Disney and Religion: A Look at Non-Western Cultures
Aladdin is the story of an orphaned young male who is trying to find his way out of poverty
so that he can become more than a 'street rat'. He meets a young woman, Jasmine, the princess of Agrabah, in the market place and she instantly captures his heart. However, Jafar, the sultan's adviser, wants to become the Sultan himself and has enter a mysterious place called the Cave of Wonders. But the Cave warns him that only the Diamond in the Rough can enter. So Jafar finds the diamond in the rough,which is Aladdin.The Princess reveals herself when Aladdin is arrested under Jafar's orders, but Jafar tricks Aladdin into retrieving the lamp from the Cave. When things go wrong, Jafar betrays Aladdin, but Aladdin retains the lamp when he becomes trapped in the cave. When Aladdin finds himself in possession of a magic lamp, and the master of the Genie, he feels that his three wishes will help him put an end to his unsatisfactory life. He uses his wishes to change his image to Prince Ali. Soon Jafar has tricked the Sultan in arranging a marriage for him and Jasmine and he has trapped them in the palace. Aladdin and the Genie come to rescue and defeat Jafar. After Aladdin realizes that he cannot keep pretending to be something he is not, he decides to keep his promise and wish for the Genie's freedom. Seeing Jasmine's love for Aladdin, the Sultan changes the law to allow her to marry whomever she deems worthy.
so that he can become more than a 'street rat'. He meets a young woman, Jasmine, the princess of Agrabah, in the market place and she instantly captures his heart. However, Jafar, the sultan's adviser, wants to become the Sultan himself and has enter a mysterious place called the Cave of Wonders. But the Cave warns him that only the Diamond in the Rough can enter. So Jafar finds the diamond in the rough,which is Aladdin.The Princess reveals herself when Aladdin is arrested under Jafar's orders, but Jafar tricks Aladdin into retrieving the lamp from the Cave. When things go wrong, Jafar betrays Aladdin, but Aladdin retains the lamp when he becomes trapped in the cave. When Aladdin finds himself in possession of a magic lamp, and the master of the Genie, he feels that his three wishes will help him put an end to his unsatisfactory life. He uses his wishes to change his image to Prince Ali. Soon Jafar has tricked the Sultan in arranging a marriage for him and Jasmine and he has trapped them in the palace. Aladdin and the Genie come to rescue and defeat Jafar. After Aladdin realizes that he cannot keep pretending to be something he is not, he decides to keep his promise and wish for the Genie's freedom. Seeing Jasmine's love for Aladdin, the Sultan changes the law to allow her to marry whomever she deems worthy.
Non-Christian Religion
Through the film Aladdin, Disney integrates aspects of the Islamic faith. They do this by setting the film in the Middle East where the village, the palace and market place are all said to depict an Arabic town. There is a repetition of "Allah" by a multitude of characters for example the Sultan says "Allah forbid you should have any daughters" in a scene where Jasmine states that she will only marry for love, causing her father to become frustrated. The Islamic faith is also depicted through mentions of prayers occurring at different times of the day that are customary to the religion, also the women are portrayed in Hijabs. Although Disney seemed to capture some aspects of the Islamic faith much controversy arises with how accurate the depictions truly are, with regards to the image of Arabic people Disney appears to be displaying more racism than introducing Islam in an entirely genuine manner.
Racism
Disney's representation of Arabic people has caused much controversy and claims that their depiction is, in fact, racist. Aladdin and Jasmine are both represented differently compared to the rest of characters and background actors, firstly, they both have paler skin, Americanized facial features and accents while the rest of the characters, including the villain, Jafar, are represented with highly exaggerated Arabic accents, darker skin, and "grotesque facial features". The town of Agrabah is meant to represent the Middle East and in the beginning of the movie there is a scene of an outdoor market where a phony salesman, a bootlegger is introduced. He sells worthless objects, everything he sells is fake or useless and he is out to rip people off depicting an image of greed and deceitfulness. While an ill-framed man working a fruit and vegetable stand threatens to cut off Jasmine's hand after she gives an apple to a hungry child and cannot pay. These scenes establish the Middle Eastern world to be senseless and uncivilized where you are executed or mutilated for the slightest infraction and that the Arabic people are dishonest, villainous and greedy.
The song "Arabian Nights" there is an explicit reference to the land as barbaric in the original release of the movie. The lyrics were "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face, it's barbaric but hey it's home". This caused just complaints that Disney changed the lyrics to "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense, it's barbaric but hey it's home". Although the lyrics were changed it still has a highly negative implications for perceptive of Islam.
The song "Arabian Nights" there is an explicit reference to the land as barbaric in the original release of the movie. The lyrics were "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face, it's barbaric but hey it's home". This caused just complaints that Disney changed the lyrics to "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense, it's barbaric but hey it's home". Although the lyrics were changed it still has a highly negative implications for perceptive of Islam.
Sexism
The women in the movie Aladdin are overly sexualized. They are all portrayed as beautiful, exotic, sexual beings that are "to be won". There is a scene in which Aladdin is trying to escape the royal guards, he somehow ends up in a room that is filled with half-dressed women who are wearing clothing that reveals their midriff. In this scene these girls do not flock to him because it is apparent to them that he does not have any money which is the opposite when he becomes Prince Ali. This makes it evident that Aladdin appears to have landed in a brothel. Princess Jasmine is also dressed this way, in a more provocative manner, wearing nothing more than pants and a brassiere, which contrasts the other women who were depicted in Hijabs. Because Jasmine is dressed similarly to the women in the brothel it shows that she is also meant to be seen as a sexually desired object. This a negative image of Islamic women because Muslim women are suppose to be fully clothed to avoid sexual output, but Disney does not display that in these women. There are times when the women are seen wearing a veil that covers the women's face and head but it is displayed in sexual manner. Such as in the scene when Jasmine is wearing a veil and forced to feed Jafar grapes, it is displayed more sexually than religiously affiliated. Further more, in this scene Princess Jasmine is held as a prisoner by Jafar she is chained, dressed in a midriff revealing red outfit along with the veil. This scene reveals Jasmine to be a sex object, she is meant to obey his every request while dressed in a revealing outfit. Jasmine also uses her body and sexuality as way to distract Jafar when Aladdin comes to help. Although Jasmine is depicted as a strong woman by rejecting the many standard suitors that are seeking her hand in marriage, in the end she still must be saved by Aladdin. He not only saves her from an unhappy marriage, he also literally saves herself, showing that as a woman she needs a man to help her when she is in trouble.
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Women in the film
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