2017 Study Guide Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Tim Rice, Book by Linda Woolverton Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont Linda Woolverton Gabrielle Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont Linda Woolverton set a precedent as (Nov 28, 1685–Dec 29, 1755) a Parisian published an adapted, shortened version the first woman to write an animated author, wrote the original story, La Belle of La Belle et la Bête in her Magasin des feature for Disney. She adapted the et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) in 1740. enfants (Children’s Collection) in 1756. Beauty and the Beast story for the motion picture studio, but it was an The story was originally of novel length De Beaumont’s version serves as the uphill battle. Her struggle to make and included a lengthy back story about basis of the story that audiences are Belle a heroine for modern audiences the two main characters. Drawing from familiar with today. She spent over was met with some resistance. In a fairy tales and folklore, it included fairy a decade working as a governess to scene in which she wrote Belle mark- kings and queens and was a geared upper-class children and she wrote with ing a map, choosing destinations to toward an older, more adult audience. them in mind. She refocused the story explore, she received revisions placing from one in which the Beast was in the character in a kitchen, baking. The tale is said to have been written search of his humanity, and thus leading to prepare young women for arranged to his transformation, to one where the Woolverton was not ready to create marriages in 18th century France. It was heroine needed to change. In her version, a character cut from the same cloth common for parents to arrange their it is Belle who must look beyond surface as other female fairy tale prototypes. daughter’s marriage. The daughters appearances and recognize the humanity With the help of the film’s lyricist, would enter the marriage, for the sake in the Beast. It evolved into a morality Howard Ashman, she crafted a of her family, not knowing if their tale serving to educate children. character who was headstrong and husband was kind. book-smart. Woolverton states, “If Beaumont published literary instruction you depict girls and women in these The story was a social critique speaking handbooks for parents and teachers. roles that we’ve never seen before, to the fact that women had very few Many consider handbooks to be the first then it becomes an assumption for marital rights before, during and after educational journals for children. The younger generations.” the marriage. journals also integrated folktales as a teaching tool. Before seeing/reading the play 1. Research the original La Belle et la Bête written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740. Familiarize yourself with the 1756 abridged version by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. How does the original French story reflect the expectations of women at the time? What are the morals and themes present in the story? These and other websites provide information: http://www.pookpress.co.uk/project/beauty-and-the- beast-history/ http://www.vox.com/culture/2017/3/23/15000768/ beauty-and-the-beast-feminist-stockholm-syndrome 2. Research Linda Woolverton and her 1991 screenplay of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Compare the original Beauty and the Beast story with the animated film. In what ways could Belle be considered a feminist story? These and other Costume renderings for Gaston and LeFou by Ana Kuzmanic. websites provide information: http://time.com/4344654/beauty-and-the-beast-linda- 5. What is the structure of a fairy tale? Historically, what woolverton/ role did fairy tales serve in society? Why do fairy tales https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Woolverton continue to be relevant today? These and other websites provide information: http://www.surfturk.com/mythology/fairytaleelements. html www.mccarter.org/education/secretinthewings/page16. htm http://www.purdue.edu/uns/html4ever/031111.Grauerholz. tales.html 6. What does the forest symbolize in literature? This and other websites provide information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchanted_forest Additional resources and interviews: Translation of the LePrince de Beaumont version of La Belle et la Bête: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/beauty.html Costume renderings for Belle and Maurice by Ana Kuzmanic. 3. Research Petrus Gonsalvus and his marriage to Lady Catherine. How did his life and marriage reflect society’s view on appearance? How were Petrus Gonsalvus and his family treated by those who held high status in the court? This and other websites provide information: https://theportalist.com/petrus-gonsalvus-the-real-life- beauty-and-the-beast 4. How do musicals differ from nonmusical plays? What purpose do the songs serve in a musical? What does music add to the telling of a story? These and other websites provide information: http://dictionary.tdf.org/play-vs-musical/ https://www.musicals101.com/score.htm#Types Costume renderings for Babette and Lumière by Ana Kuzmanic. 6. Refer to your research on musicals. How are the songs After seeing/reading the play used in structuring Disney’s Beauty and the Beast? It is 1. Refer to your research on musicals. What is the tone proverbially said that, “when emotions become too strong established by the musical score of Disney’s Beauty and for speech, in a musical, you sing.” In what ways do the the Beast? How does the tone of the music shift from songs convey Belle’s emotional journey? The Beast’s? The the beginning to the end of the play? How do songs help castle servants? The mob’s? establish the characters and their conflicts? When a song is reprised, what does it reflect about the character in those 7. Refer to your research on fairy tales. What are the moments? traditional roles of men in fairy tales? Women? What do princes and princesses typically represent? What does the Beast have in common with the traditional male fairy tale characters? How is the Beast’s character different from that of other princes in fairy tales? 8. Describe Belle’s relationship with her father, Maurice. How does their relationship change over the course of the play? 9. Compare and contrast the Beast to Gaston. How do they relate to those around them? How do they use their power and influence? What are their views on a woman’s role in society? How does Gaston attempt to woo Belle? How does the Beast attempt to woo Belle? In what ways has their appearance worked to their advantage? How has it worked to their disadvantage? Costume renderings for Cogsworth and Mme. de la Grande Bouche by Ana Kuzmanic. 10. What are the power dynamics in the play? Which char- 2. Refer to your research on Carl Jung’s work on fairy tales. acters have a higher status in the play and which have a What are Belle and Maurice searching for in the tale? What lower status? How are the characters who have a low status are the Beast and Gaston searching for? What are the ser- treated by those in power? In what ways does the class vants and the Villagers searching for? What are their fears? divide between the Beast and his servants work against the In what ways do they confront their fears? In what ways do Beast? When do the power dynamics between the classes they overcome their fears? shift and why? 3. Refer to your research on Barbot-Villeneuve and Beau- 11. In what ways does Belle pose a challenge to the Beast? mont. Why do townspeople think Belle is odd? What ideas In what ways is she a challenge to Gaston? When is Belle at does Belle have that differ from the townspeople? How do her most powerful? In which ways does Belle exercise her their views reflect prevailing opinions in 18th-century French power? When is the Beast at his most vulnerable? In which society? How do those views continue to be expressed our ways does he show his inner beauty? Why does his inner modern society? In what ways is Belle pressured to conform beauty remain masked for a great part of the play? What to society’s expectations of her? In what ways does Belle events contribute to him revealing his true self? retain her individualism? 4. Refer to your research on Carl Jung’s work on fairy tales and on forests in literature. How does the villagers’ environment define their experience and point of view? Why is the forest a place that is feared by LeFou and some of the other villagers? In what ways is the villagers’ fear of the forest a reflection of their inner selves? How has the cas- tle’s environment defined the inhabitant’s experience? How has the enchantment altered their relationship to their environment? In what ways does their individual enchantment reflect their inner self? 5. What qualities does Belle possess? Which of Belle’s qualities do the villagers value over the others? Refer to your research on fairytales. What does the Belle have in common with other fairy tale heroines? How does she differ from other fairy tale heroines? Costume renderings for Chip and Mrs. Potts by Ana Kuzmanic. 15. What does Belle learn about herself and others through After seeing/reading the play cont. her experiences in the castle? What must she overcome for 13. Why does the enchantment that castle is under affect her own transformation? all of its inhabitants? Why do the servants have to suffer the same fate as the Beast if the spell is not broken? What 16.