Belle is a fictional character inDisney'sBeauty and the Beast franchise. First appearing in the1991 animated film, Belle is thebook-loving daughter of an eccentric inventor who yearns for adventure and reprieve from her mundane village existence. When her father is imprisoned by a cold-hearted beast, Belle offers her own freedom in exchange for his. Despite his outward appearance, she gradually befriends theBeast, who learns kindness and compassion in return.
The character was created by screenwriterLinda Woolverton, who Disney had hired to adapt the "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tale into an animated musical about astrong heroine. Determined to create a proactive, intelligent female character, Woolverton drew inspiration from thewomen's movement and actressKatharine Hepburn's portrayal ofJo March in the filmLittle Women (1933). Some story artists challenged Woolverton's vision for a more empowered character, despite the filmmakers' overall commitment to modernizing Belle and distinguishing her from previous Disney heroines, particularlyAriel fromThe Little Mermaid (1989). Belle's supervising animators,James Baxter andMark Henn, drew inspiration from various sources to design a beautiful yet believable heroine, specifically referencing European facial features,Impressionist paintings and performances of ballerinas, and severalClassical Hollywood actresses. 500 actresses auditioned for the role beforePaige O'Hara was cast due to her mature-sounding voice andBroadway experience.
Belle has received mostly positive reviews fromfilm critics, who praised her bravery, intelligence, and independence. Although she was initially celebrated as afeminist character, reassessments have been more divided, with some critics arguing that her story romanticizes captivity and traditional romantic ideals. The fifthDisney Princess, Belle is often ranked among the franchise's best characters and is credited with influencing a generation of smart, empowered animated heroines. One of Disney's most recognizable characters, she was also the only animated heroine nominated for theAmerican Film Institute's list ofgreatest film heroes.
Belle debuts inBeauty and the Beast (1991) as a bright, independent young woman, who longs for adventure beyond her "provincial" town. Although admired for her beauty, she is considered odd by the villagers due to her love of books.[1][2] She is relentlessly pursued by the arrogant hunter Gaston, whose advances she rejects. When her father goes missing, Belle finds him imprisoned by a beast in a mysterious castle inhabited by enchanted objects and offers herself in exchange for his freedom. Belle gradually forms a bond with her host after he rescues her from a wolf attack and she tends to his injuries. As their relationship deepens, the Beast allows Belle to return home after she discovers her father has fallen ill. When Gaston leads an attack on the castle, Belle returns in time to confess her love to the mortally wounded Beast before he dies, breaking the spell and restoring his human form.
InBeauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997), Belle attempts to reignite the castle's waning spirit by reintroducing and celebratingChristmas, in spite of the Beast's strong resentment towards the holiday. Meanwhile, a solemnpipe organ named Forte grows determined to sabotage Belle and the Beast's burgeoning friendship because he longs to maintain hisco-dependent relationship with his master. Tricked by Forte into retrieving a largeChristmas tree from a frozen pond, Belle nearly drowns, only to be rescued by the Beast. The Beast, however, having been misinformed by Forte, wrongly accuses Belle of trying to escape again, and locks her in the dungeon as punishment. When the Beast finally discovers the truth, they forgive each other, and Belle helps him thwart Forte's plan to destroy the castle.[3]Belle's Magical World (1998), depicts Belle as she interacts with both the Beast and his enchanted servants in various segments, exploring themes such as forgiveness, friendship, cooperation and respect.[4]
InBelle's Tales of Friendship (1999), a spin-off of the film series, Belle owns abookshop in which she teaches valuable lessons to children by reading and retelling well-known stories and fairy tales, narrating four Disney animated shorts:The Three Little Pigs (1933),Peter and the Wolf (1946),The Wise Little Hen (1934), andMorris the Midget Moose (1950). For the first time, Belle appears as both animated and live-action versions of herself, voiced and portrayed by actresses Paige O'Hara and Lynsey McLeod, respectively.[5]
