STRUCTURALISM: Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley

In literary theory, structuralist criticism relates literary texts to a larger structure, which may be a particular genre, a range of intertextual connections, a model of a universalnarrative structure, or a system of recurrent patterns or motifs. Structuralism argues that there must be a structure in every text, which explains why it is easier for experienced readers than for non-experienced readers to interpret a text. Hence, everything that is written seems to be governed by specific rules, or a "grammar of literature", that one learns in educational institutions and that are to be unmasked.

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structuralism)



The Story:

Beauty is the youngest of three daughters of a wealthy merchant, Roderick Huston. Her given name is Honour, but she said that she'd rather be called "Beauty". The nickname has stuck since then. As she grows older, she feels increasingly ill-named as her sisters, Grace and Hope, become lovelier and more socially adept. Soon Grace becomes engaged to one of her father's ship captains, Robert Tucker, and Hope later beomes engaged to a blacksmith named Gervain Woodhouse. Robert's ship becomes lost at sea only a few months after the engagement along with all of Huston's other ships. Destitute, the family relocates to a town in the north near to Gervain's home town to begin afresh, a journey that takes nearly two months. Their lives begin to take a turn for the better as the city-bred family adapt to their new lives, and Hope and Gervain are later married and have two children.

Almost a year later, they receive news of one of Huston's ships arriving back into port. Huston prepares to make the long journey alone to sell the ship's cargo. Before he leaves he asks his daughters if they want any gifts; Grace and Hope jokingly request expensive gifts, while Beauty asks only for a rose cutting or seeds for the garden. Huston returns home sooner than everyone expects with a beautiful rose, looking much worse for wear. Once he regains his strength, he tells everyone that on his return from town, he was caught in a blizzard a few miles from home and lost his way in the forest, stumbling across a mysterious castle as he and his mount came to the end of their strength.

Huston was given shelter for the night and waited on by invisible servants. As he left the next day he found a beautiful garden and plucked one rose to bring home to Beauty. The owner of the castle, a great beast, appeared before him furious for the theft and ready to kill him for his crime. Huston begged for his life, pleading that he had daughters to return to. The Beast decided to let him go if he returned in one month with one of his daughters, assuring him that she would not be harmed and live safely with him in his castle. Despite her family's pleas, Beauty insists that she be the one to go in her father's place.

As the months pass, Beauty comes to enjoy living in the castle. There are only two problems: she misses her family and every night the Beast asks her to marry him. Every night she answers no, but as they become close, Beauty feels bad for hurting the Beast even though she cannot bring herself to do what he asks. One night, the Beast again proposes marriage and Beauty states that she cannot marry him but hates constantly refusing him. Later, Beauty asks when she will be allowed to return home. The Beast reveals to her that he cannot let her go because he can't live without her. Upon hearing this, Beauty goes into shock and faints. She awakens in the arms of the Beast and flees to her room, too terrified to listen when he tries to tell her that she unconsciously refused to let go of him when he caught her.

Beauty's dreams of her family become even more vivid and detailed than before and her senses becomes more acute and attuned to her new world. The Beast reveals that he sends the dreams to her to comfort her and that her way of seeing things has changed because of her sensitivity and because she has adapted to and accepted the magic that surrounds her. He also shows her a magic mirror that allows her to see her family. Through the mirror, Beauty sees Grace make the decision to accept a proposal of marriage from the local minister; however, she still loves Robert. Beauty wonders what has happened to Robert, and immediately the mirror shows her that Robert is alive and has only recently returned despite his ship being almost completely wrecked. Beauty begs to see her family one last time to tell Grace the news, promising to return in a week and stay with the Beast forever afterwards. The Beast reluctantly allows her to go, hinting that he will not be able to live without her if she does not return in time. Beauty's family is overjoyed at her return though disheartened to hear that she will only stay with them for a short time. Beauty tells her family about her time in the castle and convinces them that the Beast is not the monster that they have feared. She also tells Grace that Robert is alive, and arrangements are begun to have Robert brought to the Huston home. During the days without the Beast, Beauty begins to recognize how she truly feels about the Beast, proclaiming him to be even dearer to her than her family.

When Beauty stays a day longer than planned at her family's behest she dreams that the Beast has died in her absence. She tries to return to the Beast but gets lost in the woods. After finding her way back Beauty discovers the Beast nearly dead, but is able to revive him. Realizing how close she came to losing him, Beauty confesses her love for the Beast and tells him that she will marry him. In an instant the enchantment on the Beast and the castle is broken. The Beast is returned to his handsome human form, explaining to the astonished Beauty about how his family had been cursed by the local magician for being arrogant and over-sealously pious, but because their piety was actually so strong, the curse was delayed intil a descendant mis-stepped and that he was the one who fell. He tells her that the spell could be broken only if a woman agreed to marry him despite his appearance. But Beauty then becomes self conscious and begins refusing to marry the Beast until he shows her her reflection in a mirror, revealing how she has blossomed into a true beauty. Beauty is reunited with her family and the novel ends with Beauty and her prince walking out to meet everyone, excited to start their new life together

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty:_A_Retelling_of_the_Story_of_Beauty_and_the_Beast)

The Criticism:

We all know this story, but let's face it the Disney one was too childish and girly. Anyway... this one was purposely made for kids but the story is told in a more bold and comprehensive way.

It fits the theory for the reasons, that it has the same recurring plot (a girl falls in love to someone who is unaccepted then the problem is resolved by their love), the story speaks about unconditional love and it is written in a formal fairy tale way.