Beauty and the Beast vs. the Original Fairy Tale

Posted by Debbie Lang | March 9, 2017

Have you ever wondered how faithful Disney's Beauty and the Beast movies are to the original Beauty and the Beast fairy tale written in the 1700s? It should initially be noted that the first incarnation of the story was written in 1740 by French author Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. The best-known and less adult-oriented version was published 16 years later by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont. This comparison of Beauty and the Beast to the original story will show you why, in this instance, the Disney movies are in many ways better than the fairy tale that inspired them. For example, various memorable elements from the Disney movies are missing in the fairy tale, including Gaston and the magical furniture (enchanted servants). Related Article: Beauty and the Beast: History vs. Hollywood