Disney princess

Disney Princess is a media franchise owned by The Walt Disney Company. Created by Disney Consumer Productschairman Andy Mooney in the late 1990s, the franchise features a line-up of fictional female heroines who have appeared in various Disney animated feature films.

The ten current members of the franchise are Snow White,Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan,Tiana and Rapunzel.^[1] On May 11, 2013, Merida from Brave will be joining the line-up.^[2] The franchise has released dolls, sing-along videos and a variety of other girls' products, apparel, home decor and a variety of toys featuring the Disney Princesses.

snow white 

Snow White is the first Disney Princess. The protagonist of Walt Disney Animation Studios' 1st animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Snow White is a beautiful princess born with skin as white as snow, hair as black as ebony and lips as red as the rose, Snow White is forced to seek refuge in the home of seven dwarfs, where she hides from her jealous stepmother, her stepmother was jealous of her as she was more beautiful. The Queen, who seeks her death. Snow White is often described as a kind, optimistic, and happy person who sees the good in everyone. Originally voiced by Adriana Caselotti, she is based on the heroine of the German fairy tale Snow White (1812) by the Brothers Grimm. She has also been voiced by Mary Kay Bergman, Carolyn Gardener, and most recently Katherine Von Till.

[edit]Cinderella

Main article: Cinderella (Disney character)

Cinderella is the second Disney Princess and the protagonist of Disney's 12th animated feature film Cinderella, released in 1950. She is often considered the "Leader of the Disney Princesses". Forced into servitude by her evil stepmother and cruel stepsisters, Cinderella dreams of going to the ball. When all seems lost, her fairy godmother allows her to attend, where she meets and falls in love with the Prince. Cinderella is based on the heroine of the French fairy tale Cinderella by Charles Perrault. Originally voiced by Ilene Woods, she is currently voiced byJennifer Hale.

[edit]Aurora

Main article: Aurora (Disney)

Princess Aurora, originally voiced by Mary Costa, is the third Disney Princess, and first appeared in Disney's 16th animated feature filmSleeping Beauty (1959). The motion picture is adapted from the French fairy tale The Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault (1697) and fromThe Sleeping Beauty ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1890). Aurora has hair of sunshine gold, lips that shame the red rose and is often described as beautiful, kind, shy and sophisticated, as well as a hopeless romantic. At first, she is seen as a little naive and insecure as a result of being sheltered for most of her life, but unlike Snow White, she is much quicker and stronger. In later media, she is shown to have matured and become more self-assured, independent and confident. She was later voiced by Erin Torpey and then Jennifer Hale.

[edit]Ariel

Main article: Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

Ariel is the fourth Disney Princess and the protagonist of Disney's 28th animated feature film The Little Mermaid, released in 1989. Fascinated by the human world and tired of life under the sea, Ariel makes a deal with a sea witch, trading with her voice in return for the ability to walk on land. Based on the Danish fairy tale The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, Ariel is voiced by Jodi Benson. The character was inspired by the protagonist of Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid, but was developed into a different personality for the film.^[7]

[edit]Belle

Main article: Belle (Disney character)

Belle is the fifth Disney Princess and the female protagonist of Disney's 30th animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Frustrated with her provincial village life, book-loving Belle dreams of having "adventure in the great, wide somewhere". When her father Maurice is held captive by a hideous Beast, Belle bravely offers her own freedom in return for her father's. At first repulsed by his selfishness and cruelty, Belle learns to appreciate the Beast when he saves her from a pack of wolves and begins to show her kindness. Slowly, Belle and the Beast become friends. When Belle is given leave to tend to her ailing father, the Beast is attacked by Belle's jealous suitor, Gaston. Belle returns to the castle just in time to see the Beast stabbed by Gaston, who falls to his death. Upon reuniting, the Beast dies in Belle's arms just as she tells him "I love you", and the last petal falls from the enchanted rose. The Beast is revived and turns back into a handsome prince, and they live happily ever after.

Belle was originally voiced by Paige O'Hara. She is now voiced by Julie Nathanson. She is based on the heroine of the French fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" (1756) by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont.

[edit]Jasmine

Main article: Princess Jasmine

Jasmine is the sixth Disney Princess and the leading lady of Disney's 31st animated feature film Aladdin (1992). She is the teenage princess of Agrabah and the romantic interest of the eponymous hero of the film, Aladdin. Jasmine hungers for independence, tired of the restrictions laid before her by her father. She becomes besotted with Aladdin while he is disguised as a prince after he takes her on an amorous ride on a magic carpet. Aladdin's genie companion is summoned and rubbed by the movie's antagonist, Jafar, who uses the genie's magic to tyrannically overthrow the Sultan and employ a scantily-clothed Jasmine as his personal maidservant. Luckily, after Jafar's defeat, the Sultan permits Jasmine to wed Aladdin despite his lack of royal heritage. Princess Jasmine is voiced by Linda Larkin, and her singing voice is provided by Lea Salonga (in the feature film) and Liz Callaway (in the direct-to-video sequel).

