When Shrek hit theaters in 2001, it didn’t just entertain audiences with a green ogre and a talking donkey—it redefined how we think about fairy tales in film. While other animated features stuck closely to the Disney-fied traditions of storytelling, Shrek tore through the rulebook with a wink and a roar. From its unconventional hero to its irreverent tone, Shrek has become a masterclass in how screenwriters can subvert genre expectations to create something fresh and unforgettable.
In this article, we’ll explore how Shrek flips the script on traditional fairy tale tropes, and what screenwriters can learn from its genre-savvy approach.
Opening with Irony: The Storybook Tear-Down
The very first scene in Shrek tells you everything you need to know about the film’s attitude toward fairy tale conventions. We open with the classic voiceover and storybook motif, reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. A narrator (who we later discover is Shrek himself) begins reading the familiar setup: “Once upon a time…”
Then comes the twist. With a flush, Shrek literally tears the page out and uses it as toilet paper. This moment is not just a gag—it’s a declaration. The film is telling us that it won’t be following the same path as its fairy tale predecessors. It immediately creates a metatextual distance from the genre, inviting the audience to laugh with the film at the expense of fairy tale clichés.
This is a powerful tool in screenwriting: using irony to signal to the audience that the film is self-aware. When done well, this kind of tone can feel both fresh and rebellious—especially in genres that come with a lot of baggage.
The Anti-Prince Charming: Shrek as the Unlikely Protagonist
Fairy tales often feature handsome princes or beautiful princesses as protagonists—characters who fit traditional ideals of beauty and virtue. Shrek throws this idea into the swamp.
Shrek is an ogre. He’s big, green, grumpy, and lives in isolation by choice. He doesn’t care about love, destiny, or honor. He’s motivated by self-preservation and a desire to be left alone. And yet, he’s the hero.
This reversal is key. Inverting character expectations forces audiences to confront their own biases about who “deserves” to be a hero. For screenwriters, it’s a reminder that character archetypes are not rules—they’re starting points. A well-developed character who breaks the mold can carry an entire story.
It’s also worth noting that Shrek is not without depth. His abrasiveness masks deep-seated insecurity about how the world perceives him. This emotional complexity is what grounds the comedy and makes the story resonate.
Fiona: A Princess with Layers (Like Onions)
If Shrek is an unconventional hero, Fiona is an even more unconventional princess. At first glance, she seems to tick all the boxes: locked in a tower, waiting to be rescued by a knight. But Fiona, like Shrek, has layers.
First, we see that she’s perfectly capable of defending herself—delivering high kicks and karate chops that would make Mulan proud. Second, she’s not afraid to be gross. She belches, eats rats, and embraces the less glamorous aspects of life in the wild.
Most significantly, Fiona harbors a secret curse that transforms her into an ogre at sunset. Her arc is not about escaping this curse, but rather about accepting it. This flips the classic “beauty transformation” on its head. Instead of turning into a beautiful human permanently, Fiona chooses to stay in her ogre form—because that’s who she truly is.
This is a brilliant example of theme and character alignment. The message of self-acceptance is not just stated—it’s lived through the characters’ decisions. For screenwriters, Fiona is a reminder that female leads don’t need to be paragons of perfection. They can be messy, funny, strong, and still have emotional depth.
The Hero’s Journey… with Satire
Shrek still loosely follows the “Hero’s Journey” structure popularized by Joseph Campbell and embraced by Hollywood. But it does so with a heavy dose of satire.
- Call to Adventure? Shrek doesn’t go on a quest for glory—he just wants to get his swamp back.
- Refusal of the Call? He’s annoyed by the intrusion, not overwhelmed by destiny.
- Meeting the Mentor? Donkey is hardly a traditional mentor; he’s more like an emotional support animal with ADHD.
- Trials and Tests? Sure, they happen—but they’re frequently ridiculous (a wrestling match with knights set to Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation”? Iconic).
By playing with these beats instead of adhering to them rigidly, Shrek shows that the Hero’s Journey is a flexible framework, not a formula. Writers can use it as a backbone while still coloring far outside the lines.
Villainy Reimagined: Lord Farquaad as a Farce
The antagonist, Lord Farquaad, is as exaggerated as the protagonists are grounded. He’s a classic example of how to use satire to critique power and privilege.
Farquaad is obsessed with order, perfection, and appearances. He wants a trophy wife and a kingdom he can control. His cruelty—exiling fairy tale creatures, torturing the Gingerbread Man—is played for laughs, but it’s also a jab at the sanitized, hierarchical values embedded in traditional fairy tales.
He’s also, literally, small—a visual gag that underlines his insecurity and desire for dominance. The comedy here serves a deeper purpose: by making the villain a caricature of aristocratic snobbery, the film critiques the very systems that fairy tales often uphold.
Intertextuality and Pop Culture as Narrative Tools
One of Shrek’s most defining features is its use of pop culture references and intertextual humor. From Matrix-style fight scenes to the use of Smash Mouth’s “All Star,” the film is packed with nods to contemporary culture and other films.
This could have easily felt gimmicky, but it works because the film uses these references to subvert expectations, not just to show off. For instance, the fairy tale world is full of commercialized relics (the Magic Mirror as a dating game host, for example), reinforcing the idea that this isn’t your grandma’s bedtime story.
For screenwriters, Shrek is a case study in how intertextuality can enrich a script—if it serves the story and characters. References for the sake of references date quickly. But when they’re used with intention, they create a layered, engaging world.
Subversion with Heart: Why It Still Works
What makes Shrek endure isn’t just its cleverness or its parody—it’s that beneath all the satire is a genuinely heartfelt story about acceptance, friendship, and love.
The subversion in Shrek isn’t cynical. It’s rooted in a desire to tell a story that’s inclusive, funny, and emotionally honest. Shrek and Fiona don’t fall in love despite being ogres—they fall in love because they accept each other as they are. The film celebrates difference rather than correcting it.
For screenwriters, this is the most important takeaway: subverting tropes is most effective when it reveals truth, not just when it gets a laugh. The best satire is also sincere.
Takeaways for Screenwriters
So what can writers take from Shrek’s subversive success?
- Use genre tropes as a sandbox, not a blueprint. Understand the rules so you can break them in meaningful ways.
- Let your characters surprise the audience. Unconventional heroes are often the most relatable.
- Blend satire with sincerity. Don’t be afraid to be funny—but anchor it in emotional truth.
- Play with structure. The Hero’s Journey is a guide, not a checklist.
- Embrace imperfection. Characters who are messy, flawed, or “ugly” often have the richest arcs.
Final Thoughts
More than 20 years later, Shrek remains a landmark in animated storytelling—not just because it made us laugh, but because it showed us what happens when you challenge the expected. In a landscape where so many scripts play it safe, Shrek proves that bold choices, irreverent humor, and genuine emotion can turn a fairy tale into something revolutionary.
For writers, it’s not just a movie—it’s a masterclass in turning tropes upside down and still landing on something true.
✍️ Whether you’re mastering the art of dialogue, structure, or character development, the power of AI can be a game-changer in your writing journey. My Free Ebook, ‘AI for Authors’ delves into how AI-powered prompts can provide a unique edge to your storytelling process. If you’re intrigued by the prospect of supercharging your fiction skills, download your free copy today and explore new horizons in creative writing.
A.I. in Screen Trade 