Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
English
Date of Award
5-2024
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Shauna Laichtenwalner
Committee Members
Joshua Reid, Phyllis Thompson
Abstract
This thesis looks at the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast to examine the way that this tale has been used throughout history to address the concerns of young women, as well as reinforce the culturally accepted gender roles of the time of their publication. The first chapter defines the fairy tale genre and features some of the most common criticism on the genre, it will then define and offer critical perspectives on the monster bridegroom motif which Beauty and the Beast is a part of. The second chapter will look at the first two publications of the text, the 1740 version by Mme de Villeneuve and the 1756 version by Mme de Beaumont. The final chapter will examine the first two books in the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses published in 2015 and A Court of Mist and Fury published in 2016.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Lefler, Lauren, "The Beast in the Beauty: An Analysis of Cultural Gender Biases and Stereotypes in the Classic Fairy Tale “Beauty and the Beast” and Implications in Modern Retellings" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4406. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4406
Copyright
Copyright by Lauren Lefler
Included in
English Language and Literature Commons, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons