First off as a disclaimer, I do not wish to offend any one who happens to waltz by and read this. It is an opinion of mine that I would like to make known to others, I would also like to shed some light on a well miss-thought and common error in the cyber world.
Beauty and the Beast
Disney's 1991 adaption of the classic tale has taken a story ,that to some made no sense or to others was not worth the time in reading, and turned it an unforgettable story that has grabbed the hearts of many around the globe.
I recently watched a YouTube video that claimed the stories heroin as a whore who struggles with bestiality, among a few other nasty things that I do not wish to mention.(I beg pardon but this was something that I had to speak about)
It was not long before I found it on a blog I had been following and then Pinterest and Tumblr. I wish to dispel any false notions through this post about these terms.
First, If you do not know about the term I mentioned above please take the time to look up the word in the Dictionary, (Note: I said dictionary, don't use your computer, you will get all sorts of nasty things....speaking from experience and I would like to save you the trouble as well as keep this posting G.
Now that we understand the meaning of the term I would like to go into a little history of B&B
The story was thought to have originated in Japan many many many many MANY years ago, and I never found out it this was false or rumor.
The French adaption "La Belle et la Bête" came about in 1740. It is said that the woman who penned it on paper had heard the story from her nanny. The nanny had created the story for the woman and her sister as a way to reassure them that not all times were arranged marriage's bad (I am not condoning it, what I mean to say is that not every man and woman who had an arranged marriage hated each other and some even learned to love the other) but is some circumstances he would seem to be a 'beast' but was actually a 'prince' in disguise.
The story goes like so (very abridged version :D )
A merchant who has three daughters and three sons and lives stylishly and lavishly in the city, goes bankrupt when his merchant ships do not return. The two oldest daughters are very snooty and proud whereas Belle or Beauty, is a loving, caring and when it gets down to it, hard working daughter. With very little money, the merchant and his family are forced to move to the country. They reside now in a small cottage. The two eldest remained snooty and proud, forcing Belle to do most of the work.
A few years later, upon hearing that one of his ships might have been found, the merchant leaves for the city, before he leaves he asks each of his daughters what they wished for. Of course the two eldest ratted of a long list of the following: jewels, silk dressed, new clothes, expensive trinkets etc. etc.....
Belle simply replied "A Rose."
On his way the merchant becomes lost in the forest, he soon finds himself at what appears to be an ancient castle! Food and gifts start appearing from unseen hands once the merchant steps inside. He eats his fill and sleeps. When he wakes up his saddlebags are filled with the gifts his daughters had requested. Silently thanking the mysterious giver he mounts his horse and begins to ride away, but of course spies a rose garden near the gate. He plucks a rose, no sooner does he do so when a beast appears! Half man and half (the translations through the years very GREATLY but in the French adaption it was 'Boar')! He accuses the merchant for stealing his rose and orders his life or the life of the daughter that the rose was for. When Belle hears of this she goes (against her fathers wishes) to live with the beast. Belle is at first scared and very unhappy about having to spend the rest of her life as a prisoner, but she does so willingly so that her father may return home. She learns to not judge the beast and in time comes to think of him as a friend. What she does not know is that the beast (who was a cursed prince) has defiantly fallen head over heals in love with her!
When one day she is pining to see her family the beast lets her go. He tells her that she must return though in one week or he would die. Belle promises and off she runs to daddy!
Well, before you know it, the week is up......but Belle's loving sisters pretend to cry every time she tries to leave (by rubbing onions on their eyes....I know, you should try reading Grimm's Fairy tales....these people were CRAZY!) So then the one week turns into two weeks and before you know it its three weeks! Belle remember her promise and uses the mirror (the beast gave her so that she could see him....yes that part is true, Disney did not come up with that) and finds out that the beast is dying of a broken heart, she rushes back to the castle and tells him that she loves him. POOF! the spell is broken and blah blah blah, happily ever after.....was that the quick version? It took forever to write!
Anywhoo....back to the topic at hand. I would like to point out that
1.) before 1920 most of us had morals and certain things were not even thought of (yes yes I know what your are thinking and I have read my history....France was not the great of a moral place for a while....but bear with me....) this was thought of in a day where certain things were treasured and you waited, so that should put away any thoughts of "improper actions before the wedding" that I keep hearing so much about.
KEEP READING
2.) To keep along the line of 'they had more morals then most up us in the 21t century' bit, You have to look into the characters a more. Belle is a hard working and caring person who wouldn't dream of committing even the smallest of sins, much less bestiality!
The beast? Well we know that he was a spoiled brat that fell under an enchantress's curse, but with that in mind he had many years to reflect and I think we can safely say not only did he learn his lesson but I am quite sure he learned many others as well. He would not dream of hurting Belle! Neither would he hurt her dignity as a woman.
3.) There was no hanky-panky going on, alright? Lets just get that one out of our head. We live an a world where that is the norm so we have no problem with thinking it must have been back them too. That could be no further from the truth!
IF YOUR ARE STILL READING THIS, CONGRADULATIONS.....PLEASE CONTINUE
4.)The Beast was a MAN! A MAN PEOPLE! who was cursed with looking like an animal....."LOOKING!" I don't remember any 'animal instincts' in the original do you? If you don't even remember the original then I would consider you go look it up.
There it is, I said it.....I don't think I was to do that ever again! Can we stop taking Disney and perverting it for our agenda's? Please?
WOW! This was long! I guess I had a soap box...
I will follow this post up with a more happy one later.
