Tangled's Subtle Problem

Rewatching Tangled after 13 years is an experience. On one hand, I enjoyed it much more than in theatres, as I’ve come to appreciate its impact. On the other hand, there’s a reason Disney abandoned traditional antagonists afterward. Because while Mother Gothel’s fantastically manipulative, using coercion tactics to keep Rapunzel locked away, she’s also a caricature. In particular, she gives off subconsciously-Antisemitic vibes.

Some of you are rolling your eyes at that, wondering what I’m talking about. I didn’t believe it myself for the longest time. But as I’ve gotten older and learned more about Antisemitic stereotypes, I’ve started seeing the connections. I don’t think that diminishes the enjoyment of this movie, but at the same time it’s not something I can ignore. Let me explain.

Let’s delve into what Mother Gothel is: a haggardly witch. She doesn’t have much in the way of powers, aside from appearing and disappearing at will, but she has the physical features of a witch. She’s originally shown as old, decrepit and unsightly. Her nose is crooked and hooked, a traditionally Antisemitic feature. She looks really ugly, and she uses Rapunzel’s hair to restore her youth.

Even in her rejuvenated form, she’s harsher-looking than Rapunzel, having darker, more arid features to compliment Rapunzel’s lighter, more European features. In some ways you’d could argue Gothel’s Roma, which is also a problem, but since she fits the “possessive mother” stereotype, I think being Jewish-coded is more accurate. It doesn’t help that she routinely gaslights Rapunzel into believing she loves her, when she only loves her hair. Sound familiar? That slimy, manipulative, possessive trait’s also an Antisemitic trope, as Medieval Europeans had a fear that Jews were outsiders sneaking into society to take advantage of their innocence.

Either way, Mother Gothel in Tangled is uncomfortable. But whether the witch or the infiltrator, Gothel’s presence, given the European setting, rubs me the wrong way even if I still enjoy the movie. It’s especially upsetting because, aside from witches traditionally being Jewish-coded, I don’t think Disney’s animators were aware of this when they designed her. It’s not like the Disney when Walt was alive, where bigoted depictions of other races were deliberate. This is along the lines of The Disney Renaissance Era, which was less blatantly-racist and more internally-racist. This is the same era that gave us the depictions of Arabs in Aladdin, the depictions of Huns in Mulan and, more recently, The Shadowman in The Princess and the Frog. In that sense, Mother Gothel’s another unfortunate entry in a long line of them.

That’s why it’s important to call this out. Like I said with The Simpsons and child strangulation, art has various levels of interpretation, and some are unintentional. Racist depictions through villain coding, while not at the forefront of most viewers, is another example of that. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy these portrayals, I love Disney villains myself, but art’s funny that way. You can enjoy something while still being uncomfortable with it.

It’s also worth mentioning this because there’s a reason Disney discontinued traditional antagonists for a while. I know they brought them back with Wish, but that was largely to comment on their history as a studio. Mother Gothel, while portrayed wonderfully by Donna Murphy, was an unintentional repackaging of a trope that’s existed for centuries. And, to be clear, I don’t think it was entirely Disney’s fault. The fairy-tale from which Tangled’s based wasn’t much better, with Gothel serving a similar role. So while this Mother Gothel might’ve been sanded down to be more appealing, that aspect of her is unavoidable.

All of this makes it hard to fully-appreciate Mother Gothel. Don’t get wrong, she’s well-written, and her villain song is powerful! But she’s easily the weakest part of the movie. I preferred the interactions between Rapunzel and Flynn, particularly their dance number in the city. Even “I’ve Got a Dream”, perhaps the movie’s funniest musical number, is better than Mother Gothel’s scenes with Rapunzel. It’s all because I can’t not see the coded Antisemitism.

I’m not trying to stop you from enjoying Tangled or Mother Gothel. Nor am I trying to diminish the catharsis some people have with seeing her die, especially those who are or were in abusive relationships with their parents. I defended Thanos in The Avengers: Infinity War, and I stand by what I said. Abusive relationships, essentially, have their place on the big-screen. If you love this movie and Mother Gothel, more power to you!

My issue, however, with Mother Gothel is equally valid. It’s not like this movie’s solely guilty of that issue either, as it’s not. The witches in Macbeth have a similar problem, and that’s Shakespeare! Arguably one of the greatest playwrights ever! If William Shakespeare’s not immune to the problems of Mother Gothel, then that should tell you more about the trope she’s based on and less about the movie!

Mother Gothel’s one example of how Disney frequently delves into harmful stereotypes, whether intentional or unintentional. They’ve gotten better at not doing this, especially with villains, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be critical of their slip ups. Because how else are they going to learn? And isn’t that the point of art criticism, to call out the unsavoury elements? I think so!

Now then, about the internet’s fascination with Rapunzel’s character…