Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism loosely means Humanlike[1]. This usually means applying human characteristics like expressions and clothing to animals, giving animal features to human characters or combining a little bit of both. In some situations, anthropomorphism comes from one extreme to another when a human is turned into an animal for the sake of the narrative. The classic narrative of the Prince being turned into a frog or a witch casting a spell to animalize someone who has wronged her is one as old as written literature. This is literary technique most often used as a punishment as a result of the human character’s actions. 

One classic example of this transformation would be the character Nick Bottom from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Figure 1 [2] Nick Bottom and Titania, Queen of the Faeries as Illustrated by Arthur Rackham, published 1909. For original image click here: http://www.artpassions.net/cgi-bin/rackham.pl?../galleries/rackham/msd/msd41_bottom_titania.jpg

This character thinks of himself as a bit of a Thespian and is so confident of his abilities to the point that he believes he can do anything [3]. This egotism leads Puck, a servant to the fairy king, to transform his head into a donkey’s, perhaps mirroring his ass-like behaviour. Upon his change from an animal-headed human back to his human state, he wakes from the spell to somewhat of revelation. He exclaims ‘I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was: man is but an ass [4]. His time as an anthropomorphised human has given him a change of heart and attitude, and he approaches his co-stars as equals rather than extras. 

Figure 2 [5] Emperor Kuzco's human form. 2000. For original follow this link: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Kuzco

Figure 3 [5] Emperor Kuzco's llama form. 2000. For original image follow this link: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Kuzco

 Another example of this human-to-animal anthropomorphic transformation comes from the 2000 Disney film, The Emperor’s New Groove. This film sees the titular Emperor, Kuzco, transformed into a Llama by the film’s main villain. Although this action is due to the villain’s egotistical plan, it eventually leads to a friendship forming between this vain, self-centred young ruler and one of his subjects. Because of this friendship the Emperor ultimately changes his mind and his ways to benefit his new friend and his family. It’s almost as if his transformation has an effect on his thoughts and ultimately has an adverse effect on the narrative. I’m starting to see a pattern emerging here…

Figure 5 [6] Queen Elinor in her human form. 2012. For original image follow this link: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Queen_Elinor 

Figure 6 [6] Queen Elinor in her bear form. 2012. For original image follow this link: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Queen_Elinor 

In the 2012 film Brave, our main character Merida, uses a witch’s spell to ‘change her mum’s mind’ about being married off for the sake of their clan. What she doesn’t realise is that the spell ‘changes her mind’, and the rest her into a bear. This forces the two of them to work together to reverse the spell, also allowing them to become closer and put their petty arguments aside. By the end of the film, the two characters are closer than ever and all issues that happened before the change are resolved by the new ideas and relationships that come about after the reversal of the spell.
It would appear then, that if a particular character of literary or filmic fiction needs their mind or opinions changing, then turning them into an animal, be that Donkey, Llama or Bear, may be a good idea.

References

[1] TVTropes.org, 2015.
[2] ArtPassions.net, 2015.
[3] TVTropes.org, 2015.
[4] Shakespeare.mit.edu, 2015.
[5] The Disney Wiki, 2015.
[6] The Disney Wiki, 2015.

Bibliography

Arthur Rackham Society. 2012 List of Illustrations. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from: 

http://arthur-rackham-society.org/links.html

Art Passions. Illustration of Nick Bottom and Titania. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from:  

http://www.artpassions.net/cgi-bin/rackham.pl?../galleries/rackham/msd/msd41_bottom_titania.jpg

The Disney Wiki. 2015. Images of Emperor Kuzco. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from:  

http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Kuzco

The Disney Wiki. 2015. Images of Queen Elinor. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from:
http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Queen_Elinor

Shakespeare MIT, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 1590-96. Quotation of Bottom. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from: http://shakespeare.mit.edu/midsummer/full.html

TV Tropes. 2015. Characters: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/AMidsummerNightsDream 

TV Tropes. 2015. Sliding Scale of Anthropomorphism. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism 

Wikipedia. 2015. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. [Online] [Accessed from 2015] Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night%27s_Dream