Beauty and the Beast (ePub)

Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (1711-1780) was a French author who played a pivotal role in the development of the conte de fées, a genre of French fairy tales. Born in Rouen to a family with modest means, Leprince de Beaumont pursued a career in education, which formed a basis for her writing endeavors. In 1756, she published 'Magasin des Enfants,' a collection of moralistic stories, which included her most famous work, 'Beauty and the Beast' ('La Belle et la Bête'). The story has since become a timeless classic, enchanting children and adults alike with its deeply human themes of inner beauty, love, and redemption. Her rendition of 'Beauty and the Beast' is in fact an abridgement and adaptation of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve's longer version. Leprince de Beaumont's version is distinguished by its didactic approach and streamlined narrative, making it more accessible to young readers. This adaptation is credited with popularizing the tale across Europe, later inspiring numerous adaptations in literature, film, and other media. Her literary style combined narrative simplicity with a moralistic tone that reflected her vocation as a teacher, often aiming to instruct as much as to entertain. Leprince de Beaumont's other works, such as 'The Young Misses Magazine' ('Le Magasin des adolescentes'), also reflect her educational goals and remain enduring contributions to the genre of fairy tales and children's literature.