Enchantment and Magic
A special element of fairy tales is that they contain the believability that there is no line between living and dead objects and as animals are moving creatures, the imagination can allow a man to change into a Beast like in the tale Beauty and the Beast (Bettelheim, 2010, pp. 46-47). The enchantment evident in Beauty and the Beast is often a drawcard for the child audience because magic is a 'truth' which the child can understand at this age.
In some versions of the tale all Beauty's wishes "are met as if by magic", while in other versions, her wishes are met by magic or spirits (Bettelheim, 2010, p. 305). This incorporation of magic or aspects like magic is an element which has always been utilised within the tale of Beauty and the Beast. It is often used as a link to the Beast as a provider, but also is successful in creating a more interesting and engaging tale because it adds a more mysterious feature to the storyline.
Asides from this aspect being seen through Beauty's stay at the palace, there are of course other instances of this element such as the important enchantment placed upon the Beast himself. The enchantment places upon the Beast. The enchantment itself is placed upon the Prince to make him transform into a Beast is done for all different reasons, but most are generally connected to virtuous behaviour which either his parents possess or the Prince himself possesses. The enchantment most often used in the tale is chosen to teach the Prince or his parents to value more than just looks and class as well as to become less selfish. If this is indeed done, then the Beast will be able to find someone to love him and therefore lift the spell.
Windling (2007) highlights that the transformation of the Beast back to his human form alters according to different tales but all utilise the magical elements to do so, showing that this element is indeed important to the evolutionary tale.
In some versions of the tale all Beauty's wishes "are met as if by magic", while in other versions, her wishes are met by magic or spirits (Bettelheim, 2010, p. 305). This incorporation of magic or aspects like magic is an element which has always been utilised within the tale of Beauty and the Beast. It is often used as a link to the Beast as a provider, but also is successful in creating a more interesting and engaging tale because it adds a more mysterious feature to the storyline.
Asides from this aspect being seen through Beauty's stay at the palace, there are of course other instances of this element such as the important enchantment placed upon the Beast himself. The enchantment places upon the Beast. The enchantment itself is placed upon the Prince to make him transform into a Beast is done for all different reasons, but most are generally connected to virtuous behaviour which either his parents possess or the Prince himself possesses. The enchantment most often used in the tale is chosen to teach the Prince or his parents to value more than just looks and class as well as to become less selfish. If this is indeed done, then the Beast will be able to find someone to love him and therefore lift the spell.
Windling (2007) highlights that the transformation of the Beast back to his human form alters according to different tales but all utilise the magical elements to do so, showing that this element is indeed important to the evolutionary tale.