Beauty and the Beast.docx

Beauty and the Beast.docx

《Beauty and the Beast.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Beauty and the Beast.docx（13页珍藏版）》请在冰点文库上搜索。

BeautyandtheBeast

Topicofpaper：

WhatisthethemeofthestoryBeautyandtheBeast?

CanyoufindamessagetypicallyChristianinthethemeofthestory?

WhatcanyoufindintheBibletosupportyourargument?

Youarerequiredtowriteanessay（atleast800words）inEnglish.

BeautyandtheBeast

Jeanne-MarieLePrincedeBeaumont

Therewasonceaveryrichmerchant,whohadsixchildren,threesons,andthreedaughters;beingamanofsense,hesparednocostfortheireducation,butgavethemallkindsofmasters.Hisdaughterswereextremelyhandsome,especiallytheyoungest.Whenshewaslittleeverybodyadmiredher,andcalledher"ThelittleBeauty;"sothat,asshegrewup,shestillwentbythenameofBeauty,whichmadehersistersveryjealous.

Theyoungest,asshewashandsomer,wasalsobetterthanhersisters.Thetwoeldesthadagreatdealofpride,becausetheywererich.Theygavethemselvesridiculousairs,andwouldnotvisitothermerchants'daughters,norkeepcompanywithanybutpersonsofquality.Theywentouteverydaytopartiesofpleasure,balls,plays,concerts,andsoforth,andtheylaughedattheiryoungestsister,becauseshespentthegreatestpartofhertimeinreadinggoodbooks.

Asitwasknownthattheyweregreatfortunes,severaleminentmerchantsmadetheiraddressestothem;butthetwoeldestsaid,theywouldnevermarry,unlesstheycouldmeetwithaduke,oranearlatleast.Beautyverycivillythankedthemthatcourtedher,andtoldthemshewastooyoungyettomarry,butchosetostaywithherfatherafewyearslonger.

Allatoncethemerchantlosthiswholefortune,exceptingasmallcountryhouseatagreatdistancefromtown,andtoldhischildrenwithtearsinhiseyes,theymustgothereandworkfortheirliving.Thetwoeldestanswered,thattheywouldnotleavethetown,fortheyhadseverallovers,whotheyweresurewouldbegladtohavethem,thoughtheyhadnofortune;butthegoodladiesweremistaken,fortheirloversslightedandforsookthemintheirpoverty.Astheywerenotbelovedonaccountoftheirpride,everybodysaid;theydonotdeservetobepitied,weareverygladtoseetheirpridehumbled,letthemgoandgivethemselvesqualityairsinmilkingthecowsandmindingtheirdairy.But,addedthey,weareextremelyconcernedforBeauty,shewassuchacharming,sweet-temperedcreature,spokesokindlytopoorpeople,andwasofsuchanaffable,obligingbehavior.Nay,severalgentlemenwouldhavemarriedher,thoughtheyknewshehadnotapenny;butshetoldthemshecouldnotthinkofleavingherpoorfatherinhismisfortunes,butwasdeterminedtogoalongwithhimintothecountrytocomfortandattendhim.PoorBeautyatfirstwassadlygrievedatthelossofherfortune;"but,"saidshetoherself,"wereItocryeversomuch,thatwouldnotmakethingsbetter,Imusttrytomakemyselfhappywithoutafortune."

Whentheycametotheircountryhouse,themerchantandhisthreesonsappliedthemselvestohusbandryandtillage;andBeautyroseatfourinthemorning,andmadehastetohavethehouseclean,anddinnerreadyforthefamily.Inthebeginningshefounditverydifficult,forshehadnotbeenusedtoworkasaservant,butinlessthantwomonthsshegrewstrongerandhealthierthanever.Aftershehaddoneherwork,sheread,playedontheharpsichord,orelsesungwhilstshespun.

Onthecontrary,hertwosistersdidnotknowhowtospendtheirtime;theygotupatten,anddidnothingbutsaunteraboutthewholeday,lamentingthelossoftheirfineclothesandacquaintance."Dobutseeouryoungestsister,"saidthey,onetotheother,"whatapoor,stupid,mean-spiritedcreaturesheis,tobecontentedwithsuchanunhappydismalsituation."

Thegoodmerchantwasofquiteadifferentopinion;heknewverywellthatBeautyoutshonehersisters,inherpersonaswellashermind,andadmiredherhumilityandindustry,butaboveallherhumilityandpatience;forhersistersnotonlyleftheralltheworkofthehousetodo,butinsultedhereverymoment.

Thefamilyhadlivedaboutayearinthisretirement,whenthemerchantreceivedaletterwithanaccountthatavessel,onboardofwhichhehadeffects,wassafelyarrived.Thisnewshadlikedtohaveturnedtheheadsofthetwoeldestdaughters,whoimmediatelyflatteredthemselveswiththehopesofreturningtotown,fortheywerequitewearyofacountrylife;andwhentheysawtheirfatherreadytosetout,theybeggedofhimtobuythemnewgowns,headdresses,ribbons,andallmanneroftrifles;butBeautyaskedfornothingforshethoughttoherself,thatallthemoneyherfatherwasgoingtoreceive,wouldscarcebesufficienttopurchaseeverythinghersisterswanted.

"Whatwillyouhave,Beauty?

"saidherfather.

