Little Town (2015) YouTube Video Recording, Beauty and the Beast
Also, even though Belle loves to read, her favorite chapter is the one where the heroin meets her Prince Charming: “Ohhh, isn’t this amazing. It’s my favorite part because, you’ll see, here’s where she meets Prince Charming.” (Warner, 2014) The film suggests that even though she likes adventure, the most important drive in Belle’s life is to find her “Prince Charming” and marry him. Thus, exactly like previous Disney princesses, Belle can be reduced to a happy housewife searching for a husband. All Disney princesses are incomplete without a man, and Belle is no exception (Warner, 2014).
A final example of gender stereotypes that is shown in the movie can be observed from the way that Belle and the Beast treat each other. When Belle first goes to the castle in replacement of her father Maurice, the Beast constantly yells at her and locks her in a room with no food (Arial, 2013). Because of this abusive treatment, Belle decides to run away from the castle. While running away, she meets a pack of wolves in the forest, but the Beast saves her and injures himself in the process. Belle believes that it is her duty to take care of the Beast even though he was abusive to her and eventually falls in love with him (Arial, 2013). This scene demonstrates gender stereotype because it portrays the females’ role in the society as the nurturer and housekeeper. It also advocates the message that is it okay for males to be abusive and aggressive with females (Ariel, 2013). It shows, that no matter how males act towards females, in the end the female will always be submissive and loving. Source: (Disney, 2015)
|
Belle's name means beauty, but she often stands out in town because she loves to read. She dreams of adventure and believes there is good in everyone, even the beast.
The story is about a French girl named Belle who lives in a village with her inventor father, Maurice. Belle is seen as an odd girl simply because she is someone who enjoys the achievement of knowledge through reading (Tinker, 2012). Maurice, after finishing his new invention, travels to the invention fair to demonstrate his wood chopping machine. On the way, he gets lost and ends up at the Beast’s castle where he becomes the Beast’s prisoner. Belle goes looking for her father, and finding him in a bad state of health, offers to take his place as the Beast’s prisoner. The Beast is a French prince who has been spelled by an enchantress as punishment for his cold-heartedness. To break the spell, the Beast must not only love someone, but be loved in return (Tinker, 2012). Belle's character adheres to the stereotypical Disney heroine. First, her name literally translates to 'beauty'. In addition, Belle’s appearance conforms to Disney’s ideals of beauty. She is fair skinned with long hair and wide eyes. She is skinny, with a tiny waist and delicate hands. Her voice is charming and she sings beautifully (Saliba, 2013). It seems she has an inherent need to look after the men that are important to her. She constantly takes care of her ditzy father and tends to the beast after wolves wound him (Saliba, 2013).
Later on in the movi, Gaston tells Belle to stop wasting time on reading and pay more attention to marriage and her duties as a “housewife.” “It is not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas and thinking…” (Arial, 2013). Gender stereotypes are portrayed through the residents of the town and through Gaston’s behaviour. They imply throughout the movie that women should not engage in activities such as reading, but they should focus more on their roles as a married woman whose main occupation is caring for her family, managing household affairs, and doing housework.
Gason and Belle Street Scene (2015) Youtube Video Recording, Nicole Rey
|