Beauty-and-beast

BeautyandtheBeastOutline•Introduction•PartI.Theauthors•PartII.Thestory•PartIIICharacters•PartIV.AdaptationsIntroduction•BeautyandtheBeastisaFrenchstorywrittenbyMmedeVilleneuvein1740.•MmedeBeaumontpublishedanabridgedandmorefamousversionin1756.•Thefirstadaptationonscreenwasmadein1903;sincethen,remademorethan25times.•AmasterpiecebyJeanCocteauwasmadein1946andpresentedduringthefirstInternationalCannesfestival.BeautyandtheBeast(1991);WaltDisney;DirectedbyGaryTrousdalePartI.Theauthors•MadamedeVilleneuve(1695-1755),Frenchauthor•SheisconsideredtheoriginalauthorofthestoryofBeautyandtheBeast(BelleetlaBête)•HerlengthyversionwasabridgedandpublishedbyMmedeBeaumont.PartII.Thestory•Beauty'sfather,caughtinastorm,findsshelterintheBeast'spalace.Beforeleaving,heplucksarosetobringbacktoBeauty,offendinghisunseenhost,whotellshimhemustdie.•TheBeastthensaysthatifoneoftheman'sdaughterswillreturntosufferinhisplace,hemaylive.•Beautygoestothecastle;theBeastaskshertobehiswife;sherefuses;offerstobehisfriend•Sheaskstogobackhomeforaweektosayfarewelltoherfather.PartII.Thestory•HersistersconvinceBelletostaylongerthanagreedwiththeBeast.•Whenshegoesbacktothecastle,theBeastislyingneardeathfromdistressatherfailuretoreturn.•Shebegshimtolive,sothathemaybeherhusband,andbythisacttheBeastistransformedintoahandsomeprince.•Beauty'sfamilycomestolivewiththematthepalace(intheoriginalstory,sisterspunished)Questionsforthinking•1.Whydidthebeautythebeastatlast?•Sheisdifferentfromhersisters:•TheonlythingIwishforistoseeyoucomehomesafely.•Ihave,indeed,causedthismisfortune,butIassureyouIdiditinnocently.Whocouldhaveguessedthattoaskforaroseinthemiddleofsummerwouldcausesomanymisery?BuasIdidthemischiefitisonlyjustthatIshouldsufferforit.Iwillthereforegobackwithmyfathertokeephispromise.•WhyshouldItroublemyselfaboutit?Ihadbettergoandfindsomethingtodotoamusemyself.•Roomswithdifferentrecreations:arevelationofthebeast’sinnerworld•Scene1•Thenabracelet,whichwashangingfromachandeliercaughthereye,andontakingitdownshewasgreatlysurprisedtofindthatitheldaportraitofherunknownadmirer,justasshehadseenhiminherdream…Thenextroomwasalibrary,aswellaseverythingshehadeverwantedtoread…•Scene2•Thismorningshedecidedtoamuseherselfinthegarden,forthesunshone,andallthefountainswereplaying…andfoundanewroomfullofmaterialsforeverykindofwork…Thentherewasanaviaryfullofrarebirds,whichweresotamethattheyflewtoBeautyassoonastheysawher,andpercheduponhershouldersandherhead.Beasttreatsherwell•Icannotrefuseyouanythingyouask,eventhoughtitshouldcostmylife.•Scene3•Wheninstantlythecurtainwasrolledaside,andamostamusingpantomimewasactedbeforeher;thereweredances,andcoloredlightsandmusic…•2.Whyistheprincetransformedintoabeast?•Asabeast:•Iwillforgiveyouononecondition—thatis,thatyouwillgivemeoneofyourdaughters.”•Ifyoufailtokeepyourword,Iwillcomeandfetchyou!•SheheardtheBeastcoming,andwonderedtremblingifhemeanttoeatherupnow.•Asahuman:•Ifshecomesatallshemustcomewillingly.•Thenthebeastaskedherhowshehadbeenamusingherself,andshetoldhimalltheroomsshehadseen.•Doyouloveme,Beauty?Willyoumarryme?•Asaprinceinthedream•Donottrusttoomuchtoyoureyes.Donotdesertmeuntilyouhavesavedmefrommymisery.”•Princeconstantlybeggedhernottotrusttoappearances.Aftermuchconsideration,heanswered:“YoutellmeyourselfthattheBeast,frightfulasheis,lovesyoudearly,anddeservedyourloveandgratitudeforhisgentlenessandkindness;IthinkthePrincemustmeanyoutounderstandthatyououghttorewardhimbydoingashewishedyouto,inspiteofhisugliness.”•Andsheanswered,“Goodnight,Beast,”verygladtofindthatherrefusalhadnotprovokedhim….anddreamingofherunknownPrince,shethoughthecameandsaidtoher:•“Ah,Beauty!Whyareyousounkindtome?IfeatIamfatedtobeunhappyformanyalongdaystill.”PartIIICharacters•Beauty:Justlikemanyfairytaleheroines,beautyisnamedforaphysicalfeatureandcanbearguedthatsheisnamedforherinnerbeautywhichisshownincontrasttohersisters’vanity.Beautyisvirtuous,whichwillallowhertoultimatelyseebeyondtheBeast’sphysicalappearance.•Beautyisbroughttohappinessbyherfreewill,whichisaninnerconflict.Thisisperhapsthemostsignificantelementthatmakesthisstorypreferredwithourmodernsensibilities.•Beast:Thebeastistheanimalbridegroom,ananimalwithhumanabilities,funnyappearance.HeisusuallywiseandkindasaresultfromhissufferingbutindeVilleneuve’sversionheisrequiredbytheenchantmenttoappearbeingstupid.HecanonlywinBeautywithgentlestupidity,morelikeadumbpetdog.InDisney’sversion,theBeastisabeastinpersonality,too.Heisquicktoangerandhasahardtimecontrollinghistemper.Beautyandthebeast’srelationshiparemuchmorechangeableinthefilmthanitisinthetraditionalversionofthetaleinwhichtheBeasthasgoodtemper.•Sisters:inlaterversionofthestory,thesistersarekindandbegbeautytostayhomeoutoflove.Inotherversions,suchasthisoneanddeBeaumont’s,thesistersaremeanandjealous,schemingBeauty’sgoodfortunesdestroyed.•Father:Sometimesheisstrongandothertimesheisweak.InDisney’sfilm,heisanabsent-mindedinventor.ThefatherrepresentsBeauty’schildhoodandloveforfamily.PartIII.Adaptations•Asumptuous(luxurious)FrenchversionofBeautyandtheBeast(LaBelleetlaBête)wasmadein1