After the success ofDisney's first feature-length animated film,Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937),Walt Disney himself had attempted to adapt the "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tale several times, notably during the 1930s and 1950s.[6] The project was shelved due to challenges encountered adapting the fairy tale'sstatic main characters and plot,[7] and Walt Disney was particularly wary about animating Belle's imprisonment.[8] Inspired by the success of 1989'sThe Little Mermaid, Disney chairmanJeffrey Katzenberggreenlit another attempt at adapting the story under director Richard Purdum.[8] However, Katzenberg was dissatisfied with Purdum's dark, somber interpretation,[9] and ordered that the film be completely reworked into amusical starring astrong heroine, similar toThe Little Mermaid.[10] Largely fueled by some critics' condemnation ofAriel's characterization inThe Little Mermaid,[11][12][13] Disney encouraged a "feminist twist" on the "Beauty and the Beast" story.[14] After hearing some of her ideas about Belle during a story meeting,[15] Katzenberg hired screenwriterLinda Woolverton to write the film's screenplay.[16][17]
Woolverton is credited with creating the character.[18][19] She felt Disney had typically portrayed their female leads as victims,[20] with Belle's lack of agency in early drafts of the script proving contentious among the film's writers.[21] While the studio still wantedBeauty and the Beast to evoke their classic films, the writers by contrast envisioned Belle as "a woman that was ahead of her time".[22] As the first woman to write a feature-length animated film for Disney,[23][24] Woolverton decided to use Belle as an opportunity to create a female character who would ultimately be better received than Disney's previous princesses, specifically Ariel.[14][12][25] Aware of the daunting responsibility due to the mermaid's popularity,[25] Woolverton fought relentlessly to create "a new kind of Disney heroine".[26] Inspired by thewomen's rights movement,[20] the screenwriter conceived Belle as a brave yetbook smart feminist to avoid creating an "insipid" princess.[23][25] She believed contemporary audiences would not relate to Belle unless she was updated to reflect modern times,[20][27] but incorporated fairy tale elements so she would still seem plausible in her environment.[28] Refusing to watchJean Cocteau's1946 film adaptation of the fairy tale, Woolverton instead based Belle on actressKatharine Hepburn's portrayal ofJo March in the1933 film adaptation ofLouisa May Alcott's novelLittle Women.[23][29]
The story team forBeauty and the Beast was predominantly male.[30] Woolverton frequently debated Belle's characterization with some of the more traditional-minded story artists,[31][32] although she was supported by Katzenberg and lyricistHoward Ashman, who advocated for Belle to be "a thinker and a reader" rather than a passive character.[32][33] She recalled that much of her work on Belle was met with pushback,[34] including an instance where a scene depicting Belle choosing travel destinations on a map was replaced with her baking a cake.[23][35] Arguing that baking did not align with Belle's independent nature,[31] Woolverton proposed having her read a book instead,[26] although some felt this was too passive an activity.[23] As a compromise, Belle was ultimately depicted walking while reading, a behavior inspired by Woolverton's own childhood habit.[23] Despite numerous revisions that she found at odds with her original vision, her overall concept for Belle remained largely intact.[20] Woolverton acknowledged that her firm stance on Belle's characterization was not always well received by the writing staff, but she remained committed to shaping the character as she had envisioned.[33][32]
In adapting the fairy tale, Woolverton omitted Belle's two selfish sisters and their love interests to focus on her dynamic with Gaston.[36] She also removed the subplot in which Belle asks her father for a rose.[20] Characters from Purdum's treatment, including Belle's younger sister Clarice and her strict Aunt Marguerite, were discarded;[37][38][33] Clarice's removal emphasized Belle's loneliness, while Marguerite was replaced by Gaston as the film's primary antagonist.[37] Visual development artistSue Nichols suggested that Belle needed a female confidante in the castle to help her feel safe and develop a bond with the Beast, leading to the creation of Mrs. Potts.[39] InJeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's version of the fairy tale, Belle is forced to take her father's place as the Beast's prisoner.[40] To emphasize Belle's independence, Woolverton rewrote the character to willingly search for her father at the castle, where she confronts the Beast and offers to take Maurice's place.[12] Woolverton explained that she wanted to establish Belle's willingness to make sacrifices early in the film so the audience would find her decision believable.[28] To add realism, Woolverton included small imperfections in Belle's design, such as a stray lock of hair that frequently falls into her face, which was one of the few details she specified about the character's appearance.[31] During Gaston's climactic fight with the Beast, his original line, "Time to die!", was changed to "Belle is mine!" to keep the story's focus on Belle.[41]
