Shrek 2: An Example of the Unordinary Fairy Tale Essay Example

Most fairy tales usually are put together in the same format where something has to be perfect to have a happily ever after. For example, in Cinderella, or let alone any other fairy tale, it follows the same outline that the girl has to be perfect, funny, and nice to have a happily ever after. However, this isn’t the case for Shrek 2. Fiona doesn’t really meet those standards that you see in a fairy tale. She is an ogre, and she fights bad guys, but while doing this she is the most happy and living a good life. Shrek 2 uses satire to make fun of and mock fairy tales and shows you don’t have to be perfect to have a happily ever after. Satire is defined as a literary work that ridicules it’s subject in order to make a comment or criticism about it. For example, in Shrek 2, the satire used is exaggeration and role reversal. The directors use satire, exaggeration and role reversal, to express how you need to be yourself and it doesn’t matter who you are, or what people think of you, go for your dreams and goals, to have a happily ever after. 

The first satire that the directors of Shrek 2 used was exaggeration. Exaggeration is to enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond its normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and it’s faults can be seen.  The directors use exaggeration to show the audience to just be yourself. An example of this is when the fairy godmother comes to Fiona and brings her a “present” to marry her “perfect” son, Prince Charming. She tells Fiona to get all dressed up and be, “The kind of girl a prince would date”. It’s exaggerated because the dressers come to life and dance. Fiona doesn’t want to marry Prince Charming because she is in love with Shrek. This shows Fiona in being herself and she doesn’t need to do what others want her to do, to have a happily ever after. 

The second satire that the directors of Shrek 2 used was reversal. Reversal is to present the opposite of the normal order. The directors use reversal to show the audience that it doesn’t matter who you are or what people think of you, go for your dreams and goals. An example of this is when the role reversal of Shrek overruling the entire kingdom, when marrying Fiona. An ogre usually doesn’t have a higher status than kings/princes. Fiona said, “I want what any princess wants, to live happily ever after, with the ogre I married”. This shows that Fiona doesn’t care if Shrek is a certain social status or what others think of him, that she should follow her dreams and goals, which is marrying him, to have a happily ever after. 

The directors of Shrek 2 introduced us to satire by making fun of fairy tales that you don’t need to be perfect to have a happily ever after. While doing this, they used exaggeration and reversal. It gives the lesson that you just need to be yourself and it doesn’t matter who you are, or what others may think of you, to follow your dreams and goals. I personally think this is true because when I think this way, I am happier. If I try to be perfect, and always try to meet the standards of what others think I should do, I wouldn’t be happy. These are the lessons learned from satire in Shrek 2!