Through Aristotle's definition of comedy children's Disney movies are the perfect fit. When you think of a children's Disney movie you think of Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, or The Lion King. All of these movies are something very similar. They start off with a sad problem to make the audience feel sympathetic. As the movie progresses, in all the examples listed above, the protagonist starts to learn more about themselves. For example in Cinderella, a fairy comes along to get Cinderella to the ball to meet the prince. She tries to revert back to her servant work, but the fairy pushes her to go to the ball and find the man of her dreams. She ends up happily ever after with the prince. In all of the examples the same thing happens. The girls finds the popular guy, they marry, and then they ride off into the sunset. Or in the Lion King's stance he becomes King.
Disney movies relate back to Aristotle because Aristotle defines a comedy as a story of the rise in fortune of a sympathetic central character. Disney movies could not fall into that definition any better. Disney movies are not tragedies, although some come close. They do not depict a downfall of a good person. In the end the good character comes out on top and the bad character is left below where they started.
Comedy is a meaningful art form, as Aristotle defines it. Some people today look at comedy as just making you laugh, but if you take a closer look the meaning all reverts back to Aristotle's definition. At the end of the work you feel better about yourself than you did when you started watching. Whether it may be someone getting hit in the face with a pie or a Disney movie, comedy is a meaningful work of art under Aristotle's definition. Without it I have no clue where we would be today as a society.
I think its very interesting how you picked Disney (though in your argument it makes total sense). Disney movies have always evoked so much emotional depth and are easily applicable to modern society, so I totally agree with your argument that comedy in a meaningful work of art while keeping Disney in mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree. There are many works of art that fit Aristotle's definition but by today's standards, are not how most envision a comedy.
ReplyDeleteCinderella is one of the most notable examples of Aristotle's definition of a dramatic comedy because she literally goes from rags to riches. I think that the connection to the other Disney movies is intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a very powerful connection. Disney has a special way of making viewers feel sympathy for their characters and the eventual rise in the end makes the connection complete.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree and I think that Disney uses the classic comedy in order to convey a message to its young readers in a pleasant, more optimistic way.
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