Disney auditioned approximately 500 actresses for the role of Belle.[42][43] They originally considered re-hiring Ariel's voice actress,Jodi Benson,[44] but decided she sounded too young andAmerican for the character they created,[45][46] who they wanted to sound more like an adult woman than a girl.[22] Actress and singerPaige O'Hara was performing onBroadway when she first read about Disney's then-upcoming animated filmBeauty and the Beast inThe New York Times.[47] O'Hara immediately booked an audition once she learned the studio was specifically recruiting Broadway talent for itsfemale lead.[47][48] Familiar with O'Hara's work in the Broadway musicalShow Boat,[49] Ashman had already been considering her for the part.[50] O'Hara auditioned five times over the span of two weeks,[48][51] first solely for casting director Albert Taveres.[52] She also mailed recordings of herself singing "Heaven Help My Heart" from the musicalChess to Disney.[48][53] At her first in-person audition, O'Hara originally spoke and sang in a higherregister but the filmmaker's preferred her natural voice.[22] In addition to Katzenberg and Ashman, O'Hara's last few auditions were attended by directorsKirk Wise andGary Trousdale, producerDon Hahn, and composerAlan Menken.[48][53] They initially listened with their eyes closed to avoid being influenced by her physical appearance.[52][44] Wise said they were drawn to a unique hitch in O'Hara's voice that helped convince them she was equally capable delivering comedy and drama, with certain qualities that reminded them of actressJudy Garland.[44] An hour after her final audition,[53] Disney telephoned O'Hara on her birthday to inform her she had been cast.[16] The actress was fairly confident she had been cast before it was official,[22][49] for which she credits Ashman.[54][55] The lyricist would later reveal to Benson that the final choice was between her and O'Hara, and explained that they ultimately chose the latter because they felt the princesses should be represented by different actors.[56]
Already 30 years-old by the time of her audition, O'Hara naturally imbued Belle's voice with maturity despite her character's young age,[22][46] reflecting Woolverton's vision.[49][57] In addition to sharing Belle's love of reading,[58] O'Hara empathized with her character being ostracized by her peers due to unconventional interests,[49] explaining, "I was into musical theater ... while people were going toLed Zeppelin concerts ... I had a one-track mind, and I think that Belle was like that a lot".[22] The actress worked on the film on-and-off for over two years,[49] and completed the entire script during her first day of recording.[59] She identified the scene where Belle is gifted the Beast's library among the fastest she recorded due to her own love of books, "so all I had to imagine was that my husband gave me that library".[60]
She initially found it challenging to soften her voice during recording sessions due to having been trained to project as a stage performer.[16] Despite its costliness and technical complexity,[61] O'Hara and actorRobby Benson, voice of the Beast, were granted permission from Disney to record in the same booth as opposed to separately,[22][62] becoming some of the few voice actors to do so for a Disney project.[54] O'Hara credited these intimate recording sessions with helping Belle and the Beast's relationship sound more convincing.[22][54] One example is the scene in which the Beast discovers that Belle has disobeyed him by entering the forbidden West Wing, resulting in a heated confrontation.[44][63] She also recorded some material withRichard White, Gaston's voice actor.[64] Although O'Hara would occasionallyad-lib per her directors' encouragement,[50][65] none of her improvisation was included in the final film.[66] Despite her successful stage career, O'Hara was virtually unknown toHollywood when she was cast inBeauty and the Beast; she was one of the last obscure actors cast in a feature-length Disney animated film before the studio shifted towards casting celebrity talent in subsequent animated projects.[48]
Since the film's release, O'Hara has reprised her role in a variety of follow-up films, tie-in media, and merchandise, including itsdirect-to-video sequelsBeauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997),Belle's Magical World (1998), andBelle's Tales of Friendship (1999).[45] In 2010, O'Hara said she was recording new material for Belle's merchandise as often as eight times per year.[67] In 2012, O'Hara described Disney as her "main employer for 20 years".[68] In 2011, actressJulie Nathanson began voicing Belle in certain media appearances,[69][70] a time during which O'Hara admitted that she found maintaining her character's high pitch more strenuous compared to 20 years prior.[68] By 2016, she had begun voicing Belle in fewer projects.[71] She did, however, voice Belle in high-profile projects such as the animated filmRalph Breaks the Internet (2018) and the animated/live-action shortOnce Upon a Studio (2023).[72] O'Hara partnered with Disney Fine Art – Collector's Editions to create a collection of original artwork inspired by the film, entitled "Belles by Belle".[73][74]
