Disney’s international sensation Frozen has been heralded as an excellent representation of feminist values in the modern age due to its featuring of two strong, female leads and its eschewing of common romantic tropes. While it is commonly seen as promoting the values of female empowerment, self-acceptance, and the importance of familial love, there has been significant backlash from some feminist critics who say that this message either doesn’t go far enough or has been fabricated altogether. In truth, the appeal of Frozen’s feminism comes from its complexity, and the fact that Anna and Elsa are not Strong Female Protagonist stereotypes only serves to enhance the film’s overall message. In this paper, I seek to explore exactly how translation affects the film’s values by comparing Frozen to its French translation, La Reine des Neiges, particularly the translations of “Let it Go” and “For the First Time in Forever.” While in English Elsa is openly conflicted about her eventual liberation and deliverance, in French her emotions are more subtle and subdued. English Anna is legitimately concerned about her sister’s degrading emotional state, whereas French Anna’s primary motivation is ensuring that she will not have to return to exile because of her sister’s actions. In analyzing this film and its translations, I hope to come to a broader understanding about the role of the translator and the way feminist values are expressed in French culture.
About the presenterBryant Evan Powell
Bryant Powell studies French language and literature at Murray State University with a particular interest in comparative literature. This paper is part of a larger project about the transformation of cultural values in young adult media.