The Meanings of "Beauty & The Beast": A Handbook

by Jerry Griswold

The Meanings of "Beauty and the Beast" provides expert commentary on the tale and on representative critical approaches and contemporary adaptions. This books also includes a variety of original source materials and twenty-three colour illustrations. The Meanings of "Beauty and the Beast" is for any reader who wishes to explore this classic, endlessly rich fairy tale.

Genres: Beauty and The Beast, Fairy Tales, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism

258 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2004

Reviews

[Marquise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm rather surprised at how little time is dedicated to Madame de Villeneuve's version and how highly favoured the Madame de Beaumont one is, to the point Griswold seems to be implying that's the "original" source. I get it, Beaumont's is far more known and popular, and responsible for the hit Disney motion picture, and is the tale everyone thinks of when they hear "Beauty and the Beast," but for an academic overview, I'd have expected at least equal focus to be placed on Villeneuve, not just frame it in comparative terms to the more known version. Villeneuve's stands on its own, I think, and for all its flaws, it's not sanitised and as one-dimensional as Beaumont's. And also, I'm very surprised that Griswold has a lenient interpretation of the fairy's misbehaviour from Villeneuve.

On the other hand, I greatly appreciated Griswold's analysis of the two hallmark films about the tale, Cocteau's and Disney's, as he posited ideas I hadn't thought of and that made me reconsider certain aspects. I'm not a fan of Disney's take, which I've never kept a secret, but what Griswold said here made me gain a new perspective on it, and that's always a great thing: it means arguments were sound and convincing. Griswold's analysis of Jean Cocteau's film is also interesting, though not one that would shift my perspective because I had already read his arguments from Cocteau himself.

And finally, the section of illustrating "Beauty and the Beast" is perhaps my favourite. There, Griswold addresses the ways artists have had of interpreting Beast, which is the one single thing that can make or break a B&B picture book for me. I like his musings on how illustration is also interpretation and thus retelling, and his observations on a few classic illustrators of B&B that, like for the films, made me look at details I hadn't taken notice of previously.

[Mira Vanneste · Rating 4 out of 5]

AHHHH
This was so so captivating I just couldn’t put it down and now I have a hundred more sources and ideas HELP WHY IS EVERYTHING SO INTERESTING

[Susannah Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immensely interesting study of the story of Beauty and the Beast. The author, who so obviously delights in this tale, writes clearly and strongly without using flashy big words to stun the student into inertia. The story's sources are fascinating and comparisons to other familiar fairy tales reveal that this the most densely layered tale of them all, with rich variations recounted in full from "Cupid and Psyche" to Disney's animated film. Also included are several modern versions, the most stunning being Tanith Lee's "Beauty." Every version is discussed and every angle covered so that one's appreciation and understanding of this "simple" tale is hugely enhanced. I was quite sorry when I finished reading this as I enjoyed it more than any work of fiction I've picked up recently! As I am myself working on a new version of the Beauty and the Beast tale, this was a serendipitous find. The author's delight becomes the reader's delight. I must rush off and watch that Disney version again.....!

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the title of this book I was expecting more literary criticism of the fairy tale than what is offered here. Instead, most of the first half of the slim volume is taken up with the texts of various versions of the fairy tale and short stories inspired by it. It's a wonderful resource for researchers new to this material but for those already initiated into the studying of the tale it's unnecessary.

It's the second half of Griswold's book that really interested me. He examines the many various illustrations "Beauty and the Beast" has inspired throughout the centuries. After this there is a unique queer reading of the Cocteau and Disney films. I wish Griswold had expanded his thoughts on these two issues and included even more analysis of other versions of the story.

All in all this is a great introductory volume for studying "Beauty and the Beast" but it pales in comparison to Betsy Hearne's "Beauty and the Beast: Visions and Revisions of an Old Tale" which really delves into the history and complexity of this "tale as old as time."

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the style this book was written in! It's almost gently mocking, like Griswold admits Beauty and the Beast is his favourite fairy tale and yet is not afraid to point out absurdities in the tale, such as why the Beast "seems bizarrely begrudging when he gets enraged over the loss of some roses." (I've always wondered about that bit too.)

Griswold's commentary in general is pretty hilarious. He describes Cinderella's sisters as "acting as amateur podiatrists and butchering their feet to fool the prince." Beauty is "surrounded by masculine whiners desperate for her nurturance." I also enjoyed his alliterative descriptions -- in his commentary for The Frog King, he calls the frog a "tiresome, tattle-tale toad" and the Princess's "amphibian amigo".

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been immensely helpful as I prepare a symposium of "Beauty and the Beast". If you are studying the story for any reason, this is a must read. It is full of wonderful insights into the story and many of it's interpretations and renditions.

[Sanalith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely AMAZING resource! Includes several classic versions of the tale, as well as contemporary short stories. The analysis is wonderful and the author clearly did a lot of research. The bibliography is extremely extensive - I've already ordered one book off of it and will probably read more. Highly recommend to any BatB fan!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very in depth analysis of the story itself or other interpretations. Mostly just retellings of the same story with minimal critical lens.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Gave me food for thought. Wish it didn’t include stuff about “alternative lifestyles,” but not much can be done, except to ignore those parts.

Really good for BatB fanatics.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had some fun retellings of beauty and the beast stories, but it didn't have a whole lot to offer on the scholarly side of things. Not a terrible read, but not wonderful either.

[Phair]

will post a review once I've had time to reread. Added to collection in 2004.