According to producerDon Hahn, the original fairy tale's Belle is an "incredibly passive" character, the personality of whom he likened toAurora fromSleeping Beauty (1959) andCinderella, as well as actressDoris Day, describing them as women who are "capable, but filling a role that women might fill in the 1950s and 1960s".[75] In a concerted effort to update the "Beauty and the Beast" story and characters for the 1990s,[76] Woolverton and the filmmakers reworked Belle into a morethree-dimensional character by imbuing her with goals and aspirations beyond romance and marriage,[75] resulting in an unusual, inquisitive heroine.[10][77] Woolverton worked particularly closely with Ashman to create a proactive, thinking, and literate character who is not a victim and cares little about how she looks,[32][78] wanting her to defy the template of Disney heroines "taking all of this abuse, smiling and talking to little animals through it all".[33] Although Belle being well-read is mentioned in the source material, this trait is hardly integral to the plot.[79] Therefore, Belle's passion for reading was greatly expanded upon for the film, borrowing elements from bothLittle Women's Jo March and Woolverton's own love of books to emphasize the character's intelligence and open-mindedness.[12] Woolverton confirmed that much of Belle's personality was inspired by her own.[80]
Both Woolverton and O'Hara encouraged the filmmakers to highlight Belle's intelligence and love for books,[52] but the animators occasionally faced challenges realizing Woolverton's vision.[81] Initially, Belle was storyboarded constantly crying during her imprisonment, but Woolverton argued that Belle would more likely be occupied with planning an escape or being intrigued by her new life in an enchanted castle.[31] Contrarily, character animatorKathy Zielinski, despite not working onBeauty and the Beast herself, recalled a male story artist consulting her about whether she would cry in Belle's situation, to which she responded "Yes ... But no blubbering".[39] However, Woolverton also noted that once the team realized Belle would not conform to typical Disney female tropes, they tended to push her characterization to the opposite extreme, making her "bitchy", a portrayal Woolverton felt was inconsistent with Belle's intelligence.[81]
Due to her personality and aspirations, the film's cast and crew considers Belle to be a revolutionary Disney heroine and the first of her kind in many ways.[44][59][82][83] Among other notable attributes, she was not born a princess.[65] Robby Benson considers her the film's true hero.[84] Story artistBrenda Chapman, who also tried "to portray a different kind of female heroine from other Disney movies", echoed these sentiments, describing Belle as a strong, proactive female character and one of her favorite projects.[85][86] Similarly to Woolverton, Chapman drew inspiration from Hepburn's on-screen bickering with actorSpencer Tracy for some of Belle's arguments with theBeast.[87][88] Wise was aware that comparisons to Ariel would be inevitable due to similarities between the two films, and sought to make her personality distinct from the mermaid by writing her as older, wiser, more sophisticated, and extremely protective of her father, in contrast to Ariel's "All-American teen-ager" naivety and impulsiveness.[89] A few years older than Ariel, Belle's love of reading establishes the character as worldlier, more mature,[90] and more cautious about falling in love than her predecessor.[91] Henn believes Belle is "probably" the oldest of Disney's princesses.[92] Both he and O'Hara estimated her to be in her early 20s,[93][94] while animation historian Jim Korkis estimates her to be 18 or 19 years-old.[80]
Earlyconcept art of Belle was revised to help her appear less glamorous and more relatable.[95] Some of concept artist Alyson Hamilton's drawings depicted her wearing a pink dress, curlier hair, and softer, more feminine makeup.[28][96] Before being assigned toGaston,Andreas Deja had wanted to animate Belle.[89][97] Belle's supervising animators wereJames Baxter andMark Henn.[98][99] Baxter was selected because "his work has this graceful effortlessness to it", according to Wise, and he oversaw a team of eight animators who worked on Belle.[89] The animator said drawing a beautiful character like Belle can pose unique challenges because "she can become very ugly very quickly--all it takes is a few misplaced lines".