Gender Roles in How To Train Your Dragon

After re-watching the classic animated movie How To Train Your Dragon over the weekend, I recognized some aspects of gender roles within the story. Although the movie isn’t the greatest example of gender equality and still maintains some “traditional” gender role attributes, this movie does a much better job in comparison to the other older DreamWorks movies in allowing the female roles to be more than the typical cookie-cutter love interest. In terms of the main protagonist Hiccup and the main female character Astrid, the traditional gender roles are actually reversed.

In the movie, Hiccup doesn’t really fit in with the other Vikings. Casted out due to his weak frame and inability to show “manly” qualities like strength and athletics, Hiccup thrives in more creative and less physical ways. Hiccup’s father is hyper masculinized and, in an attempt to please him, Hiccup strikes down a dragon. After rushing to the fallen dragon with a knife in hand, Hiccup decides to not kill the dragon, instead thinking more compassionately and ends up taking care of him. Hiccup displays more of the typical and traditional female characteristics. He is more emotional and softer and fails to be the soldier his father wants him to be.

While Hiccup attempts to find the man he wants to be, Astrid on the other hand is a physically string warrior who portrays more of the traditional male gender role. Astrid was the leader of the dragon training class and embodies want it means to be a Viking arguably more than any other character. She is resourceful, a skilled fighter, cunning and determined, and out of all the other kids, she is the only one with the inclination to inflict harm on dragons. She and Hiccup contrast each other, as to their relationship, Hiccup is the emotional, feelings-type character, while Astrid is the hard-headed, physically strong character.

I especially like how this movie doesn’t focus on Hiccup becoming a “traditional man” or the perfect soldier, but instead shows how all the characters must strive to find a balance between emotions, compassion, and relentless. In the end of the movie, it is Hiccup’s over masculine father who learns the importance of empathy and understanding, as their village stopped being afraid of dragons and instead welcomed them. Although I would have liked to see more female characters like Astrid, How To Train Your Dragon shows that people don’t need to be prisoned by traditional gender roles and that comprehension and compassion overcome violence and brutality.