Envy within Disney Films
Perhaps one of the most common deadly sin present in Disney films is the sin of envy. Envy is apparently in a vast majority of Disney films and is characterized by an insatiable desire; a wanting of another person's traits, abilities, status etc. The Christian notion of the Ten Commandments given by God specifically states that no person is to be envious of another, however in many Disney movies either the main antagonist or protagonist character usually displays signs of envy. Although it is easy to use Disney film villains as examples of this deadly sin, the main characters in Disney movies are envious as well. This site, for the purpose of examples, will focus on only a short list of Disney characters that display the deadly sin of envy, although the list is vast.
The Little Mermaid is a film made by Disney that is filled with examples of envy. This fan video summarizes this deadly sin within the film, focusing on Ariel and Ursula. Ariel, the main character and focus of the film, is portrayed as an innocent young mermaid whose only wish is to experience the human world. Although this sounds charming, her trait of envy begins to take over her life completely. Ariel spends her days dreaming of a new life and the adventures she could have if only she could experience life as a human. This envy of a human life causes her to disobey her father, ignore warnings from friends and listen to extremely dangerous people that insist she sell her soul and beautiful voice in order to fulfill her dream. Her envy, in conjunction with the envy of the protagonist Ursula, creates a Disney film filled with danger and sin in the eyes of Christian critics.
Ursula, as the evil character within The Little Mermaid, creates great controversy between Disney lovers and Christian film critics. In the eyes of Christian critics that firmly believe in the seven deadly sins, Ursula represents the temptations of Satan himself and is therefore a terrible character to portray in a family film. Ursula's envy of King Triton's status and power within the undersea world causes her to lie and cheat young Ariel into giving up her soul, which almost helps Ursula succeed in gaining King Triton's power. The antagonists of Disney films rarely get what they seek, with Ursula being no exception.
Ursula, as the evil character within The Little Mermaid, creates great controversy between Disney lovers and Christian film critics. In the eyes of Christian critics that firmly believe in the seven deadly sins, Ursula represents the temptations of Satan himself and is therefore a terrible character to portray in a family film. Ursula's envy of King Triton's status and power within the undersea world causes her to lie and cheat young Ariel into giving up her soul, which almost helps Ursula succeed in gaining King Triton's power. The antagonists of Disney films rarely get what they seek, with Ursula being no exception.
Envy- a popular trait of Disney villains
Other Disney villains that are overcome and eventually ruined by their sins of extreme envy are the Evil Queen from Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Jafar from Aladdin, Scar from the Disney film The Lion King, and so many more. The vast majority of Disney villains are consumed with envy for the protagonists within the Disney films and will do anything to obtain what they envy. The Christian notion of the sin of envy is clearly shown within these Disney films, with some characters even displaying more than one deadly sin.