[89] Baxter based Belle's appearance on preliminary sketches Chapman and story supervisorRoger Allers had already created for the character, retaining elements such as her round face and European features,[100] while exaggerating her eyes, lips, and eyebrows to appear more "exotic" at the directors' behest.[44] They agreed the character should bebrunette, a hair color Disney had never used for their princesses prior.[94][100] Baxter studied the work of FrenchimpressionistEdgar Degas, whose ballerina portraits inspired the animator to incorporate "graceful, swan-like movements" into Belle'sgait,[101][102] as well as footage of ballerinas.[80] Despite these inspirations, Baxter avoided relying too heavily on the ballerinamotif to prevent Belle from becoming too prissy at the cost of her believability because they wanted her movements to reflect self-reliance, capability, and practicality, despite her beauty and gracefulness.[89] Trousdale explained that, compared to a fantasy character like Ariel, animating Belle granted the artists less room for imagination because "Everybody knows how a pretty [human] girl looks and walks".[89] Baxter described maintaining her locomotion as "very tricky" due to the subtlety and realism required to animate it, unlike a more cartoonish character.[80] For complicated scenes requiring a lot of movement, Baxter drew either every frame or every other frame, but limited himself to four-six frames for relaxed scenes, often completing as many as 25 drawings per day.[44] Additionally, she is on screen for a combined total of half an hour, nearly twice as long as any of the film's other characters.[44]
Wanting Belle to look more European than Ariel, the animators drew her with fuller lips, narrower eyes, and darker eyebrows inspired by British actressVivien Leigh,[90][102] while her statuesque frame was inspired byteen idolsJennie Garth andAlyssa Milano.[93] Additional inspiration was drawn from Judy Garland inThe Wizard of Oz (1939) andJulie Andrews inThe Sound of Music (1965).[103][104] Belle was Henn's second Disney heroine, after Ariel.[105] He animated select scenes from out of the studio'sFlorida division,[106] which included Belle sneaking into the West Wing, bandaging the Beast's arm, and the "Something There" musical sequence.[106] For visual inspiration and reference, Henn decorated his workstation with photographs of severalclassic Hollywood actresses, includingNatalie Wood,Elizabeth Taylor,Grace Kelly, andAudrey Hepburn.[49][107][108][109] Lorna Cook, Belle's only female animator, filmed herself to create reference footage for some of the character's reaction shots,[39] while calling upon her own memories to avoid stereotypes and visually convey Belle's inner beauty.[44] Henn said Belle's final appearance began to materialize once he heard O'Hara's voice for the first time, from which point on the animators merged their drawings with her performance.[107] O'Hara found the photographs of "all these beautiful women" intimidating, but Cook reassured her that they would reference her own photographs as well.[107] While working onBeauty and the Beast, Henn rarely met O'Hara in person aside from select occasions when he would travel to California for production meetings.[107] Meanwhile, the animators dissuaded O'Hara from seeing unfinished drawings of her character.[107]
Animators videotaped O'Hara's recording sessions to incorporate some of her mannerisms, expressions, and gestures into her character.[52] Actress and writerSherri Stoner also served as the character'slive-action reference model.[110] Because she had performed the same service for Ariel, Stoner made a concerted effort to not recycle some of Ariel's habits such aslip biting, which was deemed "not in Belle's character".[111] Although Baxter reviewed Stoner's footage thoroughly, he avoided replicating many of her extraneous movements so his drawings would not look unnatural.[44] Belle's tendency to brush strands of hair out of her face was inspired by both Stoner and O'Hara,[16][52][112] which Henn had noticed the latter doing constantly "no matter how much hairspray she uses".[99] The animators also borrowed elements of O'Hara's eyes, cheekbones, and eyebrows.[108] The actress said that while some fans agree that there is a resemblance, others argue that her character does not look like her whatsoever.[113] O'Hara felt early renditions of Belle looked flawless and expressed concerns that children would find her difficult to relate to until the animators redesigned her.[49][107][109] She described the final design of Belle as much easier to identify with, despite remaining beautiful.[114] Animation historianCharles Solomon observed some quality inconsistencies in Belle's appearance throughout the film, writing, "The prettiest and liveliest Belle waltzes with Beast in his marble ballroom and weeps over his body before he's transformed into the Prince", while "The Belle who receives the library from Beast has wider-set eyes and a more prominent mouth than the noticeably slimmer Belle who sings 'Something There'."[115] CriticMari Ness attributed the variances to different animators working on the same character from different locations, explaining, "all of the overnight delivery systems in the world couldn't compensate for those factors".[63]
