Beauty and the Beast by Anonymous
Beauty and the Beast is a classic fairy tale about a beautiful young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fear, she befriends the castle's enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast's hideous exterior, allowing her to recognize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within. The story begins when a merchant, desperate to save his family from poverty, sets out on a journey and finds himself lost in a dark forest. He takes shelter in a mysterious castle, but is soon confronted by the Beast, who agrees to spare his life if he sends one of his daughters to the castle in his place. The merchant's youngest daughter, Beauty, agrees to go, and is taken to the castle where she is treated with kindness by the Beast and the enchanted staff. Beauty soon discovers that the Beast is not as frightening as he appears, and the two form a strong bond. Despite her growing feelings for the Beast, Beauty is determined to return home and eventually the Beast allows her to go, giving her a magical rose as a token of his love. When Beauty returns home, she discovers that her family has fallen on hard times and she is determined to save them. She returns to the Beast's castle and declares her love for him, breaking the spell that had transformed him into a beast. The Beast is transformed back into a handsome prince, and the two are married and live happily ever after.
By Anonymous · First published 1740 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Romance, Fantasy · 7,190 words
First lines
Once upon a time, in a very far-off country, there lived a merchant who had been so fortunate in all his undertakings that he was enormously rich.
As he had, however, six sons and six daughters, he found that his money was not too much to let them all have everything they fancied, as they were accustomed to do.
What this Textopian page supports
Beauty and the Beast is listed on Textopian as a novel by Anonymous, dated 1740 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Anonymous
- Date: 1740 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Romance, Fantasy, Adventure
- Length: 7,190 words
- Structure: 1 section, 127 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Beauty and the Beast by Anonymous
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Beauty and the Beast?
- How does this novel by Anonymous fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Princess Belle Etoile by Walter Crane
- Beauty And The Beast by Gabrielle Suzanne Barbot De Villeneuve
- The Frog Prince by Walter Crane
- Grimms Fairy Tales by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Aladdin And The Wonderful Lamp by Walter Crane
- Fairy Tales Of Hans Christian Andersen by Hans Christian Andersen
Genres
- Fairy Tale — Beauty and the Beast is a classic fairy tale, featuring a beautiful young woman who is taken captive by a beast and must learn to love him in order to break the curse.
- Romance — The story follows the romance between Beauty and the Beast, as they learn to love each other and break the curse.
- Fantasy — The story features magical elements such as the Beast's curse and the enchanted objects in the castle.
- Adventure — Beauty embarks on a journey to the Beast's castle, encountering danger and adventure along the way.
Tags
Fairy tales · answered · beast · beauty · bring · brothers · cried · daughters · day · dream · father · good-bye