The Swan Princess coloring pages are featuring Odette, Derek, Rothbart, Jean-Bob, Speed, Puffin, Queen Uberta, King William, Lord Rogers, Bromley and other characters from The Swan Princess animated film. Try to guess who is who.
Once upon a time—at least, once upon a time as far as animated films are concerned—there was a film called The Swan Princess, a story so shimmering with romance, courage and inner strength that it seemed as though a committee of fairies, psychologists and surprisingly well-read swans had come together to write it. It tells of Princess Odette, a lovely young woman whose life takes a slight turn for the avian when an evil sorcerer transforms her into a swan. Rather than sulk in a pond, however, she remains as kind, compassionate and unflappably dignified as one could possibly hope to be while molting. The film’s clear message, a subtle as a very well-lit billboard, is that true beauty comes from within—presumably feathered or otherwise—and that one should remain unshaken by pesky spells, curses, or, frankly, life in general. Children watching are left thinking, "By golly, I should probably just be myself, swan or no swan."
But, of course, no good fairy tale would be complete without a villain and The Swan Princess gives us Rothbart, a wicked sorcerer with dubious hobbies and a transformation fetish. As is customary in such tales, Rothbart undergoes a modest existential reconfiguration by the end and children are gently encouraged to believe in forgiveness and redemption. After all, if a conniving, bird-obsessed villain can aspire to change, who’s to say you can’t forgive your own lesser adversaries? It’s a gentle reminder that even the darkest-hearted individual can have a glimmer of hope—assuming, of course, that they aren’t entirely fixated on transforming the local royalty into waterfowl.
Finally, there’s love, which sparkles at the heart of this tale in the most dazzling, "for-so-much-as-the-script-demands-it" kind of way. Odette and Prince Derek’s relationship is presented as the pinnacle of trust, mutual respect and grand gestures one might attempt in the presence of a swan. The message here is simple but profound: love is about loyalty, communication and occasionally recognizing your loved one in an entirely different species. The story leaves children not only entertained but also with the distinct impression that relationships worth having are built on respect and trust—and that, should the need arise, a bit of interspecies recognition could come in handy.
Once upon a time—at least, once upon a time as far as animated films are concerned—there was a film called The Swan Princess, a story so shimmering with romance, courage and inner strength that it seemed as though a committee of fairies, psychologists and surprisingly well-read swans had come together to write it. It tells of Princess Odette, a lovely young woman whose life takes a slight turn for the avian when an evil sorcerer transforms her into a swan. Rather than sulk in a pond, however, she remains as kind, compassionate and unflappably dignified as one could possibly hope to be while molting. The film’s clear message, a subtle as a very well-lit billboard, is that true beauty comes from within—presumably feathered or otherwise—and that one should remain unshaken by pesky spells, curses, or, frankly, life in general. Children watching are left thinking, "By golly, I should probably just be myself, swan or no swan."
But, of course, no good fairy tale would be complete without a villain and The Swan Princess gives us Rothbart, a wicked sorcerer with dubious hobbies and a transformation fetish. As is customary in such tales, Rothbart undergoes a modest existential reconfiguration by the end and children are gently encouraged to believe in forgiveness and redemption. After all, if a conniving, bird-obsessed villain can aspire to change, who’s to say you can’t forgive your own lesser adversaries? It’s a gentle reminder that even the darkest-hearted individual can have a glimmer of hope—assuming, of course, that they aren’t entirely fixated on transforming the local royalty into waterfowl.
Finally, there’s love, which sparkles at the heart of this tale in the most dazzling, "for-so-much-as-the-script-demands-it" kind of way. Odette and Prince Derek’s relationship is presented as the pinnacle of trust, mutual respect and grand gestures one might attempt in the presence of a swan. The message here is simple but profound: love is about loyalty, communication and occasionally recognizing your loved one in an entirely different species. The story leaves children not only entertained but also with the distinct impression that relationships worth having are built on respect and trust—and that, should the need arise, a bit of interspecies recognition could come in handy.
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