Belle undergoes four distinct costume changes in the film.[116] The colours she wears throughout the film mirror her emotions, with blue indicating sadness, loneliness,[102] and goodness in direct contrast to Gaston's red,[117] and yellow showing her warming up towards the Beast.[118][28] McEntee suggested that Belle be the only character wearing blue in her village to emphasize her ostracization.[41] The Beast also wears blue, signaling their emotional connection to audiences.[80] Coincidentally, O'Hara wore blue on several occasions while involved with the film, including her audition and premieres.[119]Her ball gown was inspired by a costume Audrey Hepburn's character wears in theromantic comedyRoman Holiday (1953).[102] Hahn designed it with a small team of male filmmakers.[92] The film's marketing department had originally wanted the dress to be pink to appeal tofemale audiences, but art director Brian McEntee preferred gold to distinguish Belle from other Disney princesses.[120][121] McEntee confirmed that, despite the film being set in the 18th century, much of Belle's aesthetic is lifted directly from 1990s trends, drawing inspiration fromcover girlsIsabella Rossellini andCindy Crawford.[116]
Woolverton created Belle as part of "her self-directed mandate to move women and girls forward."[26]The Express-Times described the character as an intelligent young woman who "sings songs about reading and wanting to gain knowledge, rather than falling in love."[122] Woolverton credits Belle's knowledge and love of books with providing the character with a "point of view of her life and that doesn't necessarily involve a man getting her there."[90] One of the film's main themes, Belle is considered an outsider because her love of reading provides her with knowledge of the outside world as opposed to her "narrow-minded" village peers.[8] Writing forWired.com, Matt Blum dubbed Belle "thegeekiest heroine of any Disney animated film", exemplified by an opening number that demonstrates just how much she does not fit in with her peers due to her intelligence and active imagination.[123] Similarly,Boxoffice's Amy Nicholson coined the character "Disney's Smartest Heroine",[40] while Rob Burch ofThe Hollywood News observed that the character "comes across as arrogant at times" because she "spends much of thefirst act complaining."[46] In her bookSex, Love and Abuse: Discourses on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, author Sharon Hayes described Belle as "the quintessential beautiful youngingénue."[124] Comparing Belle's personality to that of the princess in theBrothers Grimm's fairy tale "The Frog Prince",The Meanings of "Beauty and the Beast": A Handbook author Jerry Griswold described the character as a similarly "feisty and outspoken" heroine.[125] Writing forSt. Francis Xavier University, Dawn Elizabeth England observed that Belle possesses equally as many traditionally feminine as she doesmasculine traits, citing her bravery, independence and assertiveness as masculine, and her sensitivity and fearfulness asfeminine.[126] According toHard Bodies: Hollywood Masculinity in the Reagan Eraauthor Susan Jeffords, "Belle's credentials as heroine are established ... when she is the only one of the town's single women not to swoon over Gaston," while the character's love of reading is essentially manipulated "to mark her as better than the rest of the townspeople."[127] Writing forThe Statesman, David O'Connor cited Belle's intelligence andbibliophilia as "in stark opposition to the insensitive and significantlydim-witted Gaston."[128] Critics continue to debate over whether Belle or the Beast is the film's protagonist. Susan Jeffords, author ofHard Bodies: Hollywood Masculinity in the Reagan Era, felt that although Belle appears to be the protagonist in Beaumont's original fairy tale, the character becomes "less the focus of the narrative" in Disney's adaptation and more of a "mechanism for solving the Beast's 'dilemma.'"[127] In her article "The Tangled Evolution of the Disney Princess," Noelle Buffam felt that Belle arrived just in time when Disney's heroines were "in a dire need for some change," awarding her "the red stamp of approval" for her intelligence and spirit.[129]
