A dragon swoops down towards a fairytale castle. "Life in Far Far Away is a real wonder," says the voiceover. "But sometimes even the calmest moments can be disrupted." A scheming villain appears, followed by rampaging knights on horseback. "Rumpelstiltskin wants to erase the memories of everyone in the kingdom..." A look of fury crosses the face of a large green ogre.

This is a trailer for Shrek 5, which is to be released next summer. Like its predecessors, it centres on the heroic ogre Shrek, his wife Fiona and his wisecracking sidekick Donkey, and features a host of famous fairytale characters.

To some it is just the latest in a hugely enjoyable film series. But others will be looking for a deeper meaning beneath the jokes and thrills. One writer has compared Shrek to EuripidesAn ancient Greek playwright, known for his tragedies.' great play The Bacchae.¹

On the 20th anniversary of the first movie, Gina Cherelus described it in The New York Times as an "examination of true love, self-acceptance, identity and friendship". Arguments, she noted, "are still waged online over whether the movie is a commentary on gentrificationWhen a poor area of a city dramatically transforms into a wealthy neighbourhood, often due to an influx of wealthier people. or racism".

Those are just a few of the themes that viewers have identified. There are so many that Shrek has been the subject of academic conferences and philosophical discussions.

In 2022, Middlesex University held a conference called "Two Decades of Shrek". One session focused on "the ambivalentHaving two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel., and at times contradictory, identity politics that structure the Shrek franchise".²

Jessica Gibson from York University discussed how the film "seeks to embrace new ways of thinking through stereotypedAn idea, often oversimplified, that is used to represent one group of people. Stereotypes are often harmful or misleading. images of disability, as well as upturning long-standing connections between monstrosity and fear".

A major subject of debate is whether Shrek supports libertarianism. This is the idea that a government should play as small a part as possible in people's lives. A society will flourish if everyone is left to do their own thing; the economy should be left to market forces, and there should be no government subsidies or welfare handouts.  

According to Tanner Mann, writing on Lone Conservative, "Shrek is the perfect libertarian hero". Rather than rescue Fiona from the dragon out of the kindness of his heart, "Shrek completes the mission to serve his ulterior motives, showing that oftentimes what is good for the individual is also good for the collective".

But writing on Geeks, Kayleigh Barbosa argues that the film is a MarxistA supporter of the left-wing political, economic and philosophical ideas of Karl Marx. metaphor. Fiona starts out as a loyal member of the bourgeoisieIn a Marxist context, the capitalist class who own most of the wealth in society., but comes to recognise the evils of capitalismA form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies. and "finally embraces Shrek and the revolution wholeheartedly, giving up her life of privilege in the process".

The Prindle Institute of Ethics presents Shrek as a subject for philosophical debate. The story, it says, explores "the definitions of beauty and ugliness and asks how love can impact what we consider ugly... we question the nature of Shrek and the princess's love, and the nature of love in general".

Does Shrek have a hidden message?

Yes: Fairy tales are never just adventures: they appeal to us because they tap into deep psychological truths. Shrek goes further by subverting tradition and reflecting the concerns of the modern world.   

No: It is just a good yarn with brilliant animation and lots of humour. Some people just cannot resist reading things into books and films even though there is no real evidence for them.  

Or... Shrek does have a message, but it is an entirely obvious one. We should love people for what they are, not what they look like, and with the support of our friends we can overcome many obstacles.  

Euripides - An ancient Greek playwright, known for his tragedies.

Gentrification - When a poor area of a city dramatically transforms into a wealthy neighbourhood, often due to an influx of wealthier people.

Ambivalent - Having two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel.

Stereotyped - An idea, often oversimplified, that is used to represent one group of people. Stereotypes are often harmful or misleading.

Marxist - A supporter of the left-wing political, economic and philosophical ideas of Karl Marx.

Bourgeoisie - In a Marxist context, the capitalist class who own most of the wealth in society.

Capitalism - A form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies.