If you think you know the story of Beauty and the Beast, you’re probably wrong. Most of us grew up with the 1991 Disney classic or maybe the live-action Emma Watson version. We remember the singing teapot, the library, and a prince who was basically just a jerk to an enchantress. But that’s not how the story started. Not even close.
The "real" version—the original 1740 novella—was written by a woman named Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. And honestly? It is much weirder, darker, and way more complicated than anything Disney would ever touch.
Who was Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve?
Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve wasn't writing for kids. She was a Parisian widow who had lost her fortune and turned to writing to keep her head above water. In 1740, she published La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins (The Young American and Marine Tales). Tucked inside that collection was La Belle et la Bête.
Villeneuve was part of the "salon" culture in France. These were gatherings of intellectual women who used fairy tales to critique society, specifically the lack of agency women had in marriage. When she wrote the Beauty and the Beast Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve version, she wasn't just telling a romance; she was writing a 100-page social commentary full of dream-logic and family drama.
The Plot Disney Didn't Tell You
In the version most people know (which was actually a shortened, "dumbed-down" version written by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756), Beauty is the daughter of an eccentric inventor.
In Villeneuve’s original? She is the youngest of twelve children. Six sons, six daughters. Her father is a merchant who loses everything when his ships sink. They move to the country, and while Beauty’s sisters complain about the lack of servants, Beauty just rolls up her sleeves and gets to work.
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When the father gets lost and finds the Beast’s castle, the stakes are different. The Beast doesn't just want a prisoner; he wants a wife. But here is the kicker: in Villeneuve's book, the Beast is actually "stupid."
Wait, what?
Yeah. The curse didn't just make him ugly; it stripped him of his intelligence. He can barely hold a conversation. He’s "bête" in every sense of the French word—both a beast and a dummy. Every night, he asks Beauty to sleep with him. Every night, she says no.
The Dream Prince
While the Beast is being awkward and silent during the day, Beauty is having some very vivid dreams. Every night, a handsome "Unknown" prince visits her in her sleep. He tells her not to trust her eyes and to look for him.
Beauty actually falls in love with the Dream Prince while living with the Beast. She thinks the Beast is just a jailer and that the handsome man is another prisoner she hasn't found yet. It's a total psychological trip. She isn't falling for the Beast's "inner soul" at first; she's falling for a ghost in her head.
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The Massive Backstory Most Versions Cut
About halfway through Villeneuve’s story, the Beast transforms back into a prince. In most movies, that's where the credits roll. In the original Beauty and the Beast Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve tale, that's where the real drama starts.
We get pages and pages of backstory that explain why any of this happened. It turns out the Prince wasn't cursed because he was mean to an old lady. He was cursed because an Evil Fairy tried to seduce him.
- The Seduction: This fairy was basically his nanny. When he grew up, she wanted to marry him.
- The Rejection: He said no (because she was old and, well, his nanny).
- The Curse: She turned him into a monster and took away his wits so no one would ever love him.
And Beauty? She isn't even a merchant's daughter.
In a twist that feels like a soap opera, we find out Beauty is actually the daughter of a King and a Good Fairy. The Evil Fairy tried to kill her as a baby so she could marry the King herself. To save her, the Good Fairy swapped her with a merchant's dead baby.
So, Beauty and the Prince are actually cousins. Yeah. 18th-century French literature, everyone.
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Why the Original Still Matters
Why does any of this matter? Because the original story is about consent and legal rights. In 1740, women in France had almost no control over who they married. Arranged marriages were the norm, often to men who were older, "beastly," or complete strangers.
Villeneuve’s story was a way for women to process that fear. By making the Beast gentle—if a bit slow—and giving Beauty the power to choose him (after 100 pages of thinking about it), Villeneuve was imagining a world where a woman’s choice actually meant something.
Key Differences at a Glance
- Family: 12 siblings vs. only child.
- The Curse: Spurned fairy lover vs. mean to a beggar.
- The "TV" Mirror: In the book, the mirror shows Beauty actual theater performances and operas from around the world. It’s basically a magical Netflix.
- The Servants: They aren't talking clocks. They are monkeys and birds that wait on her.
How to Explore the Original Tale
If you want to experience the "real" story, don't just watch the movies. Most adaptations are based on Beaumont’s 1756 version, which cut out all the fairy politics and the "dumb" Beast aspect to make it a moral lesson for kids.
To get the full, unadulterated experience, you need to find a translation of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve's 1740 text. It’s long, it’s rambling, and it’s weirdly beautiful.
Next Steps for the Curious:
Look for the MinaLima edition of Beauty and the Beast. It uses the original Villeneuve text but includes interactive illustrations that make the 18th-century prose a lot easier to digest. Also, check out Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film; while it’s not a 1:1 of Villeneuve, it captures the surreal, dream-like quality of the original better than any CGI-filled blockbuster ever could.
Compare the two. You’ll see that the original wasn't just a romance—it was a survival guide for women in a world of beasts.