the benefits of the prevailing patriarchal society, yet at the same time, being aware of the tensions and risk it poses under the prying eyes of modern women. Moreover, results revealed that male characters were still overrepresented in the animation movie Shrek 1, Shrek 2, Shrek 3 and Shrek Forever After. Male characters were often portrayed in a diverse array of roles and with various characteristics, including follower role, with a career, as leaders and heroes, as angry, happy, dominant, etc. Female characters were often portrayed as beautiful, in leadership roles, with careers, as angry, dominant, caring/loving, etc. Although females were shown in a variety of roles and behaviors, including traditional masculine ones, the trend of underrepresentation of female major and minor characters still persist.