Beauties in an Ugly World: The Evolution of Feminism in Adaptations of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s Beauty and the Beast
Date
2019
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Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa
Abstract
Historically, fairytales have promoted passive heroines that exist
within well-defined patriarchal societies, but the protofeminist themes present
in Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s Beauty and the Beast make
it an exceptional tale. It depicts a heroine with the power to rescue the masculine
characters of the story, makes consent a central theme, and serves as
an instructional device that provides as a model an increasingly independent
young woman with the desire to learn. The Disney movie adaptations
have contributed to the feminist discussion started by Beaumont and reflect
society’s transformation regarding gender equality, however, the unresolved
issues within the films show the cultural barriers that are still in place for
contemporary women in relation to the rights and liberties they possess in the
private sphere. The 1991 Disney film adaptation expanded the protagonist’s
character and sphere of interests and explored her relationship with society
by symbolically representing it through the village and the characters of the
Beast and Gaston; however, the original moralistic purpose of the story was
lost, the theme of consent got lost, and the story terminated in a romantic
union. In response to Beaumont’s tale and the criticism to their previous
adaptation, Disney’s 2017 live action version refined their feminist interpretation
of the heroine’s character, interests, and abilities, and recovered the
moralistic tone of the tale; unfortunately, consent remained diluted in the
film and the ending of the story was still a romantic union.
Description
Recommended Citation: Andrade, Daniela Gutierrez. “Beauties in an Ugly World: The Evolution of Feminism in Adaptations of Jeanne-Marie Leprince De Beaumont’s Beauty and the Beast.” Royal Road, 2019. https://doi.org/10.48497/DQGJ-A339.
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Keywords
Beauty and the Beast, Leprince de Beaumont, Jeanne-Marie, 1711-1780, Feminism, Walt Disney Productions, Fairy tales--Film adaptations
Citation
Andrade, Daniela Gutierrez. “Beauties in an Ugly World: The Evolution of Feminism in Adaptations of Jeanne-Marie Leprince De Beaumont’s Beauty and the Beast.” Royal Road, 2019. https://doi.org/10.48497/DQGJ-A339.