Attack of the Tiara - The Pretty Woman Myth

The Pretty Woman myth is the same as the Cinderella syndrome, more or less, which holds that women get themselves easily and by no fault of their own into terrible situations, which happens to Vivian in "Pretty Woman" when she goes into prostitution feeling as if she has no other options and to Cinderella once her evil-step sisters move in and her father forgets all about her. Then, the women are miraculously rescued by insanely rich, attractive, and amazingly kind-hearted men who want nothing but to whisk us women away on a white steed and ride off into happily ever after. However, this is no reality.

The most interesting commentary I found on this topic was a blog by Rachel Hills called "Do you have Cinderella Syndrome." She talks about the modern Cinderella princess, Paris Hilton, the Duff sisters in "Material Girls" the special one, the envied one, the glamorous one: all desireable traits for any teenage girl. But aren't there dangers to this situation?? This is the part that no one talks about. In "The Pretty Woman Myth" Carolyn Malorey talks about the dangerous implications of public perception of prostitution. But what else? Does Cinderella stay true to her character once she's carried off into the sunset? Does she remember everything that her mother asked of her, or her father's desire for her to be pious and true?? If Cinderella had girlfriends at the local high school, would they keep in touch?? Who knows. Life's not all glam and gold, you know.

Another one of my FAVORITE comments on fairy tale love is a Sara Bareilles Song called "Fairytale." The opening line is "Cinderella's on the bed room floor, she's got a crush on the guy at the liquor store. 'Cause Mr. Charming don't come home any more and she forgets why she came here." Chorus says, "I don't care for your fairytales, you're so worried about the maiden but you know she's only waiting on the next best thing." It's a very empowering song for women and comments on the irrelevance of fairytale love in the real world because it talks about what happens after "happily ever after." So, is the tiara really all that great? Do we all just want to be princesses? I'm pretty sure, secretly yes, but for the record count me out.

Lyrics for "Fairytale" by Sara Bareilles

Cinderella's on her bedroom floor

She's got a

Crush on the guy at the liquor store

Cause Mr. Charming don't come home anymore

And she forgets why she came here

Sleeping Beauty's in a foul mood

For shame she says

None for you dear prince, I'm tired today

I'd rather sleep my whole life away

Than have you keep me from dreaming

[Chorus:]

cause I don't care for your fairy tales

You're so worried about the maiden though you know

She's only waiting on the next best thing

Snow White is doing dishes again cause

What else can you do

With seven itty-bitty men?

Sends them to bed and calls up a friend

Says will you meet me at midnight?

The tall blonde lets out a cry of despair says

Would have cut it myself if I knew men could climb hair

I'll have to find another tower somewhere and keep away from the windows

[Chorus]

Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom

Man made up a story said that I should believe him

Go and tell your white knight that he's handsome in hindsight

But I don't want the next best thing

So I sing and hold my head down and I break these walls round me

Can't take no more of your fairytale love

[Chorus]

She's only waiting spent the whole life being graded on the sanctity of

Patience and a dumb appreciation

But the story needs some mending and a better happy ending

Cause I don't want the next best thing

No no I don't want the next best thing