Beauty And The Tiger's Bride Compare And Contrast

“Beauty and the Beast” by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont and “The Tiger Bride” by Angela Carter are both unique in delving into the nature of men and women and their relationships by exploring and analyzing the motifs of wildness and civilization. Madame de Beaumont’s story speaks of intimacy is about overlooking of imperfections and looking deeper into a person; while intimacy with Carter’s story is more about accepting oneself as who he or she is inside. In a sense, Carter’s story is written in response to the intimacy in Madame de Beaumont’s story, a fact that accounts for both the similarities and differences between the two works.

Even though these two stories are very different from each other, they also use the same theme of intimacy; though, in different senses. Carter’s version of “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Tiger’s Bride”, seems to be written in response to Madame de Beaumont’s version. Carter shown

women as the ones who open up to the wildness (beastliness) in themselves in intimate relationship with men instead of being the civilizing agent like Madame de Beaumont has written. The daughter seemed to be very conscious of the Beast’s beastliness throughout the story; yet, as she continues to interact with him, she slowly starts to show and accept her own beastliness. When they reveal themselves without any restrains (clothes), she mentions “The tiger sat still as a heraldic beast…. I showed his grave silence my white skin, my red nipples” (Carter 63). Women being naked have often associated to be sexual. Unlike in Madame de Beaumont’s Beauty who refuse Beast’s advances, the daughter in this case shown sensational sex appeals (which sex and reproduction can be seen as animal instinct – beastliness).
At the same time, the Beast and the daughter have already seen each other undressed; there isn’t anything to hide anymore. It is as if a burden has been lifted off, she chooses to remain by the Beast’s side despite now she has the right to return to her father. In the end she mentions, “And each stroke of his tongue ripped off skin after successive skin… and left behind a nascent patina of shining hairs. …I shrugged the drops off my beautiful fur” (Carter 66) it makes the readers feel that it is through her interaction with the Beast that she is able to find herself. If the human shell (the daughter’s skin) represents society, then the female tiger she has become is her true self that has been surpassed by the civilized social rules and norms. In intimate relationships, couples are able to be together by accepting each other for their differences (or faults) and accepting one’s own nature, they have to be able to freely express themselves to their lovers without being fearful of being judged for their differences. The Beast doesn’t have to hid his beastly appearance (pretty much like a tiger) and in turn the daughter shows her own beastliness with the Beast’s help when she choose to accept wildness (by staying at the Beast’s side) than return to civilization (return to her father).
Madame de Beaumont’s story, on the other hand, illustrates women as the civilizing agent in the relationship with men, who succumb to their beastliness, giving way to their animalistic and wild side. Unlike the daughter in Carter’s “The Tiger’s Bride”, Beauty doesn’t focus much on the physical appearance of Beast, rather the beastliness is shown through the fact that the difference between animals and humans is due to humans are more intelligent than animals. In the conversations between Beast and Beauty, Beast always said something along the lines of “‘But in addition to being ugly, I also lack intelligence. I know very well that I am nothing but a beast’” (de Beaumont 37). It is as if he is trying to put up a façade in front of Beauty to reinforce the fact that he is nothing but a beast. Even though Beast is scary to Beauty at first, as they continue to interact with each other, Beauty begins to learn that Beast’s behaviors are the opposite to the meaning of his namesake.
Yet, even though Beauty isn’t scared of Beast anymore rather she finds a friend in him, she still doesn’t wants to be with him (through marriage) due to their differences.

It isn’t until she is being kept away from Beast by her envious sisters, that she reflects on the happy memories she created with Beast and wonders “Why haven’t I wanted to marry him? […] It is neither good looks nor great wit that makes a woman happy with her husband, but character, virtue, and kindness, and Beast has all those good qualities” (de Beaumont 40). It is her acceptance of Beast’s inner quality rather than focuses on the outer appearance that broke the curse on Beast and revert him back to his human form. In intimate relationships, couples over look each other’s outer appearance and instead appreciate each other’s inner/abstract qualities (such as personalities). Beauty finds humane qualities in Beast that makes he is different than animals and accepts him despite his appearance; thus, indirectly she helps him gain back his human form (symbolize humanity and

civilization).
Both stories’ have shown that acceptances as the key focus in an intimate relationship as the message to the readers. Madame de Beaumont shows the appeal of “Beauty and the Beast” by the use of magical elements in the story in order to comfort and prepare young girls for marriage. While Angela Carter’s shows the appeal of “The Tiger’s Bride” by challenging the way of traditional women’s role in society yet still retaining an air of tradition and convention in her story. Due to these reasons, Madame de Beaumont and Angela Carter has created both beautiful stories that reflect the culture of their times.