Poor Are Better Than Rich in The Beauty and The Beast Essay Example

The Marxist theory is defined as being the struggle between the social classes: Specifically between the 3 main classes which are the lower class, middle class, and then the Upper class. This theory is mainly about the class differences through economic and otherwise, in order to expose the oppression and rise to power that can and will occur; turning all of the societies will try. Making a classless society with a socialist government after the working class rises up against the dominant class.

Through the theoretical approach of the Marxism theory, The Beauty and The Beast (1756) is a short story by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont that represented the divide between class structures in a traditionally positioned society. The Marxist theory is used as a tool that can analyze the story in order to have the ability to examine the core concepts of the theory and investigate the theme of the tale in its entirety. The story shows the two-class structures that consist of lower, peasant-like villagers, middle-class, and Upper-class structures in the story. The short story represented multiple social hierarchies that attempt to challenge humanity's perception of power through the theory of Marxism. With the use of the characters, this paper will examine the moments where the author shows the positive attributes of the rich, the majority of the text is focused on showing that the best thing to be is poor.

The main character beauty, gives us a big positive attribute about being poor is better than being rich. The poor are stronger than the rich because of their loss of fortune,  beauty has gotten stronger than what she was before by doing a lot of chores every day. For instance, in the text, it states, “In the beginning, she found it very difficult, for she had not been used to work as a servant, but in less than two months she grew stronger and healthier than ever.”(2, LePrince de Beaumont) In other words, this passage is saying, that beauty since her family had gotten poor she had to start and work as a servant but she did it and got stronger and healthier. From this, we can infer that the character's beauty has gotten stronger since her family has gone from middle class to peasant-like people. As you can see, the poor are stronger than the rich. 

At the beginning of the story, the sister's lovers gave us a reason as to why it is the best thing to be is rich because if you are rich people would want you when if you are poor they do not. The sisters want to stay in the city instead of moving to the countryside so they went to convince their lovers for them to stay there but they wanted nothing to do with them since they are in poverty and no longer rich. For example, on page one, it says “for the lovers slighted and forsook them in their poverty” (1, LePrince de Beaumont) In summary, their lovers left them because they were in poverty now. I interpret this to mean that the lovers left them because they were poor and did not want to be associated with them anymore. This quote clearly suggests that the poor are unwanted while the rich is wanted. 

The dictionary states that having virtue is shown as being able to possess “Behavior that shows high moral standards” In the short story the author shows us that the poor people like beauty have more virtue than the rich who are only entitled. To illustrate this idea the lady in the short story said “you have preferred virtue before either wit or beauty… As for you ladies … I know your hearts, and all the malice they contain.” (9, LePrince de Beaumont) Literally speaking, the lady said that beauty cares more about virtue than the normal wit and beauty. While with the ladies they have an ill heart that can not be fixed. This clearly suggests that the poor have more virtue than the rich who have an ill heart. 

In conclusion, this short story in the eyes of Marxism shows that the poor are better than the rich but also states something good about being rich because if you are poor you are stronger and have more virtue than the poor while the rich are actually wanted instead of the poor who are unwanted.