The Strength of Women Threatening the Strength of Men

     In speaking on the topic of strong female figures in society, I believe an interesting character to note would be the evil foster mother Gothel from Tangled. Through this strange connection Gothel who is an elderly woman looking for the secret to youth is as stubborn and harsh as both Bergthora and Hallgerd in Njal’s Saga. As the story goes, Gothel happens upon a magical flower that when you sing to it, the flower both heals and preserves your youth. Rapunzel’s mother was very sick around the time of child birth and guards found the flower and gave it to her in order to heal her. Because of this, Rapunzel was born with magical hair that assumed the same powers as the original flower. Gothel, seeing all of these events take place, had one goal in mind, to stay young and live forever.

     Gothel kidnapped Rapunzel from the king and queen and set off into the forest. As Rapunzel grew older she became more independent and curious about the world and set off to see it while Gothel was away. After Gothel returned and saw that Rapunzel had left she again feared for her youth and beauty and soon turned into a very spiteful and vengeful woman as she searched for Rapunzel. Along Gothel’s travels in a never-ending search for eternal life and beauty, she encounters two henchmen who are known thieves throughout the forest. In an attempt to convince them to help her, Gothel bribes them with riches beyond belief and revenge on a fellow thief who betrayed them. Throughout the story we see how Gothel easily gets her way as she is tunnel visioned towards retrieving this magical power. Gothel is easily one of the most manipulative and clever characters in the film and truly proves that she will, by whatever means necessary, have her way. Towards the end of the film we see that she ultimately kills the only person who Rapunzel finds true happiness with and again proves the extent of her evil character.

      In a direct comparison, Bergthora and Hallgerd’s feud between each other is also over something as shallow as beauty and they too become tunnel visioned in their plot for revenge and the spite they have for each other. Both of these women characters in Njal’s Saga are very prideful and entitled and will not take offense to their title lightly. When these two hard headed women collide, it is as if Gothel has met her ultimate stubborn and unyielding match. In either case both Gothel, Bergthora and Hallgerd are conniving, manipulative and relentless when it comes to achieving their goal. In one part of the text Bergthora is attempting to coax her husband and sons to seek revenge on Sigmond who has insulted their character. In the text Cook relates, “Gifts have been given to you all, father and sons, and you’re not real men unless you repay them.” (Cook 74) . Evidence of their true authority reveals itself in that the people these women manipulate are not only other women but men as well. Bergotha and Hallgerd both manipulate their husbands to act out against their normal docile character in an attempt to seek revenge on the other. They also use male slaves as a source to get back at the other for petty revenge. Gothel manipulates strong and ill minded henchmen to follow out her will. Gothel also convinces a drunken man outside of a forest pub using her youth and charm in an attempt to obtain more information about Rapunzel and her whereabouts. Again, in both cases Bergthora, Hallgerd and Gothel are all very strong female characters who can easily manipulate and persuade others to get what they want no matter how small or how big their need/want may be. Overall, the true strength of women is shown not through their sexualization but through their cunning minds and their drive to get what they want however they have to go about it.