Analyzing ways in which Disney's heroines have evolved over time due to "the approach to the characterization of the princesses chang[ing]" as the characters gradually transformed from passive young women into heroines who "had ambitions and desires aside from finding true love,"[130] critics often divide the Disney Princesses into three separate categories and rank Belle among the middle of thetimeline,[131] with Kit Steinkellner ofHelloGiggles.com observing that the character improved upon "the Disney princessarchetype" by simultaneously serving as both a "dreamer" and a "doer" in her film, as opposed to exclusively the former.[132] Film historian Paula Sigman Lowery explained to theDaily Express that Belle's personality is a combination of Ariel's spirit and burgeoning independence, andPocahontas' maturity, while Belle is "a little older [than Ariel] and a little further along in their journey towards independence."[133]About.com's David Nusair believes that Belle belongs to a category of Disney Princesses known as "The Lady Vanishes", in which the heroines, in spite of being brave, outspoken and independent, nonetheless "are forced to behave passively as others help them achieve their respective goals."[134] Michelle Munro, writing forDurham College, felt that even though Belle shares several traits with her more passive predecessors, the character introduced "new possibilities for princesses."[135] Girls in Capes wrote that Belle pioneered a generation of princesses who taught "about ambition, self-discovery and the pursuit of what we want."[130]
Belle has received mostly positive reviews from film critics, who praised her bravery, intelligence, independence, and maturity.[136][137][138] JournalistJanet Maslin said that by deviating from the film's source material, Disney created "a conspicuously better role model than the marriage-minded Disney heroines of the past".[139] Similarly,Utah State University assistant professor Claudia Schwabe said that Disney produced a "uniquely modern heroine" who is curious, feisty, and intellectual by changing Beaumont's heroine, who by contrast struggles with an "initial inability to see beyond appearances".[140] Jennie Punter ofThe Globe and Mail described Belle as a "smart, courageous ... 'take-charge kind of gal'", and the film's "main attraction".[141] Martin F. Kohn of theDetroit Free Press called her a "wonderful lead character".[142] Both Emma Cochrane ofEmpire and Annlee Ellingson ofPaste complimented the character's feminism, with the former calling Belle "more rounded than previous Disney characters".[143][144] According to film criticStephen Hunter, Belle is "no passive fairy tale princess, but a real live girl, with a spunky personality and her own private agenda".[145] A reviewer forTV Guide thought the film's plot was improved by Belle's bravery, confidence, and independence,[146] whichAbout.com's David Nusair called "nothing short of admirable".[147] JournalistMarc Bernardin deemed Belle "the hero" ofBeauty and the Beast, which he also described as the best of Disney's princess films.[148] Bob Hoose ofPlugged In called her inspiring for being willing to set her dreams aside to protect her father,[149] and associate professor Sarah Coyne said Belle's sacrifice allows parents and children to "focus more on her bravery ... as opposed to glitter and the glam" of a warrior-type princess.[150]
Many critics praised Belle as a departure from previous Disney princess characters, noting that she avoided some of the negative tropes associated with her predecessors.[137] Aslıhan Alp ofThe Stanford Daily called her a "great example of Disney's development" by emphasizing a woman's intelligence over her beauty.[151]Entertainment Weekly's Christian Blauvelt said, "Unlike previous Disney heroines who needed to be rescued by a prince themselves, Belle not only saves the Beast's life, she saves his soul".[152]AllMovie's Don Kaye and Perry Seibert echoed each other's reviews, with the latter calling Belle a "strong female character" who "sidesteps most of the clichés surrounding Disney heroines".[153][154]Common Sense Media hailed Belle as a positive role model and "one of Disney's smartest, most independent heroines".[155] JournalistJennifer Roback Morse said Belle's appeal had never relied on her "embodiment of some new feminist protagonist", but rather her kindness, faithfulness, and selflessness, "the same reasons we have always loved our heroines".[156] InThe Washington Post, linguist Carmen Fought said that, likeThe Little Mermaid, critics deemedBeauty and the Beast superior to other princess films of the time because "They have 'active women who get things done'".[24] was In 2022, Matthew Stewart and Paul Sheehan ofGold Derby ranked Belle the second-best Disney Princess, calling her "one of the smartest, bravest, and most tender-hearted characters the Disney company has ever created" who "serves as a source of inspiration for all women".[157]
