Beauty And The Beast example essay topic
There are many virtues in this story that are very easy to understand. One is that Beauty's virtue comes from her willingness to sacrifice herself and another is the classic idea that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This fairy tale starts off with a background on the merchant and his family. In the beginning of this tale the merchant is very wealthy and he spares no expense when it comes to his family. Because of this two of his three daughters were very snotty and somewhat disliked by the rest of the town. On the other side was Beauty, whom everyone in the town loved and admired something that made her sisters insanely jealous.
When the merchant lost his wealth the two elder sisters did not want to move out of the town into the country. They insisted that there were many men who would love to marry them. Little did they know that their admirers had lost all interest, when they found out that they had lost all their fortune. Beauty was also very upset, but she decided that it was better to be happy and poor than miserable and poor. So her father, her three brother and herself made the best of it while the other two wasted away their days. After a year the merchant received a letter that his new shipment was coming in, this was a very exciting thing for the family.
The two eldest sisters wanted beautiful dresses and furs, while Beauty only wanted a rose. When the merchant went to the market he discovered that there had been a problem with his shipment and he would not be getting anything. Disappointed he decided to make his way back home. On his way he became lost during a snowstorm. After being lost for quite sometime the man came upon a castle that was brightly lit. He went into the castle expecting many people, but instead found a lit fire and a feast waiting on the table.
The merchant first went over to the fire to dry out, and then after a while he became hungry so he began to eat the food that was on the table. Since he was so tired from his trip he decides to find a room and stay in it for the night. Come morning the merchant found new clothes in place of his old ones. He then looked out the window and saw that it was no longer snowing. When the merchant is leaving he passes through many beautiful Gardens with flowers everywhere.
This reminds him of Beauty's request, so he begins to pick a rose when suddenly the beast appears. The Beast blamed him for being ungrateful because of everything he had already done for the merchant. The Beast accused him for stealing the only thing left which was beautiful. He condemned the merchant to death. When the merchant began to explain why he had taken the rose the Beast made a deal with him. The deal was that if one of his daughters would take his place then he would let the merchant live.
When the merchant returns home he tells his daughters his story. Beauty being the generous person that she is agrees to go to the castle in place of her father. Over time Beauty gets to know the Beast and becomes friends with him. Through this friendship is where we see these virtues.
One important message that is present in this story is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Also, that if love between two people is true, then it will beat all the odds. Beauty who at first is appalled by the Beast learns to see the good in him rather than the beast on the outside. She becomes friends with the Beast and eventually falls in love with him. What the Beast allowed was for her to see her family through a magic mirror.
This makes Beauty very happy. When she sees that her father is sick and no one is there to take care of him she asks the Beast if she may go. He tells her that he would rather her be happy than have her be unhappy at the castle and he lets her go. Beauty promises that she will return in five days to be with the Beast again.
Once Beauty is home she tells her family how happy she is with the Beast at his castle. The two sisters are once again jealous because they were not happy with their marriages. When the sisters learn that Beauty has to go back in five days they decide to be extremely nice to her so that she will not want to go back. After seven days she is still very happy but she misses the Beast.
So that night she decides to go back to the castle. When she gets there she sees the beast lying on the ground. He had starved himself because she had not come back, and he could not live without her. Upon seeing the beast like this Beauty realizes that she cannot live without him and promises him her hand in marriage if he will just hold on and live.
After she spoke those words the beast had transformed into a young prince. He had a spell placed on him by an evil fairy, that he should remain as the Beast until someone should take his hand in marriage. Beauty had chosen virtue over looks and intelligence. Also in this tale we see the transfer of Beauty from an innocent child into a caring adult. Beauty was loved by all people who were around her and always tried to make things better for those around her.
In the end of the story she is to marry the Beast or Prince which completes her transformation into womanhood. The difference between Beauty and the Beast from other fairy tales is that in this tale it is the woman who rescues the man. If it were not for her virtues she would not have completed the transformation into becoming a woman. Fairy tales can be looked at in many different views. In Beauty and the Beast we see the transformation of young people and the virtues of those who are true at heart. Beauty completes the process of maturation and while she and the Prince show the virtues of those who are true at heart.