The Old
Cupid and Psyche is an ancient myth which "shares many features" with Beauty and the Beast (Tatar, 1999, p. 25). However, through this story we see that although the moral is similar to that of Beauty and the Beast, the beast does not ever really exist and is actually a god showing that although it can be regarded as a version of Beauty and the Beast, it differs also. The strongest link between these two stories come from the unexplained characteristic of the husband which is placed upon them by an enchantment (Bacchilega, 1955, p. 73).
To read the story of Cupid and Psyche, use the link below.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/cupid.html
To read the story of Cupid and Psyche, use the link below.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/cupid.html
The most well known version of the story is that of Madame LePrince de Beaumont's La Belle et La Bete, or as known in the English world Beauty and the Beast. Although many elements remain the same as Cupid and Psyche, a big difference is that Beauty does not need to fulfil any difficult tasks in order to retrieve/revive her beloved beast but must declare her love (Jones, 1995, p. 76). This version was based upon and heavily influenced by the original author Madame Villeneuve and can be read using the link below.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/beauty.html
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/beauty.html
As expected with most Fairy tales, the Grimm Brothers did create a tale which showed many similarities to that of Beauty and the Beast, only theirs incorporated, not a beast, but rather, a lion. Like seen in Cupid and Psyche, the Beauty in this story must complete a series of tasks to win her beast back off an enchanted princess (Jones, 1995, p. 77). This tale was titles The Singing, Springing Lark and can be read using the link below.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm088.html
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm088.html
The New
Robin McKinley has created two modern version of Beauty and the Beast, both which are based upon Madame LePrince de Beaumont's 'original' version. One novel, Beauty: A retelling of Beauty and the Beast became her first novel and produces a beautiful and sophisticated story for young female readers. Her second novel about this tale, Rose Daughter contains a similar storyline to her first with a few changes being made to the reasoning as to why the Beast was cursed and also the end of the novel when Beauty chooses for the Beast to remain the form of a Beast. This latter novel is an example of how third person narrative can "increase the emotional impact of a story" (Doughty, 2006, p. 97).
Stephenie Meyer's Twilight is a modernised version of Beauty in the Beast. The links between the two stories can be seen through Fleur Diamond's article Beauty and the Beautiful Beast where the characters of the Beast and Edward are compared as well as the female protagonists, Beauty and Bella. A similarity found between Beauty and Bella comes from their ability to "to recognise the humanity that lies trapped in the bewitched body" and therefore allow their sexual attraction to grow (Diamond, 2011, p. 48). The sexual attraction of the Beauty to the Beast is again reflected in two previous versions, The Courtship of Mr Lyon and Whitebear. The big difference seen for the male protagonists is of course that Edward must restrain his interior desires to keep from harming Bella while the Beast's heart and desire protects Beauty despite his dangerous exterior.
This is where we can see the complete cycle of this tale. With Madame de Villeneuve's version from the 1700's not being written for the child audience, to Robin McKinley's written for young teens and Twilight for young adults and of course Disney's adaptation made specifically for children, this version by Nicole Dreadful is more directed specifically at adults.
How do we know this? Because the sexual element is not just to be inferred from the story like Thomas Mintz suggests in his article The Meaning of the rose in "Beauty and the Beast" but rather a main aspect of the storyline becomes sex. The sex is not just commented on throughout the story like it may in Twilight, but it is written about in graphic detail, making the appropriate audience that of adults. The detail of sex found within this novel is like that of another modern story which follows motifs of Beauty and the Beast, E.L James' 50 Shades of Grey.
How do we know this? Because the sexual element is not just to be inferred from the story like Thomas Mintz suggests in his article The Meaning of the rose in "Beauty and the Beast" but rather a main aspect of the storyline becomes sex. The sex is not just commented on throughout the story like it may in Twilight, but it is written about in graphic detail, making the appropriate audience that of adults. The detail of sex found within this novel is like that of another modern story which follows motifs of Beauty and the Beast, E.L James' 50 Shades of Grey.
The website by Heidi Anne Heiner, SurLaLune Fairy Tales is a great resource which can be used to find versions of Beauty and the Beast but also stories which just utilise specific elements or motifs of the story.