Beauty and the Beast
Original vs Modern
Belle as the White Goddess
Beauty earns her name by being simply beautiful, and is described as: "she was really far prettier and cleverer than they were; indeed, she was so lovely that she was always called Beauty" (Villeneuve). Other than being fair, Beauty/Belle is also a kind person, which is seen when she sacrifices herself for her father and goes to the beasts castle on his behalf. Beauty/Belle makes an ideal marriage partner, especially or the beast who asks for her hand on a nightly basis. Based on being beautiful, morally good, and an ideal marriage partner Beauty/Belle fits the White Goddess archetype in both the original and animated version of the story.
Beast as the Evil Figure with an Ultimately Good Heart
Initially in both the original tale and the animated adaptation Beast is viewed as evil. In the original he is described as a reasonable creature, however in the animated version he is portrayed truly beast-like. In both interpretations Beast is shown to have the potential to grow into kindness through Beauty/Belle. Secondly, in both versions Beast is eventually saved by Beauty/Belle. In the original written story when Beauty agrees to marry the beast he transforms to his true princely form. In the movie Belle shows her true love for the Beast and this allows him to transform back into a human. In conclusion, on the outside Beast is seen as a villain however the reader quickly discovers the true good that rests within Beast.
The Threshold
Present in both versions of the tale, this is the moment that Beauty/Belle enters into the Beasts castle willingly. In the original tale this moment is when Beauty enters the castle as she has already consented to staying with Beast. In the animated version this moment is when Belle fully agrees to remain in the castle to save her father. In this moment Beauty/Belle enters a new world of living with the Beast in confinement as well as entering into a new stage of her life where she will change, learn and grow alongside the Beast.
The Magic Weapon
This symbolism is only present in the modern version of the story through the rose that will wilt until his 21st birthday, and if it dies the prince will remain a beast forever. The loophole to this situation is if the Beast finds a way to exchange love with another he will transform into a human immediately. The Beasts quest of returning to his human self by finding true love is aided by the timeline of the rose.
The Quest
The quest is Beasts constant search for true love in order to revert himself back to his original form of a human. During his quest the Beast undergoes constant hurdles that he must overcome, for example, when Beauty/Belle begins to feel homesick in each of their individual tales they go home to console their families without the promise of returning. In this situation the Beast has to overcome his fear of rejection and learn to truly love Beauty/Belle. In the end the Beast fulfills his quest and gains the love of Beauty/Belle as well as his human title of prince.
Death and Rebirth
This situation is seen towards the end of the tale. In the original version the Beast does nt reach death but is unconcious by the time Beauty reaches him and revives him. In the modern adaptation the Beast is killed by Gaston and Belle returns to find him deadand brings him back to life using her love. In both of these stories the Beast is reborn from his previous life of being a feared creature to a new life of being human through the power of love.
Theme: Appearance vs Reality
Appearance versus realty is a major theme that is constantly developed throughout the story mainly through characters. The Beasts outward appearance is frightening, but thats all it is, on the inside the Beast has a good heart. In the original version, when Beautys family goes bankrupt and has to move to a smaller area it is seen as a negative however with this switch their family grew closer resulting in a positive. In the modern version, when Belle arrives at the castle she is lonely but soon it is revealed that the simple objects around the castle are actually living things that can provide her with the friendship she needs. These examples are all contributing tones to the overarching theme, which pleads the mantra: dont judge a book by its cover.
Moral Lesson
The moral lesson is an extension of the theme of appearance versus reality but more focused on the actual physical appearance of a person. In short the message of Beauty and the Beast is that beauty is only skin deep. The primary example of this lesson is the Beast, on the outside his appearance kept people away when in actuality the Beast had a pure heart that was accepting of all love that was given to him. By following Beautys/Belles story the reader learns the lesson that outward appearance isnt the only thing that matters alongside the protagonist, allowing a full understanding of this moral message.
Evolution of the Story
All fairy tales adapt over time to fit the constant demands of the audience, as well as change to the ideas society has formed. In the case of Beauty and the Beast the original tale is lighthearted, however it was still adapted and changed to become even happier. In an example, in the original version of the tale Beauty has a full family who goes into debt which leads them to the Beast. In the more modern takes of the story Belles only family is her father and they lead a comfortable life in a village. This small change didnt have an effect on the overall theme of the story, but by removing the idea of bankruptcy this shows that the audience was turned towards children, who wouldnt understand this concept. Another change is the character Gaston, who appeared in the animated film to "save" Belle from the Beast. This idea appearing in the modern version of the tale displays the lack of feminism present in modern society, anddisple the enforced idea of a damsel in distress always being present within a women. In conclusion, Beauty and the Beasts small changes in the plot displays the ideals the society and audiences had at the time of production.