abstract
| - The Ringmaster is the main antagonist in Disney's 4th full-length animated feature film, Dumbo. The Ringmaster is notable for being one of the few antagonists in a Disney film who is not necessarily evil other than his arrogance and his harsh rule. the Ringmaster is otherwise considered a fairly respectable character. However, these traits were sadly all too apparent in The Ringmaster, and he unfairly punished Dumbo's mother when she came to her son's aid when Skinny continually taunted him. He did not realize what his mother was trying to do, locking her up and labelling her a mad elephant. The Ringmaster later tried to have Dumbo join in the act with the other elephants (who disliked the young elephant) but became enraged when Dumbo, through no fault of his own, accidentally caused a riot. The Ringmaster demoted Dumbo to a circus clown as punishment, sentencing the poor elephant to a life of abuse and ridicule - however with help from a magic feather and the kindly mouse, Timothy, Dumbo was able to turn the tables on the Ringmaster via learning to fly. With Dumbo's new success the elephant earned himself a happier life alongside his mother, the Ringmaster apparently still controls the circus but seemed to have changed his ways (perhaps because of Dumbo now becoming a "star attraction").
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