After its release, Frozen quickly became one of the most popular Disney properties. The audiences worldwide fell in love with the story as quickly as it would take Olaf to melt in the warm weather. And as the children were singing along to movies brilliant musical numbers, there was one question many fans weren’t ready to let go and that is the question of when exactly do the movies take place. So where does the story take place on the world history timeline?
Surprisingly, the answer is much more clear than it is with other movies. The first movie is set in 1843 and the sequel is set three years later in 1846.
If you want to learn more about when and where Frozen takes place keep reading since the article also delves into the story’s fascinating origins and rich cultural background taken from Norwegian culture.
When do the Frozen movies take place in history?
The time period for Frozen is set in July 1843. In Frozen 2 Roman numerals suggest that the year in which Agnarr and Iduna’s ship sank was 1840.
The year Agnarr and Iduna’s ship sunk was 1840 MDCCCXL, according to a compilation of Roman numerals. “A real howler in July, yes?” says Oaken, confirming that the story is set in July. Since Frozen is set three years after the shipwreck, the events of the film take place in July 1843.
However, both Frozen and Frozen 2 overlap narratively by sharing an important flashback scene in which Elsa and Anna’s parents suddenly leave, and their ship crashes, killing them in the accident.
It stands to reason that the first movie takes place several years, if not several decades, after 1840, given that Agnarr was reading The Little Mermaid when he was a kid which was released in 1837.
At the end of Frozen 2, a camera is used. This would fit in with the fact that Frozen likely takes place in the late 1860s or early 1870s.
The main two movies, Frozen and Frozen 2 are set 3 years apart.
This is roughly when cameras would start to be used more in public life and, therefore, establishing the timeline of the franchise. The oldest surviving photograph dates back to 1826 when cameras started to become more commonly used.
It is implied that Olaf’s Frozen Adventure would take place in December 1843 or the first year that the castle’s gates were open again.
Frozen Fever takes place almost a year later on Anna’s nineteenth birthday in 1844. It seems the first Frozen movie is set during the 1860s or 1870s, given time to factor in Anna and Elsa’s birth, and then them growing up to Elsa’s 21st birthday.
Where does the Frozen series take place?
Frozen takes place in Anna’s and Elsa’s home kingdom named Arendelle. The fictional kingdom was created for the purpose of telling the story of the two sisters.
Arendelle was stitched together from scraps of Norway if you look closely enough. The kingdom was named after Arendal, a port in southern Norway, for example.
The architecture, on the other hand, was inspired by Bergen, a city in Norway’s western fjords. Bergen is also referred to on Disney tours in Norway as a “storybook village” that served as inspiration for Arendelle, the kingdom and home of Anna and her sister Elsa.
The buildings in Arendelle were inspired by architecture from all over Norway. The architecture was inspired by the Heddal Church, with the exception that the real-life church is made of wood. This architectural style is known as dragestil, ordragon style, and it dates back to the Viking period.
The art style of the movie is based on traditional Norwegian art style Rosemåling, which literally translates to decorative painting, is a Norwegian art style. Flowing floral patterns, scrollwork, padding, geometric forms, and landscapes are all hallmarks of this style.
Almost everything in the film is painted, from the fabrics to the walls to Elsa’s ice magic, and if you look closely, the designs are very similar to the theme.
Another thing that points to Norway as the inspiration for Arendelle is the way characters are dressed and the style of the garments they are wearing, particularly when it comes to Anna.
The elaborate costumes in Frozen are known as bunads, which are modern Norwegian costumes based on traditional Norwegian clothing. The Sami continue to dress in a manner similar to that depicted in Frozen. The gákti, which appears in the film, is one of the traditional garments.
Another thing that strongly points towards Norway as a real-life version of Arendelle is the presence of Norwegian runes and symbols in both movies.
In both the first and second films, Norse runes and symbols make minor appearances. The king is shown while observing a book containing Norse runes in one of the first movie’s early scenes. The runes can also be seen inscribed on Anna and Elsa’s parents’ gravestones.
The second film’s poster was a topic of discussion. due to the four-pointed snowflake depicted on it and inspired by the Norse vegvsir, a compass meant to keep the wearer from being lost in a storm, which corresponds to the themes of the second film.
Speaking of the symbols, another thing borrowed from the Norwegian culture is the idea of trolls. Trolls are a common trope in Norwegian folklore, and they play an important role in Anna and Elsa’s tale.
Trolls are magical beings that live in family groups in the mountains and can even be disguised as rocks, according to old Norse folklore.
From all of this, we can gather that despite it not being explicitly said both frozen movies are taking place in Norway.
What is Frozen based on?
The Snow Queen, a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale first published in 1845, is loosely based on the films. Although the Disney adaptation incorporates elements from the original fairy tale, the final product is entirely unique.
The main thing taken from the original literary work is the central theme of growing up. Gerda and Kay, the protagonists of the original story, bear the burden of a mature allegory about sacrifice and salvation, as well as the traumatic transition from childhood innocence to adulthood uncertainty.
To save her beloved playmate Kay from the snare of the magnetic and inscrutable Snow Queen, a symbol of all that is feminine, enigmatic, and deadly, Gerda must give up all she has. The problem is that Kay doesn’t want to be rescued; the spell cast by the Splinters of Glass that pierced his eye and heart has rendered him memoryless and emotionless, forever distorting his understanding of love and beauty.
The original story is actually extremely dark which explains why Disney only took certain elements of the story rather than the entire plot. However, the skillful writing on Disney’s part turned this allegory aimed at adults into a heartwarming story that would soon overtake kids and adults alike.
