Comparing two versions of "Beauty and the Beast"

Beauty in Jeanne Marie Le Prince de Beaumont’s “The Beauty and the Beast” and the heroine in Angela Carter’s “The Tiger’s Bride” embody two contrasting perceptions of a woman as well as two important similarities that transcend the three centuries after Beaumont’s original fairy tale. In Beaumont’s version, Beauty is portrayed as an obedient and appeasing woman. Conversely, the heroine in Carter’s rendition is portrayed as independent and combative woman.  The two heroines’ similarities are displayed in their acts of bravery and compassion in relation to the Beasts. The beauty bravely surrenders her own life for her father, and the heroine in “The Tiger’s Bride” risks her own life when she chooses to advance towards a savage tiger.

Beaumont composed “The Beauty and the Beast “ in the eighteenth century when arranged marriages were commonplace and women virtually had no voice in society. “The Beauty and the Beast” serves as a literary example for women, an example demonstrating that they too could become happy in a forced relationship if they were patient and virtuous towards their husbands, just as the Beauty was. Beauty displays her appeasement of the Beast when he asks to watch her dine and she shudders as she responds, “You are my master” (Tatar 34). Beauty was willing to submit to all of the Beasts requests, suppressing her inner feelings, with the exception of marriage proposal in the beginning. When Beauty’s family falls into poverty, her two sisters, who she does not get along with, make her clean, and do the chores without help. Instead of arguing or even attempting to reason with her sisters, Beauty obeys and takes over the household chores until she goes to live with the Beast. When beauty goes to live with the Beast, she takes a trip home for a week and promises to return to the castle afterwards. Beauty could have easily seen her trip home as a chance to escape and go back to her father, instead, she recognizes that she has offered her life in place of her fathers and obediently stays true to her sacrifice.

 In “The Tiger’s Bride”, Angela Carter seems to broadcast a different message to her audience than Beaumont did in the eighteenth century. “The Tiger’s Bride” suggests that women have the choice to break the stereotype of the compliant woman who existed solely to be looked at as a trophy and answer to men’s wishes through the independent and combative manner of the heroine. For example, the heroine questioned every order she was given by the valet and responded to some requests rebelliously. Most notably, the heroine’s display of rebellion appears when the Tiger asks her to remove all of her clothes and she responds that she would only lift her skirt for the Tiger in a dark and windowless room with a sheet placed over her head. Another distinct characteristic that Carter endows the heroine with is independence. The heroine displays independence consistently when makes her own choices based on her own feelings, rather than submitting to the Tiger or valet before her. When the heroine retreats to her room, the valet brings her jewels to wear and the heroine chooses to throw the jewels at the floor. The heroine’s choice to disregard the jewels is controversial because historically women have been taught to cherish anything that would enhance their beauty such as make-up, jewels, or fancy clothing.

The two heroines do share the common characteristic of bravery and compassion. The Beauty shows great bravery in acting selflessly and offering herself for death to the beast in place of her father. Beauty says “I feel fortunate that I can make this sacrifice, since I have the pleasure of saving Father and proving my feelings of tenderness for him” (Tatar 33). As the youngest daughter, Beauty had much to look forward too; enjoying the rest of her youth, getting married, and having children. However, Beauty sacrificed her future for her father’s life, which is quite an audacious deed. Beauty demonstrates her compassionate nature with the Beast when she sympathizes with him when he begins to self-deprecate. Beauty reassures the Beast that appearance is not everything and that she sees and appreciates the Beast’s kind heart.

The heroine in “The Tiger’s Bride” shows immense bravery in the conclusion of the story when the she advances towards the agitated Tiger who is “pacing backwards and forwards,” presenting herself as an offering and “key to a peaceable kingdom” (Tatar 66). The heroine then transforms into a Lion, symbolizing that she is now equal to the Tiger in society. The dangerous choice that the heroine makes displays her bravery because she is in the presence of the Tiger in his most barbaric state, and she seems to be unafraid that it is a Tigers nature to attack a human. Earlier in the story, the heroine’s compassion of the Tiger is illustrated when the Tiger removes his coverings in presence of the terrified heroine, who is forced to face the appearance of the beast. Amidst the heroine’s fight, she notes that the Tiger “made with his on ferocity to do me no harm” (Tatar 64). As a sign of acceptance, and understanding, the heroine removes her clothes as well, and a bond between the two prevails in that moment. The independent heroine could have easily kept her clothes on, as she staunchly did earlier in the story, but because the Tiger was vulnerable with her, she felt necessary to reciprocate the Tiger’s action.

Beauty in “The Beauty and the Beast” and the heroine in “The Tigers Bride” both possess distinct characteristics, but also significant similarities. Beauty is obedient and appeasing and the heroine in “The Tiger’s Bride” is independent and combative; both stories require their main character to possess qualities that are parallel to the moral of the story. Regardless of the different messages suggested by “The Tiger’s Bride” and “The Beauty and the Beast”, both stories require bravery and courage to be qualities that the leading lady is endowed with.