Who Beauty is
Beauty gets her name as a child because everyone finds her so lovely. Her two elder sisters resent that name, and their jealousy continues as she grows up.
When the merchant loses his fortune, Beauty helps make their new country home livable. She cleans and cooks, then spends her spare time reading, playing the harpsichord and singing.
What Beauty wants
Beauty asks her father for only a rose when he travels to the city. When picking that rose puts his life in danger, she insists on taking his place. Her father and brothers cannot persuade her to abandon this choice.
How Beauty changes
Beauty arrives at the palace expecting the Beast to eat her, but he treats her gently. She finds books and music in her room, and he joins her for dinner each evening. She begins to look forward to his company, although his appearance still troubles her. He asks her to marry him every night, and she continues to say no.
Questions
Who is Beauty?
Beauty is a merchant's youngest daughter, known for her kindness, diligence and love of reading.
Why does Beauty go to the Beast's palace?
She goes willingly to save her father after the Beast threatens his life for picking a rose.
How does Beauty feel about the Beast?
She fears him at first, then grows comfortable with his honest and gentle company. His looks still trouble her, and she refuses his repeated proposals.