Shrek Archetypes

Shrek Archetypes

Shrek

Shruthi Maharajan

Despite Shrek's frightening and repulsive outer appearance and incorrect identification as a monster (devil figure), he turns out to be:

The Hero: Shrek fulfills the ultimate task of breaking Fiona's curse with the true love's kiss. He also follows the hero's journey with significant character development on his Quest.

Onion: Shrek speaks about how ogres are like onions, which also reflects on the universal theme of the movie. Onions have layers, and his analogy represents that despite his repugnant appearance, like that of an onion, he is actually kind-hearted and capable of love after you peel at the layers.

Wall: Shrek talks about putting up a wall around his swamp to keep people away, but I believe it's also a figurative symbol for his need for isolation and fear of not being accepted or loved. Shrek tries to shut people out before they can do the same to him.

Shrek and Donkey

Hunting Group of Companions:

Shrek and Donkey stick together throughout most of the journey and manage to make their way back to each other after tensions arise. The two become friends during the quest and face ordeals together. Shrek saves Donkey from being stuck with the Dragon forever by almost risking his own life. Exemplifying his friendship and loyalty as well, Donkey helps save Fiona from Farquaad.

Shrek's Swamp

Donkey

Friendly Beast: The donkey aids Shrek throughout the journey and is his constant companion through all the trials. As an animal, he shows that nature supports Shrek.

Flying: In the first part of the movie, a fairy or a magical creature of some sort hits the donkey, causing him to fly upwards. This symbolizes his freedom and ability to soar on his own. The donkey is freed from his cruel owner exploiting him as well as being gifted with the ability to talk.

Fiona

Green Attire: The color of her dress may symbolize hope. Green is usually associated with hope, and Fiona hopes to find true love and break the curse cast upon her.

The sunset is also shown in the movie as that is the time when she changes into an ogre. A sunset symbolizes a rite of passage or transformation from day into night, or a princess into an ogre.

Damsel in Distress: Fiona is the woman rescued by the hero, waiting for her knight in shining armor. However, there is more to her than meets the eye...

Sunflower Field

Fiona

At first, Fiona appears to be the usual damsel in distress, waiting to be rescued by her knight in shining armor. However, Fiona turns out to be fierce and brave herself, battling Robin Hood and his men. She opposes many characteristics of the usual damsel in distress/princess archetype. Fiona burps and doesn't always maintain her sophisticated attitude. Unlike other princesses gently singing with the birds, she made the bird explode.

Sunflowers: A sunflower is usually used to symbolize guidance in the right direction. Fiona uses a sunflower to play "I tell him, I tell him not..." to decide whether she should express her love for Shrek. The petal remaining told her to tell him, which was the right choice for her at the time.

Another huge difference would be how instead of transforming from a beast into a beautiful princess, like usual tales like Beauty and the Beast, Fiona transforms into an ogre at the end of the movie permanently, happier than she ever was before.

The Dragon's Castle

The Dragon

The Evil Figure with the Ultimately Good Heart:

The dragon, in the beginning of the story, is shown to be murderous and violent, depicted using dark colors, and guards the tower holding the princess captive. However, it is shown that the dragon falls in love with the donkey, showcasing a different layer to the character. She is developed with more emotions and redeems herself from evil by helping Shrek, the hero, and eating Lord Farquaad, the antagonist.

The Dragon

Shackle/Chain: In the conclusion of the movie, the dragon does not appear to have the shackle around her neck anymore. It can be said that this symbolizes her freedom from the grasp of her evil image. Even though the dragon's physical appearance depicts her to be monstrous, in reality, the dragon has a good heart and a desire to be loved. Once again, the movie battles stereotypes using fictional characters.

Fire/Red/Black: The dragon has dark red skin representing violent passion and fire, setting up the character to be perceived as cruel and monstrous. Dark colors such as black are used in her tower to develop this theme as well.

Duloc

Lord Farquaad

With Farquaad being a prince, one would expect him to be the hero of the story, the prince charming to the princess. Princes are also usually tall and brave, while Farquaad is short and appoints someone else to rescue his fair maiden. Not following the usual archetype, he turns out to be the:

Devil Figure: Lord Farquaad tortures the fairytale characters so they wouldn't disrupt his "perfect" world. He is the main antagonist of Shrek. He also wants to marry Fiona, opposing Shrek's love for her, which is another trait of the devil figure.

Shadows: When Farquaad is introduced in the movie, shadows are filled throughout the scene, which represent evil and the devil.

Duloc

Red Attire: His red clothing symbolizes violent passion and anger, all of which he uses to keep his town of Duloc in order.

Dystopian Society:

This so-called "perfect" kingdom, ruled by Lord Farquaad, holds many archetypes found in a dystopian society. For one, in the movie, the theme song of the kingdom states, "..don't make waves, stay in line..." to exemplify conformity as a part of the conditions to peacefully reside in the land. Another example is when the sign reading "Applause" is held up during the tournament Farquaad held. The citizens are basically controlled by him, and everyone is expected to be the same. Uncommon and "freaks" of nature, like the fairy tale creatures, are banished from the land.

Shrek Archetypes and Symbolism

Concealment

Watching the movie, a viewer could see a constant theme of concealment and hiding behind a different identity or appearance of some sort.

Fiona - Hidden behind her beautiful, dainty appearance as a princess, her inner self peeks out here and there with occasional burps and silliness and is only fully embraced at the end of the movie when she comes to acceptance with who she is. Fiona was once ashamed of being an ogre and hid behind her human/princess form, but in the end, she realizes she is still beautiful and is more comfortable with herself.

Shrek - Shrek, the protagonist of the story, hides behind the pretense of his attitude and menacing appearance. He acts as if he doesn't need anyone else, but as he comes to realize, he is much happier with his new friends and love.

The movie, Shrek, uses many color, character, plot, and object archetypes to add details to the plot-line. The archetypes hint to the deeper meaning behind the fictional story, which I perceived to be simply the old message of "don't judge a book by its cover." The movie battles stereotypes using fictional characters and reveals that physical appearances do not define a person by flipping the archetypes. Shrek also uses colors to enhance settings to set the tone and mood of the situation. Additionally, the movie also follows common character archetypes in a different way, many parts of the hero's journey, and patterns one finds in literature.

the end.