The duality of human nature in the traditional fairy tale Beauty and the Beast makes it engaging for adults and the enchanting and magical world which is fairy tales delights the minds of children. Both can enjoy the traditional tale in its many forms for reasons which are the same or different.
However, there are themes and forms of the tale which are directly targeted at each for particular reasons whether for pure entertainment or other.I will discuss this here in adaptations of the tale for children and adults...
However, there are themes and forms of the tale which are directly targeted at each for particular reasons whether for pure entertainment or other.I will discuss this here in adaptations of the tale for children and adults...
For Children
Adaptations of Beauty and the Beast for children; as with many other fairy tales, are often sanatized and expurgated versions of the fairy tales for adults (Zipes, as cited in Tatar, 1999, p. 336). Fairy tales consciously implant the norms of society into children and subconsciously can offer an attractive stereotypical number of roles, locations and timetables as a script for life to their readers. (Karpman, 1968).
Karpman (1968) also states that mothers often use fairy tales as a way to communicate to their children. Script forming transactions can take place during the reading such as a nudge from mother saying “that’s you”. This is often shown by the fairy tales in which parents will pick to share with their children as not always a way to entertain or delight them but also as a means to teach them the intended virtues of their roles as either male or female. The selction for children includes forms such as cartoons, animated movies, books and other merchandise. View Disney's version of Beauty and the Beast |
For AdultsAdaptations of Beauty and the Beast for Adult audiences has been produced and targeted in such ways as through movies, comics, novels and theatre.
Adult versions of the story often devulge in a darker side of the story in its elements and themes of love, enchantment and magic. An article by Chinen (1987, p.341) discusses the difference in themes of tales for older audiences which are more often about self-confrontation and self-reformation. View Beastly by Susan Carsonis and Daniel Barnz |