Elsa, a « Romantic » character?
When we think of Romanticism, the picture of a sentimental, dreamy individual often springs to mind. Since these words are relevant, the true meaning of the term that described the artistic movement that was born in the XIXth century is even larger! Knowing that Frozen’s events are taking place at the same period, I found it interesting to link some elements…
The hero’s sensitivity was often accentuated by a deep malaise: indeed, Romanticism exhibed to reader’s eyes human passions and weaknesses, everything that was beautiful or ugly in people, even in noble individuals. That imperfection caused the hero to be broken and sad.
And this is what we notice in Elsa, it is on this very principle that her dilemma is founded: her power can be beautiful and dangerous at the same time, a cause of misfortune or joy, and the young woman herself is powerful but weak, possesses altruistic qualities but would love to be herself… Even worse, as a cursed creature, she creates trouble around her, despite herself.
Besides, it seems that Elsa is the first Disney’s royal character to possess such a broken and complex personality…
One of the most recurrent themes of Romanticism is the intense connection between the character and Nature, and more precisely, the Wild nature, with her weather phenomena, her majesty and her dangers, echoing with the exacerbated emotions of the hero. This one, like Chateaubriand’s Ren, who’s considered as the Romanticism’s precursor, possessed a great sensitivity and loved to walk alone in forests, to explore that new freedom. Nature became a giant playground, the hero’s feeling’s concrete form in the outsideworld.
Isn’t it what we observe with Elsa during Let it go?
The emergence of a delicate sensitivity and creative energy that has been smothered for too long by the severe yoke of duty and responsabilities is obvious. Elsa expresses all this passion through art and identifies herself to this new ice environment which is in harmony with her.
« I am one with the wind and the sky »
On the top of that, romantic artists impersonated the picture of inspirated poets, whose feelings were always focused on a creative goal: it was in pain and sadness, or on the contrary in euphoria, in their hypersensitivity that they found fertility. Then, Elsa represses her feelings because she knows that they are her uncontrollable power’s trigger.
The amazing ice castle resulting from this release is the very symbol of the ideal in which romantic artists projected themselves : the image of a inspirated creator, in relation to nature, elements, sky and universe.