So here’s the thing, if you have not watched the movie “Shrek,” please stop reading this and immediately set aside one hour and 37 minutes to watch the movie. Whatever is happening right now is not nearly as important as experiencing this film. I honestly cannot think of a singular argument against putting aside life to watch “Shrek.” I encourage you to challenge me. I promise you, I will always be able to come up with a reason why watching Mike Meyers and Eddie Murphy encapsulate the aura of a hard-headed yet sensitive ogre and an outgoing and immensely loyal donkey is more important than any events life has handed you. It’s not that this article will not make sense to those who have not experienced the cinematic masterpiece commonly referred to as “Shrek,” but it is just essential that you have this movie in your cerebral cortex (Disclaimer: I have no idea if this is the section of your brain that would store an epic storyline with an odyssey that inspires a twisted love story between complex, dynamic characters). And so, I will now humbly attempt to portray a couple of the lessons that I have learned from this incredible movie.
Love yourself to the core.
While it’s easy to get caught up in the beauty that is the romantic relationship that flourishes between Shrek and Fiona, it is important to acknowledge that self-acceptance and self-love came before the two fell for each other. Each character struggles with loving and expressing their true self. A majority of the plot line follows their coming to terms with interpersonal relationships. Encouraging people to understand who they are before they engage in an intensely romantic relationship with another person is such an important lesson. In order to truly love someone, it is essential to love and understand oneself fully. Self-love is just as important and arguably a foundation for all romantic relationships, including inter-ogre love.
Be open to unexpected relationships.
By pairing inherently differing characters with one another, a dynamic is created that allows for expectations to be shattered. Throughout the movie there are multiple pairings that are seemingly unnatural. These characters do not follow society’s norms, or more or less the laws of nature, and pursue these juxtaposing relationships. As a result, their lives are shaped for the better. Donkey finds Dragon and Shrek finds Princess Fiona. In contrast, the expected relationship between Princess Fiona and Lord Farquad is completely shattered and exposed as being shallow and unfulfilling, thus portraying the restrictiveness that comes from following society’s rules on the types of relationships we are expected to pursue.
Status and money cannot replace meaningful relationships.
Lord Farquad has limitless power. He has a kingdom, he has his army, he has a castle, he has access to beautiful women, and yet he is the one at the end of the movie who is at a loss. What a wonderful example of how money cannot buy you happiness: the classic contrast between two characters, the have and the have-not. Shrek can barely afford to keep his land, and Lord Farquad owns all the eye can see. However, Shrek proves that he does not need the lavish lifestyle to be happy, and rather, he pursues fulfilling relationships. Be that with his swamp or with Princess Fiona, Shrek puts aside status and wealth and invests his time in developing meaningful relationships with both people (or rather, to be more politically correct, ogres) and nature.
Real life (belches and all) is much more fulfilling than pursuing a fantasy.
In her exile, Princess Fiona wishes her nights away dreaming that she will be awakened and rescued by Prince Charming, with whom she will live happily ever after. Shrek does his best to destroy every single fantasy the princess has ever fabricated. In doing so, he creates the most endearing fairy tale yet by not following any of her guidelines but instead embracing real life and finding magic in the incredibly mundane.
And possibly the most important lesson and the underlying theme of the movie: inner beauty is far more important than what you look like (and anyone who doesn’t celebrate this idea is not worth your time).
The deciding moment that sets this fairytale apart is the moment when Fiona decides to kiss her true love at sunset and take his form. And at this point, if you are still reading this and have not watched the movie, I guess I have a moral obligation to say “spoiler alert,” but Fiona chooses Shrek and forever takes the form of an ogre. To attempt to sum up this epic scene in words is simply impossible. It encompasses all elements of the hero’s journey, which concludes with a fulfilling act that ignites a budding romance. The message in this ending must be solidified as it is incredibly important and applicable to everyone’s life. By choosing to not care about her appearance and what others think about her, Fiona is set free. She chooses to live life as her true self and takes comfort in this. Not only does she make the decision to not care about her appearance, she also chooses to surround herself with people who support her and celebrate her inner-beauty. While Fiona does fall in love with Shrek, it is important to acknowledge that she makes the decision to be an ogre by herself. This is the first time in the movie when she makes her own decisions and takes control of her own destiny. Through this character’s growth, we can see the empowerment that comes from self-love and acceptance through a dismissal of society’s beauty standards.