Interpretation Notes
Mar. 7th, 2014 01:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
coldhardyCrocus: National symbol of Arendelle (compare to French fleur-de-lys, English Tudor rose, etc.)
Agdar: King of Arendelle, Elsa's father
Idun: Queen of Arendelle, Elsa's mother
Corona: The country that Tangled was set in (Rapunzel and Eugene attend Elsa's coronation)
Frozen leaves a lot of things open, even the year. It's not quite our world, but it's not completely different from our world, either... for example, some of the ambassadorial guests at Elsa's coronation are identified in the credits as being from real countries like France and Scotland. A painting of Joan of Arc hangs in the castle. It's easier and makes more sense to go with the idea of a world that has a similar history to ours, but allows for little hidden pockets and grey areas where the stories of Frozen and Tangled can be added, than to try to make up a completely different history that would be hard to keep consistent between players.
So, first of all, I've taken 1845 as the year, on the understanding that it's a crack version of 1845 that includes some references that are more contemporary to the 1980s and later. A character from a "serious" version of that time would not recognize Frozen characters as their neighbors -- not in mindset, not in behavior. Nonetheless, it's hard to play most characters without them occasionally having to provide a year of origin. I chose 1845 because that's the year "The Snow Queen" was published, and because Disney seems to have been referencing that period with the costumes. It's arbitrary, and if a conflict ever came up, Elsa could easily say that it was just the year in "Arendelle reckoning."
In the real world, Norway was more or less ruled by Denmark for hundreds of years until 1814, then was subject to Swedish rule in the form of a "personal union" (a union under a single monarch in which each country maintains its own legislature, etc.) for the rest of the 19th century.
There's no indication that Arendelle's history is meant to precisely mirror Norway's; it seems more like it's supposed to be a Scandinavian principality the way Monaco is in the Mediterranean region, but larger (compare it to something like the medieval Italian kingdoms, maybe), and that it's had a peaceful independent history in recent decades.
I'm going with a historical context similar to the real one, but keeping that in mind. Arendelle is not subordinate to Denmark or Sweden, but as an example, Norway had relatively little in the way of "national literature" until the late 1800s. To mirror that, and given that it seems to be small and not noticeably cosmopolitan (especially with the capitol being closed to most outside influences for fifteen years), I'm saying Arendelle doesn't have much national literature.
Likewise, while A Sister More Like Me gives context for Elsa's interests and day-to-day life (studying! books! high tea! being so pragmatic and ladylike it hurts!), there's still a lot of grey area. I've given her a few interests and accomplishments that were considered appropriate for aristocratic women in 19th-century Europe, but adjusted her skill levels to compensate for the fact that she may or may not have had "masters" (teachers) and might have been mostly taught by her mother. These skills are, more or less, drawing/watercolor, playing the piano, and embroidery/sewing.
If in doubt about whether or not she should have a skill, I look to see whether or not there's evidence that Queen Victoria could do the thing in question. She liked to draw and play piano. Also, some concept art from Frozen shows various versions of Elsa playing the piano in her ice palace, and the way she uses her ice magic definitely suggests an interest in decorative arts.
Agdar: King of Arendelle, Elsa's father
Idun: Queen of Arendelle, Elsa's mother
Corona: The country that Tangled was set in (Rapunzel and Eugene attend Elsa's coronation)
Frozen leaves a lot of things open, even the year. It's not quite our world, but it's not completely different from our world, either... for example, some of the ambassadorial guests at Elsa's coronation are identified in the credits as being from real countries like France and Scotland. A painting of Joan of Arc hangs in the castle. It's easier and makes more sense to go with the idea of a world that has a similar history to ours, but allows for little hidden pockets and grey areas where the stories of Frozen and Tangled can be added, than to try to make up a completely different history that would be hard to keep consistent between players.
So, first of all, I've taken 1845 as the year, on the understanding that it's a crack version of 1845 that includes some references that are more contemporary to the 1980s and later. A character from a "serious" version of that time would not recognize Frozen characters as their neighbors -- not in mindset, not in behavior. Nonetheless, it's hard to play most characters without them occasionally having to provide a year of origin. I chose 1845 because that's the year "The Snow Queen" was published, and because Disney seems to have been referencing that period with the costumes. It's arbitrary, and if a conflict ever came up, Elsa could easily say that it was just the year in "Arendelle reckoning."
In the real world, Norway was more or less ruled by Denmark for hundreds of years until 1814, then was subject to Swedish rule in the form of a "personal union" (a union under a single monarch in which each country maintains its own legislature, etc.) for the rest of the 19th century.
There's no indication that Arendelle's history is meant to precisely mirror Norway's; it seems more like it's supposed to be a Scandinavian principality the way Monaco is in the Mediterranean region, but larger (compare it to something like the medieval Italian kingdoms, maybe), and that it's had a peaceful independent history in recent decades.
I'm going with a historical context similar to the real one, but keeping that in mind. Arendelle is not subordinate to Denmark or Sweden, but as an example, Norway had relatively little in the way of "national literature" until the late 1800s. To mirror that, and given that it seems to be small and not noticeably cosmopolitan (especially with the capitol being closed to most outside influences for fifteen years), I'm saying Arendelle doesn't have much national literature.
Likewise, while A Sister More Like Me gives context for Elsa's interests and day-to-day life (studying! books! high tea! being so pragmatic and ladylike it hurts!), there's still a lot of grey area. I've given her a few interests and accomplishments that were considered appropriate for aristocratic women in 19th-century Europe, but adjusted her skill levels to compensate for the fact that she may or may not have had "masters" (teachers) and might have been mostly taught by her mother. These skills are, more or less, drawing/watercolor, playing the piano, and embroidery/sewing.
If in doubt about whether or not she should have a skill, I look to see whether or not there's evidence that Queen Victoria could do the thing in question. She liked to draw and play piano. Also, some concept art from Frozen shows various versions of Elsa playing the piano in her ice palace, and the way she uses her ice magic definitely suggests an interest in decorative arts.
