Simple Beauty and the Beast Outline

Detailed Outline Central Claim: In “Cupid and Psyche,” “Lady and the Lion,” and “Beauty and the Beast” readers can acknowledge the differences between each character due to the time period gap in the stories. Although there are many similarities between the stories and their characters, there are also very subtle differences that are easy to overlook. Outline I. Introduction 3 In “Cupid and Psyche,” “Lady and the Lion,” and “Beauty and the Beast” readers can acknowledge the differences between each character due to the time period gap in the stories. Although there are many similarities between the stories and their characters, there are also very subtle differences that are easy to overlook. By just focusing on the female characters in the three stories, it’s reasonable to conclude that women the younger the story becomes, the more powerful of a role a woman has during that time period. In “Cupid and Psyche” women are expected to act selfless in order to please those around them (Cupid, Venus, her father) yet never receive the chance to vocalize what they want. In “Lady in the Lion” the expectation of women is similar to the one in “Cupid and Psyche” because women are still doing things for the purpose of others, not necessarily for themselves. While in the “Beauty and the Beast” the one thing that stood out was how unlike the Beauty characters in the other stories, she was independent. Despite giving herself up in order to save the life of her father, she wasn’t afraid to decline the marriage of the “Beast” character. Not only did the Beauty represent independency, she displayed self-assurance. Although these stories are very similar, the way the characters are represented are slightly different. II. Cupid and Psyche a. Beauty i. Youngest out of the siblings and the most beautiful ii. Fell in love with her husband (Cupid) soon after marrying him iii. Was willing to do her duty and marry whomever she was given off too b. Parents (Mothers) i. Absent from the story (Both Beauty and Beast) 1. Shows how Beauty doesn’t have a female to confide in and seek advice from ii. Controlling, Manipulative, and Petty (Venus) 1. Stereotypical mother-in-law who much be managed c. Parents (Fathers) i. Father is reluctant but willingly gives away his daughter to serve his duty to find her a husband ii. Values Beauty’s looks rather than her personality iii. Shows that in youth, the man may need his parents but later when he’s more established he may no longer need them 1. When Cupid asked his father to help him stop Venus from intervening, Cupid was able to then start to live his life with Psyche the way it was supposed to be. d. Sisters i. Mean-spirited towards their youngest sister due to her looks 1. Shows that they are in competition with Beauty and therefore are her opposites. ii. Both beautiful and wealthy; sought wealth e. Other women (Sisters/Venus) i. They are in competition with the Beauty character due to her looks 1. Shows how Beauty’s opposites lack self-esteem in their looks and abilities ii. Can be said that Venus and Sisters want to have the attention that Beauty receives from others III. Beauty and the Beast a. Beauty i. Youngest out of the siblings and the most beautiful ii. Talked about more than just Beauty’s beauty. 1. Discussed how she was educated a. “When she had leisure, she read, played harpsichord, or sang while she spun.” (247) iii. Was innocent when it came to knowing what she’d be putting herself into with the “Beast” character b. Parents (Mothers) i. Absent from the story (Both Beauty and Beast) 1. Shows how Beauty doesn’t have a female to confide in and seek advice from c. Parents (Fathers) i. Favors Beauty- based on her personality rather than her beauty 1. “Beauty, as she came to be called, was not only prettier than her sisters, but she was also nicer.” (245) d. Sisters i. Arrogant because of wealth 1. “They were never loved by no one because of their arrogance.” (246) ii. Mean-spirited towards their youngest sister due to jealousy 1. “When she [Beauty] was little she was known as the beautiful child, and this name remained with her, causing her sisters to be very jealous.” (245) iii. Geared towards money e. Other women (Sisters) i. They appeared to be everything Beauty wasn’t 1. Arrogant, Evil, Manipulative IV. Lady and the Lion a. Beauty i. Youngest out of the siblings and the most beautiful ii. Honest about how she felt about the Beast 1. She wasn’t afraid to tell the Beast character that she wasn’t attracted to him due to his looks but did find his personality charming. a. When asked by the Beast if Beauty finds him unattractive she answers, “I do,” said Beauty, “since I must be truthful; but I think you are also very kind.” (250) iii. Showed Independency unlike the other Beauty’s in the stories 1. On page 251, when Beauty is first asked to be the wife of the Beast she replies “No, Beast!” b. Parents (Mothers) i. Absent from the story (Both Beauty and Beast) 1. Shows how Beauty doesn’t have a female to confide in and seek advice from c. Parents (Fathers) i. Sees the Beast as a nice guy and is okay with his daughter being with him further into the story ii. Father is powerless when it comes to keeping his daughter safe from the Beast 1. “But her father could not rejoice; he began to cry, and said, “My dear child, it has cost me dear, for I have had to promise you to a Lion who will tear you to pieces when he has you in his power,” (238) iii. Just like “Cupid and Psyche” the Beauty character is favored based solely on her looks d. Sisters i. Beautiful and wealthy 1. Links that all women who a beautiful are also very wealthy ii. Only sisters out of the 3 stories who aren’t jealous of Beauty and generally love her e. Other women (Princess/Dragon) i. Beautiful and wealthy as well as powerful ii. Similar to Venus and the sisters from the other story 1. Manipulative and is used to getting her way