Beauty and the Beast

By Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont (1756, full text available online)

Introduction

This famous folktale/fairytale contrasts physical beauty and wit with virtue and simple goodness. Although there is nothing in this fairytale that specifically talks of race, religion, or specific ethnic groups, the desirable attributes of physical beauty and intelligence can symbolize each of these. The Beast does not possess whatever the majority of the society perceives to be physical beauty (skin tone, eye color, hair texture, eye shape, body shape, etc.) and intelligence (theological, political, and societal beliefs). But Beauty sees something even better in him.

Summary

A wealthy merchant has three daughters and three sons. The sons are not of great import to the moral of the story or of the development of the plot, but the difference between the daughters is crucial. The two older daughters are proud and contemptuous of others because of their elevated position in society. The elder sisters spent their time in idleness and play instead of helping others and improving their minds. Whereas Beauty is concerned for the welfare of others, helps the less fortunate, and reads a great deal to improve her mind.

When their father loses his wealth, the father, sons, and Beauty spend long hours working for the benefit of the family, but the elder sisters spend their time in idleness complaining of their misfortune.

While returning from a business trip, the father loses his way in a dense forest and happens upon a castle. Dinner is laid before him, a warm bed provided, and new clothing given, all without the host revealing himself. But when the father picks a rose from the garden for Beauty, the Beast appears and demands father’s life as repayment. However, the Beast allows the father to return home to see his children under oath to return, or to send a child in his place.

Upon hearing the tragic events, Beauty determines to return to the castle with her father, against his wishes. She remains at the castle in place of her father and soon learns that behind physical ugliness and dullness of mind, the Beast is virtuous, gentle, and kind. Eventually, she is able to consent to marry him and her love transforms the Beast into a handsome and intelligent prince.

Excerpt

“But, tell me, do not you think me very ugly?”
“That is true,” said Beauty, “for I cannot tell a lie, but I believe you are very good natured.”
“So I am,” said the monster, “but then, besides my ugliness, I have no sense; I know very well, that I am a poor, silly, stupid creature.”
“It is no sign of folly to think so,” replied Beauty, “for never did fool know this, or had so humble a conceit of his own understanding.”
“Eat then, Beauty,” said the monster, “and endeavor to amuse yourself in yourself in your palace, for everything here is yours, and I should be very uneasy, if you were not happy.”
“You are very obliging,” answered Beauty, “I own I am pleased with your kindness, and when I consider that, your deformity scarce appears.”
“Yes, yes,” said the Beast, “my heart is good, but still I am a monster.”
“Among mankind,” says Beauty, “there are many that deserve that name more than you, and I prefer you, just as you are, to those, who, under a human form, hide a treacherous, corrupt, and ungrateful heart.” . . .
“Am I not very wicked,” said she “to act so unkindly to Beast, that has studied so much to please me in everything? Is it his fault if he is so ugly, and has so little sense? He is kind and good, and that is sufficient. Why did I refuse to marry him? I should be happier with the monster than my sisters are with their husbands; it is neither wit, nor a fine person in a husband, that makes a woman happy, but virtue, sweetness of temper, and complaisance, and Beast has all these valuable qualifications.”

Questions and Discussion

Each society defines beauty differently. In the capitals in South America, one can see large advertising billboards with blond-haired, blue-eyed models selling products. There are very, very few blond-haired, blue-eyed individuals in La Paz or Lima, yet this colonialist image is the face of beauty for the dark-eyed, dark-haired masses. This same phenomena of choosing the lighter skin, lighter hair and lighter eye color as the markings of beauty can be seen throughout countries of the global South that have been colonized.
What markings of beauty does your society employ? Do these beauty markings portray what is found in the general masses or is it an ideal that very few individuals possess?

Beauty states that more important in a husband than physical appearance and quickness of mind is “virtue, sweetness of temper and complaisance.” What are the most important traits for our friends to possess? And for our political leaders?

At the end of the story, a fairy turns the wicked elder sisters (who had also plotted Belle’s death) into statues that retain the ability to think so that they could witness Belle’s happiness and goodness. This transformation, however, can be reversed if the sisters recognize and admit to their faults. The fairy concludes that she is “very much afraid that you will always remain statues. Pride, anger, gluttony, and idleness are sometimes conquered, but the conversion of a malicious and envious mind is a kind of miracle.” It is a malicious and envious mind that is intolerant of groups based on characteristics of race, religion, ethnicity, etc. How can individuals and society help bigots alter their malicious and envious minds?