"Sinceyouhavethegoodnesstothinkofme,"answeredshe,"besokindtobringmearose,forasnonegrowshereabouts,theyareakindofrarity."NotthatBeautycaredforarose,butsheaskedforsomething,lestsheshouldseembyherexampletocondemnhersisters'conduct,whowouldhavesaidshediditonlytolookparticular.

Thegoodmanwentonhisjourney,butwhenhecamethere,theywenttolawwithhimaboutthemerchandise,andafteragreatdealoftroubleandpainstonopurpose,hecamebackaspoorasbefore.

Hewaswithinthirtymilesofhisownhouse,thinkingonthepleasureheshouldhaveinseeinghischildrenagain,whengoingthroughalargeforesthelosthimself.Itrainedandsnowedterribly;besides,thewindwassohigh,thatitthrewhimtwiceoffhishorse,andnightcomingon,hebegantoapprehendbeingeitherstarvedtodeathwithcoldandhunger,orelsedevouredbythewolves,whomheheardhowlingallroundhim,when,onasudden,lookingthroughalongwalkoftrees,hesawalightatsomedistance,andgoingonalittlefartherperceiveditcamefromaplaceilluminatedfromtoptobottom.ThemerchantreturnedGodthanksforthishappydiscovery,andhastenedtotheplace,butwasgreatlysurprisedatnotmeetingwithanyoneintheoutercourts.Hishorsefollowedhim,andseeingalargestableopen,wentin,andfindingbothhayandoats,thepoorbeast,whowasalmostfamished,felltoeatingveryheartily;themerchanttiedhimuptothemanger,andwalkingtowardsthehouse,wherehesawnoone,butenteringintoalargehall,hefoundagoodfire,andatableplentifullysetoutwithbutonecoverlaid.Ashewaswetquitethroughwiththerainandsnow,hedrewnearthefiretodryhimself."Ihope,"saidhe,"themasterofthehouse,orhisservantswillexcusethelibertyItake;Isupposeitwillnotbelongbeforesomeofthemappear."

Hewaitedaconsiderabletime,untilitstruckeleven,andstillnobodycame.Atlasthewassohungrythathecouldstaynolonger,buttookachicken,andateitintwomouthfuls,tremblingallthewhile.Afterthishedrankafewglassesofwine,andgrowingmorecourageoushewentoutofthehall,andcrossedthroughseveralgrandapartmentswithmagnificentfurniture,untilhecameintoachamber,whichhadanexceedinggoodbedinit,andashewasverymuchfatigued,anditwaspastmidnight,heconcludeditwasbesttoshutthedoor,andgotobed.

Itwastenthenextmorningbeforethemerchantwaked,andashewasgoingtorisehewasastonishedtoseeagoodsuitofclothesintheroomofhisown,whichwerequitespoiled;certainly,saidhe,thispalacebelongstosomekindfairy,whohasseenandpitiedmydistress.Helookedthroughawindow,butinsteadofsnowsawthemostdelightfularbors,interwovenwiththebeautifullestflowersthatwereeverbeheld.Hethenreturnedtothegreathall,wherehehadsuppedthenightbefore,andfoundsomechocolatereadymadeonalittletable."Thankyou,goodMadamFairy,"saidhealoud,"forbeingsocareful,astoprovidemeabreakfast;Iamextremelyobligedtoyouforallyourfavors."

Thegoodmandrankhischocolate,andthenwenttolookforhishorse,butpassingthroughanarborofrosesherememberedBeauty'srequesttohim,andgatheredabranchonwhichwereseveral;immediatelyheheardagreatnoise,andsawsuchafrightfulBeastcomingtowardshim,thathewasreadytofaintaway.

"Youareveryungrateful,"saidtheBeasttohim,inaterriblevoice;"Ihavesavedyourlifebyreceivingyouintomycastle,and,inreturn,youstealmyroses,whichIvaluebeyondanythingintheuniverse,butyoushalldieforit;Igiveyoubutaquarterofanhourtoprepareyourself,andsayyourprayers."

Themerchantfellonhisknees,andliftedupbothhishands,"Mylord,"saidhe,"Ibeseechyoutoforgiveme,indeedIhadnointentiontooffendingatheringaroseforoneofmydaughters,whodesiredmetobringherone."

"MynameisnotMyLord,"repliedthemonster,"butBeast;Idon'tlovecompliments,notI.Ilikepeopletospeakastheythink;andsodonotimagine,Iamtobemovedbyanyofyourflatteringspeeches.Butyousayyouhavegotdaughters.Iwillforgiveyou,onconditionthatoneofthemcomewillingly,andsufferforyou.Letmehavenowords,butgoaboutyourbusiness,andswearthatifyourdaughterrefusetodieinyourstead,youwillreturnwithinthreemonths."

Themerchanthadnomindtosacrificehisdaughterstotheuglymonster,buthethought,inobtainingthisrespite,heshouldhavethesatisfactionofseeingthemoncemore,sohepromised,uponoath,hewouldreturn,andtheBeasttoldhimhemightsetoutwhenhepleased,"but,"addedhe,"youshallnotdepartemptyhanded;gobacktotheroomwhereyoulay,andyouwillseeagreatemptychest;fillitwithwhateveryoulikebest,andIwillsendittoyourhome,"andatthesametimeBeastwithdrew.

"Well,"saidthegoodmantohimself,"ifImustdie,