Movie Analysis

MOVIE SUMMARY
The movie “Shrek” is about an ogre that lives in a swamp, which is misunderstood to be a monster.
The story starts with the daily routine of the ogre in the swamp where he lives by fending off mobs
that come to attack him. One day, dwarfish lord Farquaad decides to exile fairy tale creatures into his
swamp. Farquaad gets information about Fiona using a magic mirror that he would become the king
if he marries him. While Shrek visits him to get his swamp back, Farquaad makes a deal that he can
get his swamp if he rescues Fiona. Shrek rescues Fiona from a dragon guarded castle and Fiona falls
in love with Shrek. Fiona was cursed to become a ogre every night but she didn’t want anyone to
know about this. While Fiona takes shelter in a windmill, Donkey discovers that Fiona has
transformed into an ogre. She explains the curse and how only a true love’s kiss could break the
curses. Meanwhile when Shrek is about to confess his feelings, he overhears the conversation about
Fiona referring herself to “ugly beast”, believing she is talking about him. Next morning Shrek angrily
leaves and returns with Farquaad. Fiona, out of spite, now wants to marry Farquaad and requests it
to be done within evening. Later, donkey clarifies the situation to Shrek and they both stop Farquaad.
Shrek breaks Fiona’s curse but this permanently makes her an ogre against her wish. Shrek assures
that he loves Fiona for who she is, and they lived happily ever after.
 Feudalism and class struggle
The mode of production in is feudalism..
Feudalism is a social and political system
which was common in medieval Europe.
The society is divided into hierarchies
based on the level of authority and
control, mainly based on landownership.
Lower classes served higher class lords
with protection and shelter as a payment.
In “Shrek”, Farquaad is given the Lord title
and as his main motive is to become a
king by marrying Fiona. As a Lord he
would control everything and people had
to obey him.
 Materialism and character sketch

Anything a person can sense is considered as a

material. This includes an environment, an object,
rooms, shadows and etc.
Such materials have an influence on the
character's behavior, routine, decisions and
emotions
 Shrek
Shrek is portrayed is a portrayal of a lower class person living in a slum, that is
swamp. The stereotypical imagery is taken to the extreme as an exaggeration.
He carries on with his routine using the things provided by the swamp.
The swamp gives him privacy and keeps
him safe against the mob. While Shrek was
a pacifist ogre he was misunderstood to be
a murderous monster that feeds on
humans. He fends away any attackers
instead of harming them, since it would
prove the stereotype to be true. His
attachment to the swamp is what leads
him to follow Farquaad’s order to rescue
Fiona from the castle.
 Lord Farquaad
Lord Farquaad resides in a tall castle.
Shrek says to donkey that “Do you think
he is compensating on something”,
mocking Farquaad’s insecurity on his
height. Farquaad always tries to hide
from his true self by creating a façade in
front of the public.
While Shrek is more accepting towards himself even though everyone
else calls him ugly. This is a character contrast between the protagonist
and the antagonist.
 Donkey
Donkey escapes from an old woman and stays in Shrek’s swamp
which is now his home. Donkey plays a role as a revolutionist.
He constantly tries to create the class consciousness about the
fascist rule to Shrek

“Why should you help Lord Farquaad just so you can get YOUR
swamp back? Which is something that he shouldn't have taken
in the first place.

Donkey suggest Shrek to fight for his right. But Shrek being a
pacifist, ignores him.
 Fiona
After receiving a curse from a witch, Fiona spends most of her days in a
tall castle, guarded by a dragon. Even after numerous attempts by many
soldiers and kings, only Shrek was managed to rescue her from the castle.
Shrek meets Fiona wile wearing an armor to hide his identity. Upon Fiona’s
request Shrek reveals himself as an ogre. Fiona is surprised by Shrek as
everyone including herself believed that ogres weren’t supposed to be
helping and friendly. Fiona is portrayed ass the exact opposite of Shrek
during the first half of her introduction, but later she is becomes accepting
of herself as an ogre.
 Hegemony and genocide

The plot of the movie “Shrek” can be observed to have an inspiration

from genocidal years of World War 2, indicating subtle references to
the oppression faced by social groups that were considered to be
inferior.
Genocide is not an instantaneous occurrence, is a planned process that
takes time to achieve hegemony to justify the massacre of the targeted
group(s). Here, hegemony is used to create a false consciousness that
the hatred and discrimination against the fairytale creatures is morally
correct. Genocide can be classified into 10 stages, and we can
observe those stages throughout the film.
 10 stages of genocide
This classification, formerly had 8 stages, but it was later developed by
Gregory H. Stanton into 10 stages.
This is not a linear process, and stages may co-exist. Out of these 10, the
movie covers 7 of these stages.

1. Classification 6. Polarisation
2. Symbolisation 7. Preparation
3. Discrimination 8. Persecution
4. Dehumanization 9. Extermination
5. Organisation 10.Denial
 1.Classification (alienation)

-Separating the targeted group from the rest of the society

into "us and them".
-Using stereotypes to generalize and falsely accuse the
entirety of the targeted group(s).

"Hold on. Do you know what that thing can do?”

...yeah it'll grind your bones for its bread"
 2.Symbolisation
-Forcing the said groups to wear
symbols to make identification easier.
-This could either be badges, dress
codes and etc.
-Symbolization was later utilized to
allotting places for different targets
-Eg: Jewish people were forced to
wear Star of David symbol.
In the movie fairy tale creatures are
classified and then separated in a
scene.
 3.Discrimination
-Denial of rights (residential, medical, societal rights, etc.)

-In this movie Shrek was forbidden to coexist with the rest of the
society.
The swamp (in which Shrek resides) was seized and was used as a
concentration camp.
 4.Dehumanisation
-Treating and considering the groups to be a pest or lower life form.
-Eg. Nazis considered jews as vermin (small insects) and cockroaches

-Throughout the movie the fairytale creatures were referred as "It"

"that thing" "beast"

=>Farquaad (to Fiona): You don't have to waste manners on the Ogre.
It's not like it has feelings.
5. Organization: planning the massacre and training the groups.
6. Polarization: spreading propaganda against the targeted groups.
 8. Persecution
-It is the physical isolation of groups. Targeted communities are
gathered and isolated into concertation camps or separate
locations

In the movie, the

fairytale creatures
were forced to
gather
in Shrek’ swamp.
 Done by:
Deepan Chakravathi, Dhasa Prakash,
Giriprasath,Gokul,Gokula Kannan,Harshini.