A Tale as Old as 18th Century
The Disney adaption of Beauty and the Beast follows the journey of Belle, a young maiden in a small town in France. She is independent and wants to see the world. The animated version of the film was first released in 1991 and was remade as a live-action film in 2017. The 1991 version was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. This version includes songs and themes suitable for children and families of all ages and is considered a Disney classic. The film is adapted from a version that was published by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont in the mid 18th century. De Beaumont’s version is the most well-known version of “Beauty and the Beast”. While loved by many, the 1991 Disney film of Beauty and the Beast glorifies and showcases a relationship created from manipulation and captivity.
Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont published and edited the tale as a way to help ready young girls for arranged marriages. The story was told to warn young girls of husbands who could be monsters, and give them advice on how to tame them. The original tale follows a girl named Beauty and her family. She has 5 siblings and a wealthy father. She has two sisters who are envious of her kindness and beauty, three brothers. Her father is a merchant who lost his fortune. On a trip to a port to regain his wealth, the father gets lost in the forest and seeks refuge in a mysterious manor. The two sisters beg for lavish gifts from the trip, but Beauty only asks for a rose. At the manor, the father is given shelter and food and as he leaves, he sees a rose, which he picks for Beauty. The owner of the mansion is a beast who threatens death for stealing the rose. However, the beast agrees to let Beauty’s father live if one of his daughters takes his place. When Beauty’s father relays this information to the family, Beauty insists on taking his place. She states “I may be young, but I am not all that attached to life, and I would rather be devoured by that monster than die of the grief which your loss would cause me” (De Beaumont). Beauty then leaves her family to take the place of her father as the Beast’s captive because she wants to prove her love and devotion. Beauty then becomes the Beast’s captive and eventual companion. She begins to see the kindness and virtue in the Beast and slowly learns to look past his ugliness. She stays in the manor for three months, becoming accustomed to life in the castle. However as time passes, Beauty also becomes increasingly homesick. Eventually, Beast allows her to return home and visit her family, but makes her promise to return in a week. He gives her a magical ring that will transport her back to the castle. Back with her family, Beauty is able to care for her father, but her sisters are jealous of the lavish lifestyle that she has at the castle. The two plot to steal the Beast’s riches and convince Beauty to break her promise to return. However, fearing that she has killed the Beast, Beauty returns and is able to save him from death. The Beast is transformed into a handsome prince, breaking a spell from a magical fairy, and the two live happily ever after.
The Disney version contains many of the same elements as the de Beaumont story. Belle is a maiden who lives with her father. She is considered an outlier in her village because of her independence and love for books. Belle is pursued by Gaston, a narcissistic and jealous man from her town. Her father, Maurice, is an inventor who is on his way to a fair when he is caught in a storm. Maurice seeks refuge in the Beast’s castle, but is held captive when found by the Beast. Belle travels and rescues her father, taking his place as the Beast’s captive. Belle befriends the servants in the castle, who slowly convince the Beast to give her a chance. The servants have to convince Belle and Beast to give each other second chances. Eventually, she is able to teach the Beast kindness and empathy, and slowly starts to fall for him. The Beast allows Belle to leave and gives her the freedom she desires. Belle returns home but Gaston raids the castle, hellbent on killing the Beast. Belle returns to the Beast, confesses her love, and saves him from death.
The main differences between the Disney and literary versions are the motivations of the Beast’s actions are changed in the film. In the film, the Beast is enchanted by a witch who curses him because of his superficial nature. When Maurice seeks refuge at the castle, the Beast’s anger and self-hatred motivate him to manipulate and hold him captive. When Belle arrives at the castle, the Beast tries to intimidate her with fear. As time passes, their relationship changes because of other characters, pushing to end the curse. Their relationship is built on manipulation and her captivity and the persuasion of others.
