teescha
05-30-2006, 03:02 PM
:love:
Fantaghiro....
In the television fantasy story "Fantaghiro" one can see the world as if with the eyes of the main character. It is beautiful and fabulous and even the black characters seem to be nice figures (apart from those who humiliate women turning them into sexual toys - i. e. the Golden Eye. These characters are shown as nasty chicks.)
Although you can conclude from the dialoges that a devastating war rages around, you don't get to see any suffering or bloodshed. However, this does not make the world boring at all: in these idyllic surroundings there is still place for a noble fight, honour and valour. Moreover, Fantaghiro's world is inhabited by various fantastic beings like speaking fish and stones or woodland's Elves. So, this world combines the best traits of three worlds: the world of men, the world of women and the world of children's dreams.
The culture of Fantaghiro's world seems to be deeply patriarchal although it is not unreformable. You find yourself apparently - as it is the case in the modern Italian culture (and the Polish culture probably does not differ much from the Italian one in this aspect) - somewhere in the middle of the process of a social change: Fantaghiro is an emancipated, self-aware and yet warm and sensible woman. The people idolize her and she can be an example for the women of her kingdom. We do not learn anything about the manner of her ruling but she would surely contribute to an improvement of the women situation, still trying not to hurt the feelings of men. Yet on the other hand - apart from her youth rebellion and the fact that she supports Romualdo even with a sword in her hand - one sees no striving to equality in her deeds: her relationship with Romualdo is quite traditional. so I am not sure if you can come to such far going conclusions. Fantaghiro fights rather for love, respect, justice. She would surely oppose humiliation of women (compare the scene with the Golden Eye and others). It does not necesserily have to imply equality. In the best case one can risk the supposition that she would try to change the image of women. After all, she always tries to prove that she is not worse than men at fighting (Fantaghiro part 2. - Scene of the dual with Romualdo, Fantaghiro part 9. etc.). And still, watching the story, you do not have the impression, Fantaghiro is a fighting feminist. :-)
What the story of Princess Fantaghiro means for me
I watched the television fantasy story "Fantaghiro" for the first time in a German TV Channel when I was about 11 or 12 years old. In those days, I viewed it (and I think that was also the intention of the authors) in first place as a story of the great love that stands on the side of good in its eternal struggle against evil and is always victorious. I also dreamt at that time about a great, never ending love, which I wanted to find.
On the day of my fifteenth birthday, when I noticed a falling star on the night-sky, I uttered a wish. I wished to meet a boy somewhere in the middle of woodlands and live with him through all the adventures which Fantaghiro faced alongside Romualdo. However childish, my wish might appear, it was very important for me, then. And I uttered it - as I said - under a falling star on the day of my fifteenth birthday, it had to come true. I was not quite clear what exactly I was asking for. And the gods often tend to make the mortals' wishes come true in a totally erroneous way.
At the age of 15, 16, even 17 I cycled through forests in the area where I was raised, pretending to be Fantaghiro on her runaway in which she spotted the eyes of her beloved in the thickets. Yet Romualdo was nowhere to find.
The time was passing and I thought about Romualdo less and less frequently. Yet the gods or some other force that listens to my childhood wishes in order to fulfill them later in the least suitable moment and in the least expected manner apparently had not forgotten me. Thats when I met my beloved Husband , not in the forest but in the PC and to whom I love with all my heart.
White Witch: "Look for her among the mortal ones, noble knight."
So I shall, White Witch, I thank thee for thy counsel…
Fantaghiro....
In the television fantasy story "Fantaghiro" one can see the world as if with the eyes of the main character. It is beautiful and fabulous and even the black characters seem to be nice figures (apart from those who humiliate women turning them into sexual toys - i. e. the Golden Eye. These characters are shown as nasty chicks.)
Although you can conclude from the dialoges that a devastating war rages around, you don't get to see any suffering or bloodshed. However, this does not make the world boring at all: in these idyllic surroundings there is still place for a noble fight, honour and valour. Moreover, Fantaghiro's world is inhabited by various fantastic beings like speaking fish and stones or woodland's Elves. So, this world combines the best traits of three worlds: the world of men, the world of women and the world of children's dreams.
The culture of Fantaghiro's world seems to be deeply patriarchal although it is not unreformable. You find yourself apparently - as it is the case in the modern Italian culture (and the Polish culture probably does not differ much from the Italian one in this aspect) - somewhere in the middle of the process of a social change: Fantaghiro is an emancipated, self-aware and yet warm and sensible woman. The people idolize her and she can be an example for the women of her kingdom. We do not learn anything about the manner of her ruling but she would surely contribute to an improvement of the women situation, still trying not to hurt the feelings of men. Yet on the other hand - apart from her youth rebellion and the fact that she supports Romualdo even with a sword in her hand - one sees no striving to equality in her deeds: her relationship with Romualdo is quite traditional. so I am not sure if you can come to such far going conclusions. Fantaghiro fights rather for love, respect, justice. She would surely oppose humiliation of women (compare the scene with the Golden Eye and others). It does not necesserily have to imply equality. In the best case one can risk the supposition that she would try to change the image of women. After all, she always tries to prove that she is not worse than men at fighting (Fantaghiro part 2. - Scene of the dual with Romualdo, Fantaghiro part 9. etc.). And still, watching the story, you do not have the impression, Fantaghiro is a fighting feminist. :-)
What the story of Princess Fantaghiro means for me
I watched the television fantasy story "Fantaghiro" for the first time in a German TV Channel when I was about 11 or 12 years old. In those days, I viewed it (and I think that was also the intention of the authors) in first place as a story of the great love that stands on the side of good in its eternal struggle against evil and is always victorious. I also dreamt at that time about a great, never ending love, which I wanted to find.
On the day of my fifteenth birthday, when I noticed a falling star on the night-sky, I uttered a wish. I wished to meet a boy somewhere in the middle of woodlands and live with him through all the adventures which Fantaghiro faced alongside Romualdo. However childish, my wish might appear, it was very important for me, then. And I uttered it - as I said - under a falling star on the day of my fifteenth birthday, it had to come true. I was not quite clear what exactly I was asking for. And the gods often tend to make the mortals' wishes come true in a totally erroneous way.
At the age of 15, 16, even 17 I cycled through forests in the area where I was raised, pretending to be Fantaghiro on her runaway in which she spotted the eyes of her beloved in the thickets. Yet Romualdo was nowhere to find.
The time was passing and I thought about Romualdo less and less frequently. Yet the gods or some other force that listens to my childhood wishes in order to fulfill them later in the least suitable moment and in the least expected manner apparently had not forgotten me. Thats when I met my beloved Husband , not in the forest but in the PC and to whom I love with all my heart.
White Witch: "Look for her among the mortal ones, noble knight."
So I shall, White Witch, I thank thee for thy counsel…