Call Me What You Like

chirart:

bitteroath:

chirart:

So I’ve discovered a surprising number of people I know didn’t know this, and I thought it was a common trivia, so I think I’ll mention it here:

Beauty and the Beast is an allegory for a new bride’s fear of sex from her groom and her own sexuality, and eventually learning to embrace both and becoming empowered through it.

Considering the socio-norm back in the day was to marry young women between families as economical arrangements, a new bride would find the prospect of a (usually older) gentleman who demands sex (or at least, has the expectation of sex—for consummation of the marriage at the very least) to be terrifying and beastly, and can be seen a danger on her innocence and purity.

Going by the original tale: the beauty (new bride) is removed from her family and home (her comfort and the only place she knows) to go live with her new spouse out of an arrangement her father was forced into (an arranged marriage), bracing herself for the worst sort of monster—one who will be violent and rageful and subject her to a life of harm and terror… only to discover that, when she lives with the beast, he’s an intellectual thrill and a delight to bond with. Still, she does not love him, and so he allows her to return home (by her own choice!), only to discover she does indeed love him when she receives a vision that the beast is sick and dying. She rushes back to his side (again, by her choice!), and through this acceptance of friendship and newfound adoration, she sees her spouse not as a beast out to consume her or ravish her, but as a man and very human, and she learns to take charge of her own sexuality—becoming a woman in her own right.

It’s an easy story to paint as romanticizing an abusive relationship, so I think it’s a pity more people don’t realize it has its roots in empowering a woman’s own view of sex and her own sexual destiny!

/the more you know

If you take into consideration that the beast merely invites her to dinner, and begs her to marry him and each time she says no AND ISN’T PUNISHED FOR IT but has her decision respected, it is indeed a more empowering tale for women than one tends to think. Hell, he makes her the mistress of his castle, and says he’ll serve her. How is that abusive? :I

Also, if I can remember correctly, there’s a scene in an old french film where Belle gives the Beast some sass, telling him to stop feeling sorry for himself. Still no punishment ‘cause, well, she was right! Bwahahaaa~!

Reblog for a great addendum I didn’t think to include!

And just to clarify: over the course of the many retellings, the Beast character became initially more savage, so his nature was transformed as much as his physical appearance—which is something Disney’s interpretation went with. In the original tale the Beast’s physical appearance is a reflection of the Beauty’s fear of savagery (from sex) rather than his nature, as he was kind to her and respectful to her from the beginning.

physicsphysics:

Laws of Nature.

(via ideally-me)

“That’s for Frodo! That’s for the Shire! And that’s for my old Gaffer!”

(via l-o-t-r)

wilderebellion:

isntthatwizard:

Rupert Graves as Riddell

Perfection. 

(via bbcsherlockftw)