Jasmine is based on Princess Badroulbadour from the One Thousand and One Nights tale of "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp".

[edit]Pocahontas

Main article: Pocahontas (Disney)

Pocahontas, voiced by Irene Bedard with vocals provided by Judy Kuhn, is the seventh Disney Princess and first appeared in Disney's 33rd animated feature film Pocahontas (1995). Based on the Native American chief's daughter, Pocahontas (c. 1595–1617), and the settlement ofJamestown, Virginia in 1607. Pocahontas is displayed as a noble, free-spirited and highly spiritual young woman. She expresses wisdom beyond her years and offers kindness and guidance to those around her. She loves adventure and nature. In the film, she appears to have shamanic powers since she was able to commune with nature, talk to spirits, empathize with animals and understand unknown languages. In the sequel, Pocahontas seems to have grown after hearing of John Smith's assumed death. She keeps her independent spirit and playfulness, but is much more mature and self-assured than she was in the first film. During her stay in England, she nearly loses herself in the hustle and bustle of this new world and is turned into someone she's not. But in the end she bravely intends to sacrifice herself for her people's safety and returns to her homeland, finding herself, and love, once again.

[edit]Mulan

Main article: Mulan (Disney)

Fa Mulan, voiced by Ming-Na with vocals provided by Lea Salonga, is the eighth Disney Princess and first appeared in Disney's 36th animated feature film Mulan (1998). The movie is adapted from the legend of Hua Mulan (386–534). Though not an actual princess, she did marry a general of the military. Mulan, atypical and unlike most previous female roles, is courageous and more self-reliant. She also does not fit in with the expectations of a young Chinese girl of the time; despite her natural beauty, she is clumsy, outspoken, and independent rather than graceful, silent and demure. Which is why her meeting with the matchmaker ended in chaos (that and help from a certain cricket), and why the matchmaker claimed that even though she has the looks of a bride, it will never work. However, her courage, intelligence, and determination helped her through her adventures.

[edit]Tiana

Main article: Tiana (Disney)

Tiana, voiced by Anika Noni Rose, is the ninth Disney Princess character to be incorporated into the franchise, appearing in Disney's 49th animated feature film The Princess and the Frog (2009). Her film is loosely based on the novel The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker, which is in turn based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale The Frog Prince. Tiana is notably the first African-American Disney Princess, portrayed as being a hardworking, ambitious, and beautiful young woman living in New Orleans, Louisiana during the 1920s, striving to achieve her goal of opening her own restaurant. However, she is transformed into a frog after trying to break a spell cast by a Bokor on Prince Naveen that had changed him into a frog also. Throughout the film, the pair must embark on a quest to find a way to break the spell.

[edit]Rapunzel

Main article: Rapunzel (Disney character)

Rapunzel, voiced by singer Mandy Moore, is the tenth Disney Princess, appearing in Disney's 50th animated feature film Tangled (2010). The character is loosely based on the protagonist in the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" by the Brothers Grimm. She is a beautiful young woman characterized by her enchanted, long golden hair possessing healing properties and restoration upon the recital of a special healing incantation. Because of this, she was kidnapped during babyhood by a selfish, vain woman named Mother Gothel, who desired to take advantage of Rapunzel's hair and to restore her youth, incarcerating her in a tower. Rapunzel is notably the first Disney Princess to appear in a CGI film, but is frequently revamped to a traditionally-animated design when appearing in merchandising alongside fellow, traditionally-animated Princesses.

[edit]Future Princess

[edit]Merida

Main article: Merida (Disney)

Merida, from the Pixar film Brave (2012), will officially become the eleventh Disney Princess on May 11, 2013.^[2] Merida is the sixteen-year-old daughter of Queen Elinor, who rules the kingdom alongside King Fergus. Queen Elinor's expectations of her daughter make Merida see Elinor as being distant while also causing friction between the two. Despite Elinor's desire to see Merida as a proper royal lady, Merida is an impetuous girl who wants to take control of her own destiny. Merida has honed her skill in archery, and is one of the most skilled archers ever seen. She is also skilled in sword-fighting and racing across the countryside on her horse, Angus. She is the first princess from a Pixar movie, the first original princess in the line-up that hasn't been inspired by either literature (Snow White, Cinderella, etc.) or real-life (Pocahontas) works, and the first without a love interest. She also never sings a major song, thus breaking away the traditional line-up, though as a child she sang a small verse of a song in Gaelic. She is voiced by Kelly Macdonald. She has natty, unruly ginger hair.