#elsa analysis

Like, this movie is deeply relatable and like, resonant? To me. Specifically. Both of my younger sisters can attest to how scary and mean I was before I got help, and the sister closest to me in age (actually, the sister who has the same age gap with me that Anna has with Elsa) DEEPLY relates to Anna’s struggle to reach her older sister.

But what I actually want to talk about is the symbolism. Below the cut. This will literally destroy your dash, be warned.

So as all of you who watched the Frozen 2 making-of docuseries know, mama Jen Lee had been writing Elsa’s diary and placing herself in her mind and shoes to imagine what kind of character journey she would go to during Frozen 2. This was even prior the first screenplay, so waow!! 

So EXTRA, lmao. 

In the first episode, we get to see a page of this fake diary (not so fake, because written by the creator herself)

And for my greatest pleasure (and yours), here’s what I can extract from it : 

"Something happened to me last night. It was the first snow of the season. [When?] it fell, it called to me. I think I hid it well. (lol, did you really, Elsa?) As soon as night fell, I made an excuse to go to bed early and slipped out into the fjords. Nature's snow is more beautiful than mine could ever be. [I can feel?] the energy of the sky it fell from. The fluffy flakes fluttered (nice alliteration, nerd :P) and played together like puppies, like new friends, like sisters. [But when I got on?] my back to form a snow angel, that's when it happened. [?] from the tips of my fingers to the top of the North Mountain, (...)" 

I’ve seen a few posts going around about Elsa’s birthday being on December 21st, since Jen Lee confirmed Elsa was born on the Winter Solstice, which is the 21st this year. 

However, if Elsa is 21 in July 1839, when Frozen 1 takes place, that means she was born in December 1817. And the Winter Solstice that year was December 22nd, which makes the 22nd Elsa’s birthday!

When we think of Romanticism, the picture of a sentimental, dreamy individual often springs to mind. Since these words are relevant, the true meaning of the term that described the artistic movement that was born in the XIXth century is even larger! Knowing that Frozen’s events are taking place at the same period, I found it interesting to link some elements…

The hero’s sensitivity was often accentuated by a deep malaise: indeed, Romanticism exhibed to reader’s eyes human passions and weaknesses, everything that was beautiful or ugly in people, even in noble individuals. That imperfection caused the hero to be broken and sad.

And this is what we notice in Elsa, it is on this very principle that her dilemma is founded: her power can be beautiful and dangerous at the same time, a cause of misfortune or joy, and the young woman herself is powerful but weak, possesses altruistic qualities but would love to be herself… Even worse, as a cursed creature, she creates trouble around her, despite herself.

Besides, it seems that Elsa is the first Disney’s royal character to possess such a broken and complex personality…

One of the most recurrent themes of Romanticism is the intense connection between the character and Nature, and more precisely, the Wild nature, with her weather phenomena, her majesty and her dangers, echoing with the exacerbated emotions of the hero. This one, like Chateaubriand’s Ren, who’s considered as the Romanticism’s precursor, possessed a great sensitivity and loved to walk alone in forests, to explore that new freedom. Nature became a giant playground, the hero’s feeling’s concrete form in the outsideworld.

Isn’t it what we observe with Elsa during Let it go?

The emergence of a delicate sensitivity and creative energy that has been smothered for too long by the severe yoke of duty and responsabilities is obvious. Elsa expresses all this passion through art and identifies herself to this new ice environment which is in harmony with her.

« I am one with the wind and the sky »

On the top of that, romantic artists impersonated the picture of inspirated poets, whose feelings were always focused on a creative goal: it was in pain and sadness, or on the contrary in euphoria, in their hypersensitivity that they found fertility. Then, Elsa represses her feelings because she knows that they are her uncontrollable power’s trigger.

In my FF, which takes place after the movie, Elsa leaps into action to save two strangers after she witnesses a ‘close-call’ wolf attack. 

Now, forgetting the castle is surrounded by water, do we think Elsa would have made the same decision had she not yet become queen? If she’d been in her bedroom at 20 years old, staring out her window, and seen something like that; do we think she would have made the same decision to assist them? Granted, at this point, she would not have experimented with her powers. She would not have known what she was capable of. She would have never intensionally let them go. 

Do we think she would have been able to sit idly by, and watch it take place?

Lets also, for arguments sake, say there’s no one else around to help. It’s late. The caste is asleep, and Elsa is the only one who can get to them in time. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Why are you asking me this like I’m Jennifer Lee herself??? 😂 

Did I become such a part of the fandom that you guys consider me as the advisor? this is awesome hgdjkfhgdf 

Okay so, if you’re asking for my theory/headcanon, here it is: because she didn’t question her role at that time. 

She had been sad about herself, she had mentally injured herself, she felt guilty, scared, like a monster... But never did she decline her role as Queen. Of course the crown was given to her by default and she couldn’t refuse it. And of course she fled so it’s like she’s abdicating. But in the end, she DID come back to assume her leadership. She didn’t question it.  

And she didn’t get to do it until in Frozen 2. 

right after the Great Thaw (timeline: end of Frozen 1), she was into the emotions of finally understanding that the key against her depression was to see that people around her loved her despite being different. Love is the key to control her magic. She’s in full control, and learns to love her magic and all the wonders (and fun stuff like an ice rink) it can do. 

during the three years that separates this moment and the beginning of Frozen 2, it’s fairly certain that she adapted to her new life by first mutually learning/teaching from/to her magic (new tricks, visibly enhanced powers with Olaf’s permafrost, etc) and second by fully being Queen with all the responsabilities, logistics and receptions that came with them, among other things. 

but here’s the thing. receptions. this is where we see Elsa doubt in Frozen 2. She surely had doubted about her role earlier in the years, but here we see her daydreaming on that balcony, seemingly thinking about her mother, and Kai has to take her out of her deep thinking to remind her that guests are waiting. Of course, she obliges, because she cares. But she knows it’s not the role she wants. She feels like she belongs elsewhere, hence the “I’m looking at the horizon”. She’s yearning. She wants to know who she can be. And I think this is exactly why Ahtohallan chose to call her in that moment. 

I find the coincidence either big chance because of how the movie goes or a clever plot point: the moment Elsa thinks about a memory of her mother singing a lullaby to her is right before Ahtohallan calls her using a memory of her mother singing the Spirits call!