Fairy Tale Not-Fic
Sep. 3rd, 2016 02:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soc_puppetSo I was trying to write a post to share on Tumblr about how (extra) fucked up Beauty and the Beast would be if you flipped some particular gender roles, and ended up writing the story to the end? So I guess I'm posting it here as well, to keep from losing it.
Warning for dudely entitlement and related nastiness.
Okay, but think for a few minutes about genderflipping Beauty and the Beast.
I don’t necessarily mean genderflipping Beauty; their gender could go any which way, for all I care. I’m mostly talking about the Princess and the one who cursed her, because the dynamic completely changes.
Just how sure are we, exactly, that the Fairy Lord’s version of the tale is true? Did the young princess really refuse him at the gate because of his hideous appearance? Or was it something else? Did she invite him in, and then refuse him or turn him out later? Why would she have done that? What reason would she have?
And consider his punishment for her: To rob her of her beauty, give her a beastly and grotesque appearance, certain that it was only her vanity that made her turn him away; that her greatest or only value was in her looks. Consider the Fairy Lord leaving her entire household cursed because she wouldn’t bow to his whim, comfortable in his certainty that the curse could never be broken, because no one could love a woman so ugly.
Think of the cursed Princess continuing to run the affairs of her kingdom and castle, because having her good looks taken away didn’t mean she couldn’t function as a ruler. Think of her hiding her appearance and the nature of the curse so no one could take advantage of her household.
(Think only very quietly of her blaming herself for the curse, of the guilt she feels for something that was done to her and to the people in her service. Hardly think at all of her conflicting feelings about her appearance: How she wishes sometimes that she had been born ugly so that this might not have ever happened (not knowing that ugliness is no guarantee of protection), how she sometimes also wishes to be beautiful again, or wonders if it would have been so bad to give in to the Fairy Lord if she could have remained uncursed.)
Imagine Beauty finding the cursed Princess, staying first out of curiosity and then out of genuine affection. Imagine the Beauty slowly forging a connection with the young woman, and the cursed Princess slowly coming to trust and love the Beauty. Imagine the Princess’ inner turmoil as she fights against the thoughts that tell her the Fairy Lord is right, she really is unlovable this way, but yearning still. Imagine her heart soaring when the Beauty confesses their love and leaves to make arrangements, only to shatter when the Beauty is delayed on their return and unable to send word.
Imagine the cursed Princess coming to terms with her hurt, comparing her feelings to when the Fairy Lord cursed her. Think of her realizing that the circumstances are nothing alike, acknowledging fully that she had never been to blame for what the Fairy Lord did to her and her people, and that she still loves her beautiful once-visitor. Imagine her jubilation when the Beauty finally makes their way back to her side and explains their delay.
Think of the curse not only breaking but rebounding when the cursed Princess is finally able to love another and accept their love unencumbered. Find out that the Princess was actually rather plain, never what you’d call a real beauty, but is more than beautiful enough for her sweetheart. Revel in the knowledge that the Fairy Lord is getting his just desserts, and that the Beauty and the uncursed Princess will live happily ever after together.
Know with certainty that the Princess was never the Beast; that the Beast was always the Fairy Lord.
-fin-
Warning for dudely entitlement and related nastiness.
Okay, but think for a few minutes about genderflipping Beauty and the Beast.
I don’t necessarily mean genderflipping Beauty; their gender could go any which way, for all I care. I’m mostly talking about the Princess and the one who cursed her, because the dynamic completely changes.
Just how sure are we, exactly, that the Fairy Lord’s version of the tale is true? Did the young princess really refuse him at the gate because of his hideous appearance? Or was it something else? Did she invite him in, and then refuse him or turn him out later? Why would she have done that? What reason would she have?
And consider his punishment for her: To rob her of her beauty, give her a beastly and grotesque appearance, certain that it was only her vanity that made her turn him away; that her greatest or only value was in her looks. Consider the Fairy Lord leaving her entire household cursed because she wouldn’t bow to his whim, comfortable in his certainty that the curse could never be broken, because no one could love a woman so ugly.
Think of the cursed Princess continuing to run the affairs of her kingdom and castle, because having her good looks taken away didn’t mean she couldn’t function as a ruler. Think of her hiding her appearance and the nature of the curse so no one could take advantage of her household.
(Think only very quietly of her blaming herself for the curse, of the guilt she feels for something that was done to her and to the people in her service. Hardly think at all of her conflicting feelings about her appearance: How she wishes sometimes that she had been born ugly so that this might not have ever happened (not knowing that ugliness is no guarantee of protection), how she sometimes also wishes to be beautiful again, or wonders if it would have been so bad to give in to the Fairy Lord if she could have remained uncursed.)
Imagine Beauty finding the cursed Princess, staying first out of curiosity and then out of genuine affection. Imagine the Beauty slowly forging a connection with the young woman, and the cursed Princess slowly coming to trust and love the Beauty. Imagine the Princess’ inner turmoil as she fights against the thoughts that tell her the Fairy Lord is right, she really is unlovable this way, but yearning still. Imagine her heart soaring when the Beauty confesses their love and leaves to make arrangements, only to shatter when the Beauty is delayed on their return and unable to send word.
Imagine the cursed Princess coming to terms with her hurt, comparing her feelings to when the Fairy Lord cursed her. Think of her realizing that the circumstances are nothing alike, acknowledging fully that she had never been to blame for what the Fairy Lord did to her and her people, and that she still loves her beautiful once-visitor. Imagine her jubilation when the Beauty finally makes their way back to her side and explains their delay.
Think of the curse not only breaking but rebounding when the cursed Princess is finally able to love another and accept their love unencumbered. Find out that the Princess was actually rather plain, never what you’d call a real beauty, but is more than beautiful enough for her sweetheart. Revel in the knowledge that the Fairy Lord is getting his just desserts, and that the Beauty and the uncursed Princess will live happily ever after together.
Know with certainty that the Princess was never the Beast; that the Beast was always the Fairy Lord.
-fin-
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Date: 2016-09-03 11:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-04 12:19 am (UTC)Anyway! :) <3 <3 <3
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Date: 2019-07-03 09:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-07-03 09:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-09-06 02:33 pm (UTC)Which reminds me: I have been rewriting a Beauty and Beast story for a friend, and I should finish it.
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Date: 2016-09-06 11:49 pm (UTC)I approve of this plan and officially endorse it.
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Date: 2025-01-12 07:22 am (UTC)