Beauty and the Beast (Fairy tale)

Author: Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont

Time Period: 1701 CE–1850 CE

Country or Culture: France; Western Europe

Genre: Fairy Tale

Overview

As is true with many myths and fairy tales, variations of Beauty and the Beast have recurred throughout cultures and historical periods. The Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, “The Singing, Springing Lark” in the Brothers Grimm collection, and even the modern monster King Kong films all contain elements similar to that of Beauty and the Beast. Of all these variations, however, the story most familiar to contemporary audiences is as Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont told it in the eighteenth century. Beaumont based her telling on already popular versions of the fairy tale but altered it in subtle ways, targeting the narrative toward an audience of young girls. In the burgeoning genre of children’s literature, Beaumont’s “Beauty and the Beast” was immensely popular and was repeated to generation after generation of young readers. It is this version on which most contemporary variations, including the Walt Disney film, base themselves.

“What would that matter to you?” said the Prince. “Surely you would not care?”

“Indeed, I should be ungrateful if I did not care for such a kind Beast,” cried Beauty indignantly. “I would die to save him from pain. I assure you it is not his fault that he is so ugly.”

“Beauty and the Beast”

The fairy tale begins by focusing on Beauty’s father, a merchant who has lost his fortune and must provide for his large family. Struggling to bring his children back to the wealthy class with which they are accustomed, he eventually finds himself lost in a snowstorm, during which he wanders up to a beautiful enchanted palace. Thinking himself alone there, he plucks a single rose, intending to give it to his daughter Beauty. The Beast appears, however, and is furious that the man has taken advantage of his hospitality. The Beast demands either the man’s life or the company of one of his daughters, a sacrifice that Beauty offers to make. She moves to the castle and lives alone with the monstrous-looking Beast, and while she fears him at first, she comes to respect his generosity. She also dreams often of a lovely and kind prince, a man she assumes the Beast is keeping prisoner. Eventually, although she loves the riches of the castle, she returns to visit her family, with the Beast firmly declaring that he shall die if she does not return on time. Almost breaking her promise, Beauty returns at the last moment to save the Beast’s life, and in doing so realizes that she does in fact love him. When she at last accepts his proposal, the Beast transforms into the Prince.

Contemporary version of the myth, especially those aimed at children, often stress the moral that true beauty lies beneath the surface, just as the Beast is monstrous on the outside but at heart remains a kind and handsome prince. The Beaumont version, however, presents a more complicated moral. Beauty goes through a difficult process of self-sacrifice, during which she must separate herself from the father she loves and devote her life to a man she finds terrifying. While Beaumont intends to instruct young girls on proper behavior and respect in their adult relationships, particularly in marriage, she also explores the difficult process by which childhood comes to an end and mature responsibilities and challenges take hold. Although firmly rooted in the social context of early modern France, the fairy tale explores with great subtlety the more universal experience of moving away from home and confronting the often terrifying realities of the adult world—realities that remain as complex in modern times as they have ever been.

Summary

A rich merchant has had great luck in life and lives in prosperity with his six daughters and six sons. However, their comfortable lifestyle comes to a sudden end one day when his house catches fire. The merchant is further devastated to hear that he has also lost all of his ships to sea. Having no other choice, the merchant moves his twelve children to a small cottage in the dark woods, where they begin a new life as laborers.

While most of the children are miserable in this new life, the young girl Beauty is able to keep a positive attitude, being “brave and cheerful” (Lang 100–101). For two years, Beauty dances and sings to entertain her family while they work, even though she never wins them over to her attitude. When things seem like they will never change, however, some bright news finally comes: The father hears that one of his ships has unexpectedly returned to harbor. The children are ecstatic, and as the father prepares to head to town and retrieve his fortune, they give him orders to bring back jewels and other luxuries. Only Beauty sends a reasonable request, asking her father to return with a single rose.

The merchant heads to town, and once there finds out that his former colleagues had already split up the ship’s goods. A sudden blizzard overtakes him on his return, and he spends the night hiding in a hollow tree. Emerging lost in the morning, he stumbles upon a magnificent castle, miraculously sunlit and warm despite the winter storm. The merchant heads into the castle and sees it filled with riches, although no one comes to greet him. Eventually, he falls asleep beside a fire, and when he wakes a generous meal is laid out before him. Unsure what to do, he wanders through the castle. When he comes to the garden, he finally decides that the castle is meant for him. Preparing to fetch his family, he plucks a single rose, intending to give it to Beauty; when he does so, a Beast suddenly appears.

