Leaving Prince

Charming Behind

Karlo Mila

Do now:

1. Write down all the fairy tales you know that feature love stories

2. What stereotypes about men, women and love do these stories present?

Fairy Tale allusions in the poem

• “living the fairy tale” • “the myth”• “happily ever after”• “princess” • “Rapunzel” • “the tower”• “cursing your name”• “poison apple” • “mirrors on the wall”• “glass slipper” • “red blood” • “white cloth”• “mirrors on the wall”• “prince on your gallant white horse”• “shoe” • “kiss”• “dragon… you felt honour bound to slay”

4. Stereotypes

• The stereotypical fairy tale princess is pretty, submissive, obedient, weak and passive. She is often imprisoned and helpless, waiting for the prince to rescue her. She is dependent on males.

• Mila shows she wishes to challenge these stereotypes. She describes herself as “not believing in glass slipper redemption” – that is, not believing that she needs to wait for a man like Prince Charming to rescue / marry her.

Reversal of stereotypes in the poem

• She also says “I transformed myself into a beautiful dragon” – a creature that is not weak or soft, but fierce, fiery and powerful. This shows she refuses to play the passive female.

• By describing herself as “Rapunzel with her dreadlocks shorn” she presents herself as a very different sort of heroine. By having dreadlocks she rejects the long blonde hair typical of princesses, and opts for a look associated with women with a strong identity. The fact that they are shorn shows she isn’t waiting for a man to “rescue” her.

Connotations

• 5. “I believed you the architect of my isolation” – the connotations of this phrase are….

• 6. “glass slipper redemption” = allusion / metaphor

Imagery• “I worked my own midnight magic for all it was worth /

red blood , white cloth, mirrors on the wall” • By using active verbs (“I worked..) she emphasises that

she tried hard to make the relationship work but to no avail.

• The image of the mirror suggests she had to find her own self worth.

• The imagery of “Red blood, white cloth” suggests violence / death (her pain? Sacrifice?) – such as in stories like Snow White where the evil queen tries to kill Snow White.

• “Midnight magic” – refers to Cinderella where the magic transformation ends at midnight.

• This imagery is also linked to the line “the poison apple was lodged firmly in my throat”- which shows she was metaphorically ‘choking’ in the relationship.

The author: Karlo Mila• Karlo Mila is of Tongan /

Samoan / Palagi descent

• What does ‘Leaving Prince Charming’ tell us about her attitudes?

• http://www.nzepc.auckland.ac.nz/pasifika/mila3.asp

Comparison between Karlo Mila’s poems

• LEAVING PRINCE CHARMING BEHIND

• THIS IS LOVE