Beauty and the Beast

Something that I thought that was interesting in both versions was the fact that the story seemed to share elements with many different fairy tales. For example, the fact that there were three sisters, two of whom were "evil," seemed similar to Cinderella. The mirror, while considered part of many Beauty and the Beast stories, is present in Snow White. These are just a couple of examples of the shared themes.

Beauty and the Beast - Cocteau vs. De Beaumont

The primary difference I saw between  the de Beaumont version of the story and the film version by Cocteau was the existence of the arrogant suitor, Avenant.  In the text version, he does not exist, whereas in the film he is created as a rival for the relationship between Belle/Beauty and the Beast.  I saw the existence of this character as more of a testament to the change in format than anything else.  Film plotlines, even early films, are generally much more streamlined than their textual counterparts.  Avenant encapsulates the idea of a marriage for all the wrong reasons--appearance, wealth, status, etc.  In the book version, this idea is illustrated by the cruel sisters, who serve as foils to Belle's virtuous nature.  However, though the awfulness of the sisters is evident in the story, imposing these ideas in the form of an active antagonist heightens the dramatic tension in the film.  With these traits rolled into a character, the central conflict for Belle is much more evident; the decision she has to make is much clearer.

It is also notable that at the end of the transformation scene in the film, the handsome prince has the chiseled features of Avenant but not his boorish behavior.  It could be said that the two mean, rivals for Belle's hand, represent two sides of the same coin--the question of what constitutes a happy marriage.

Cocteau vs. de Beaumont

One difference I noticed between the Cocteau film and de Beaumont's version of Beauty and the Beast was the part of the story where Beauty/Belle goes to take her father's place at the Beast's castle.
In the de Beaumont's version, Belle pleads with her father and brothers to let her go to die instead of her father, and ultimately her father and brothers give in. Even though Belle's father is pretty upset at having to leave her to die in his stead, in the end he leaves her to the mercy of the Beast. However, in Cocteau's version, Beauty mentions that she wants to go to the Beast's castle in place of her father, but before any course of action is decided, the father falls ill and the next day Beauty sneaks out of the house to go to the Beast's castle without her father and brother knowing.

Though this is a relatively minor difference, I still believe it is significant. De Beaumont's version has reader questioning the love Beauty's father has for his daughter - as discussed in class, how can the father just hand over his (favorite) daughter to a Beast? But Cocteau eliminates this predicament altogether. By tweaking the story so that Belle sneaks out without her father knowing, viewers can't really blame the father for being unloving or selfish - Beauty's decision to go to the Beast's castle was out of his hands. Cocteau enables the father to maintain a reputation of being the ultimate loving and caring father - something that is easier for a viewer to understand than a father who allows his own daughter to die in his place.

Beauty and the Beast Ending

The ending having to do with the sisters in the movie and de beaumont's version of Beauty and the Beast were different.  The sisters, in both, were such a taunting, crucial part of the tale.  They treated Beauty horribly out of jealousy and spite.  In the ending of debeaumont's they got their "just desserts".  The fairy turned them into statues to sit outside the Beast and Beauty's palace, and could only be turned back once they got over their evil, jealous minds.  For the movie, they weren't even mentioned at the end.  I found that odd because they were such a big part of the story in general.  It just doesn't transfer.  Including the sisters in the ending adds more to the plot, and gives it more of a conclusion, since they were such a part of the story.  

I just wanted to also mention that altogether, this is very different than the version of Beauty and the Beast which I grew up with.  Belle (Beauty) was an only child, and there were no mention of sisters of any kind.  It was definitely a different view reading the stories in which the Disney movie originated from.  

Assignment 6 - 10.March 2009

Hi Nikki, Erin, Benton, Tiffany, Emily and Michelle,

Here is your assignment for this week, with deadlines different from the usual.

Pick one scene or element from Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast, and compare it or contrast it with de Beaumont's version. You might pick something that interests you, that seems odd, or something that you missed in one version or the other, for example.

For those of you who didn't manage to, you have time to complete the reading and watch the film, which is available on OAK and also on Reserve in the Library.

Deadline for putting up your responses is 09.00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Deadline for comment on at least one post is 10.00 a.m. on Thursday.

Ann