The Beast is terribly angry with the merchant for stealing the rose, and at first he threatens to kill the man. However, when the merchant explains his story, the Beast comes up with an alternative: If the merchant brings back one of his daughters for the Beast, the Beast will not take his life. The merchant reluctantly agrees and is sent away.

When the father returns home, his sons immediately plan to kill the Beast. However, Beauty, knowing that the rose was only cut for her benefit, offers to go and live in the castle. While everyone protests, Beauty insists that she will go to save her family.

Beauty and her father return to the castle and the Beast greets them. Beauty is terrified by his horrible appearance, but she manages to hide her feelings. When the Beast hears that she has come of her own will he seems pleased with her. As a show of thanks, the Beast allows Beauty and her father to load two trunks with riches from the castle, and the trunks magically hold almost more than the two can carry. While both daughter and father are grateful that their family will live in wealth, Beauty is greatly saddened to know that she will never see her father again. When he departs, she retires to her room, depressed, and falls asleep.

As she rests, Beauty has prophetic dreams. In one, a handsome prince comes, telling her that if she stays true of heart and generous, she will be rewarded. The Prince also says that he loves her, and urges her not to trust what she sees with her eyes. Soon after, she has a second dream in which a beautiful woman comes with similar advice, instructing Beauty not to trust in appearances.

When Beauty wakes, the entire palace seems to be there for her pleasure. She wanders through beautiful rooms, filled with different types of treasures. She also finds portraits of the beautiful Prince, deciding that the Beast must keep him prisoner somewhere. At night, when the Beast comes to her, she still fears him, but she also shows respect. She tells him that she appreciates the splendors of the castle, and when he asks if she loves him and will marry him, she answers honestly that she will not. The Beast does not show rage, but sadness, and retires for the evening. Things pass this way for a long time, Beauty enjoying the wonders of the castle and Beast night after night asking for her love.

After a time, Beauty makes a request, asking if she can briefly visit her family, letting them know that she is alive and cared for. The Beast reluctantly agrees, although he tells Beauty that if she stays for too long, he will die. Loaded again with treasures, Beauty is magically transported to her old home.

While Beauty is glad to see her family, things have changed, as she has grown used to life at the castle, and her sisters have grown used to life without her. When her deadline approaches, however, Beauty still finds it difficult to pull herself away, for she loves her father very deeply. Then, on the last day, she has a dream in which the Beast is lying beside a cave and dying. The lady of her first dream appears, admonishing her for waiting so long to return. Realizing that she does care for him, Beauty returns to the castle.

Back at her new home, she finds the Beast as in her dream, lying near death beside a cave. Reviving him with water, Beauty realizes that she really does love him and tells him so. The Beast again asks her if she will marry him, she finally answers yes. In a blaze of beautiful light, he transforms into the Prince about whom Beauty had always dreamed. A chariot approaches with two women: the woman from Beauty’s dreams, who is a fairy; and the Queen, the mother of the Prince. They say that Beauty’s love and kindness have saved the Beast from his curse, and the two go on to “[live] happily ever after” (Lang 119).

Bibliography

Brooke, Patricia. “Lyons and Tigers and Wolves – Oh My! Revisionary Fairy Tales in the Work Of Angela Carter.” Critical Survey 16.1 (2004): 67–88. Print.

Carter, Angela. The Bloody Chamber: And Other Stories. 1979. New York: Penguin, 1993. Print.

Gamble, Sarah. The Fiction of Angela Carter. Cambridge: Icon Books, 2001. Print.

Griswold, Jerry. The Meanings of “Beauty and the Beast”: A Handbook. Peterborough: Broadview, 2004. Print.

Haase, Donald, ed. “Beauty and the Beast.” The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales. Westport: Greenwood, 2008. Print.

Lang, Andrew, ed. “Beauty and the Beast.” The Blue Fairy Book. London: Longmans, 1889. Print.