Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast, written by Marie Leprince de Beaumont, is a classic tale of love and transformation. The story follows the journey of a young woman named Beauty who falls in love with a prince who has been turned into a beast by an enchantress. Despite his monstrous appearance, Beauty sees the kindness and gentleness within the Beast and learns to look beyond his physical form. Through their interactions, Beauty and the Beast learn valuable lessons about empathy, compassion, and the power of love. The story has been adapted into various forms of media, including films, plays, and operas, and remains a beloved tale around the world.
By Marie Leprince de Beaumont · First published 1740 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Romance · 6,363 words
First lines
There was once a very rich merchant, who had six children, three sons, and three daughters; being a man of sense, he spared no cost for their education, but gave them all kinds of masters. His daughters were extremely handsome, especially the youngest; when she was little, every body admired her, and called her _The little Beauty_; so that, as she grew up, she still went by the name of _Beauty_, which made her sisters very jealous. The youngest, as she was handsome, was also better than her sisters. The two eldest had a great deal of pride, because they were rich. They gave themselves ridiculous airs, and would not visit other merchants' daughters, nor keep company with any but persons of quality. They went out every day upon parties of pleasure, balls, plays, concerts, etc. and laughed at their youngest sister, because she spent the greatest part of her time in reading good books.
What this Textopian page supports
Beauty and the Beast is listed on Textopian as a novel by Marie Leprince de Beaumont, 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: Marie Leprince de Beaumont
- Date: 1740 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Children's Literature
- Length: 6,363 words
- Structure: 1 section, 47 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Beauty and the Beast by Marie Leprince de Beaumont
- 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 Marie Leprince de Beaumont fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Beauty And The Beast by Dinah Mulock
- The Ugly Princess by Charles Kingsley
- The Frog Prince by Dinah Mulock
- The Fair One With Golden Locks by Dinah Mulock
- Prince Cherry by Dinah Mulock
- Princess Rosette by Charles Perrault
Genres
- Fairy Tale — This story has all the elements of a classic fairy tale such as the transformation of the Beast into a prince after Belle's declaration of love, good prevailing over evil entities. It also belongs to the oral tradition of storytelling.
- Fantasy — The general narrative of the beast who was once a prince but was turned into a monstrous creature due to a curse and the magical transformation at the end aligns with typical elements of the fantasy genre.
- Romance — The story revolves around the growing fondness and affection between Belle and the Beast, making it a central romantic subplot.
- Adventure — The tale includes several adventurous episodes, like Belle's father's voyage where he encounters the Beast's castle, Belle's decision to replace her father, or Belle's exploration of the magical castle.
Tags
fairy tale · love · transformation · redemption · beauty · beast · magic · romance · sacrifice · family · forgiveness · self-discovery