Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of Beauty and the Beast with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, a classic fairy tale which demonstrates the power of love, the importance of looking beyond appearances and the rewards awaiting virtuous behaviour. The titular characters could scarcely be more physically different, but are able to look past superficial matters and are eventually brought together by their shared goodness. Versions of the story have existed since antiquity, and the tale has given rise to a multitude of literary, film, theatrical and television adaptations. Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont was a French writer, journalist and teacher who was one of the first authors to use stories to transmit a moral or educational message. She is best known for her collections of short stories, which often drew on centuries-old popular tales.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
- A complete plot summary
- Character studies
- Key themes and symbols
- Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Jun 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9782808010115

Book preview

French teacher, journalist and writer

Born in Rouen (northwestern France) in 1711.

Died in Chavanod (Savoy, present-day France) in 1780.

Notable works:

Le Nouveau Magasin des enfants (The New Children’s Shop, 1750), short story collection

Le Magasin des enfants (The Children’s Shop, 1756), short story collection

Contes moraux (Moral Tales, 1774), short story collection

Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont studied to be a teacher and initially worked in France before moving to England, where she worked as a governess for the children of aristocratic families.

She taught her pupils French by reading fairy tales to them, as this kept them entertained while they were learning.

She published her first collection of short stories, Le Nouveau Magasin des enfants (The New Children’s Shop), in 1750. Six years later, she published a second collection, Le Magasin des enfants (The Children’s Shop), which was a great success. These two works were followed by numerous others, which were often educational in nature.

A timeless fairy tale

Genre: fairy tale

Reference edition: Leprince de Beaumont, J-M. (2014) Beauty and the Beast. [Online]. Urbana: Project Gutenberg. [Accessed 15 May 2018]. Available from: <http://www.gutenberg.org/files/7074/7074-h/7074-h.htm>

1st edition: 1757

Themes: love, difference, transformation, ugliness, appearances

Although Beauty and the Beast is included in Leprince de Beaumont’s short story collection Le Magasin des enfants, she did not invent the story herself.