Shrek Characteristics

Shrek is a large, green, intimidating ogre who acts as an eponymous hero. He loves peace and solitude and lives in a swamp yet he befriends Donkey, an excitable, hyperactive donkey. Although his background is something of a mystery, it is assumed that despite these traits, Shrek has always been an ogre of the non-hostile kind. In the first Shrek movie, during a conversation with Donkey, he laments that people "judge me before they even know me. That's why I'm better off alone," implying that he became a recluse after trying and failing to find acceptance among others. In Shrek the Third it is revealed Shrek has a father who tried to eat him as Shrek stated, "I should have seen it coming. He used to bathe me in barbecue sauce and put me to bed with an apple in my mouth.” In Far Far Away Idol, he sang What I Like About You by The Romantics with Fiona.

Shrek lived in Ogre Swamp. The swamp, like any other swamp, is green and murky. The swamp contains small and big ponds of muddy water and also has geysers that squirt out mud. The swamp contains the living quarters of Shrek which consists of an outhouse and Shrek's house. The swamp is also a home to different kinds of species including the swamp slug that Shrek uses for his toothpaste.

Shrek has expressed rather philosophical observations on the similarities between ogres and onions, observing both have layers beyond the surface. He cooks a "mean weed rat stew" and has a sense of humor that is not always appropriate. Shrek also boasts surprising agility for a creature of his girth, possibly because of his strength. For example, he can effortlessly perform a one-handed handspring frontflip while carrying Donkey in the other hand.

He also appears to have a chronic flatulence problem, though he can use this "gift" to his advantage. He breaks wind in the pond whenever he wants to catch fish, he unknowingly passes wind when he is in the mud sauna in "Shrek 2" and also after drinking the Happily Ever After potion. In Shrek 4-D he accidentally expels gas in a stone dragon's face and shoots a large tongue of fire as he does so, though he apologises afterwards. Apparently he is not ashamed of this (but in "Shrek 2" where he passes wind in front of Fiona, he becomes embarrassed, but then Fiona joins him by passing wind with him) and even boasts to Donkey in "Shrek" that "If it [a smell] was me, you'd be dead." This seems to be true as in "Shrek 2" the fairies in the jars are gasping for air when he is passing wind in the mud bath. He is serious, in a way. In the third film he seems to have mastered some self-control, though his gas problem seems to be hereditary and he passes it on to his children.