Several critics preferred Belle over Ariel, her immediate predecessor.[158] Film criticHal Hinson described Belle as a "compelling" character who he found "more mature, more womanly and less blandlyasexual" than the mermaid.[159] John Hartl ofThe Seattle Times saidBeauty and the Beast avoidsdéjà vu because Belle is a "more poignant" heroine.[160]Boxoffice wrote, "in response to criticism that the cute little 'Mermaid' Ariel was nothing more than a precocious sexpot", Belle's creators "chose to make her an icon of self-reliance and a voracious reader with a curiosity and love for everything around her".[13] Critics also praised O'Hara's performance,[161][162] whichVariety called magnificent.[163]The Star-Ledger's Stephen Whitty enjoyed O'Hara's "prettysoprano".[164] John Hartl ofThe Seattle Times wrote, "O'Hara does a spirited job of investing the character with warmth, intuition and maturity",[160] while theSun-Sentinel's Candice Russel felt she "does a good job of creating Belle as intellectual, wisely feminine and disarmed by the stirrings of her heart".[165]
One of the character's few negative reviews was written by Ethan Alter ofTelevision Without Pity, who felt what agency Belle had was compromised by her "maternalistic streak" towards both the Beast and Maurice.[166] Meanwhile, journalistTom Brook said despite her strong will, she loses some of her own identity once she "starts seeing the world from the perspective of the beast".[167]
Disney has marketed Belle as a feminist since 1991,[23][168][169] which authors Timothy B. Cargal and Claudia Mitchell believe represents the studio's initiative to update their heroines to reflect burgeoningsocial concepts, such asthird-wave feminism andgirl power.[170][171] Most critics and advocates initially applauded Disney's efforts to position Belle as more feminist than her predecessors by promoting her intelligence and courage,[172] qualities that resonated with girls during the 1990s.[173][174] Hayden Manders ofNylon dubbed her "the internet's favorite feminist princess".[175] According to Constance Grady ofVox, Belle's agency, which dates back to the original fairy tale, is a key reason critics argue that she is an empowered feminist.[168] Although some journalists consider her a feminist icon,[176][177][178][179]feminist scholars have long debated the character's feminist qualifications,[180][181][168][182] offering reevaluations discussing whether she is "feminist enough".[104][183] According to Kathi Maio ofNew Internationalist, the character's love of reading remains her only genuinely feminist strength, despite Disney's marketing strategy.[172] Daniel Wayland ofThe Brown Daily Herald reported that Belle has been a contentious subject among feminist scholars since 1991, some of whom argue that her personality is not a true sign of empowerment, but rather a superficial marker that merely implies agency.[184] Some critics have contested that Belle is hardly shown reading during the film and found her literary interests limited to fiction, fairy tales, and fantasy.[185][186][169][187] Alfonso Pizano ofThe Jesuit Post said that despite the studio's original intentions, Belle falls short of her potential because she is only shown reading romances, has vague aspirations, and still embodies some standard Disney princess tropes.[188]Jezebel acknowledged that Belle is often regarded "as the standard of the 'feminist' Disney princess", but questioned why her actions are afforded more grace than Ariel's.[189]
Interpretations of Belle's role have been widely debated, with opinions remaining divided.[175]Slate critic Rebecca Onion felt the film's efforts to make Belle feminist are undermined by establishing beauty as one of her defining characteristics.[190] While the animated film was initially praised for featuring a progressive feminist lead,[187][191] some critics argue that, despite Belle's resistance to Gaston, the story is ultimately about her seeking an "ideal man".[192] Michelle Ruiz ofVogue and Manders noted that despite her intelligence and independence, Belle still settles down with a prince in a castle, like other Disney princesses.[180][175] Nancy Reagin ofTwilight and History and Kathleen Maher ofThe Austin Chronicle criticized Belle for reinforcing traditional ideas of marriage fulfillment, with Maher considering her an example ofpseudo-feminism for exchanging a common man for a prince.[193][194] Judith Welikala ofThe Independent commended Belle for seeing past the Beast's appearance but argued that she reverts to domesticity once he becomes a prince.[195] Andrew Teverson, author ofFairy Tale, and Phyllis Frus, author ofBeyond Adaptation, viewed Belle as a response to feminist critiques of earlier Disney heroines, but criticized her curiosity as limited to romance and her character's eventual inclusion in the Disney Princess franchise.[196][183] InRefinery29's "Definitive Ranking of Disney Princesses as Feminist Role Models", Vanessa Golembewski ranked Belle eighth, calling her ambitions "confusing".[197] Claire Fallon ofHuffPost noted that, in hindsight, Belle no longer seems as independent compared to newer heroines, but she laid the groundwork for stronger female leads.[186] Ariane Lange ofBuzzFeed saw Belle as a step toward a more independent archetype, crediting the women involved in her creation.[39] Muireann O'Shea of theCollege Tribune pointed to Elsa, Tiana, Moana, Pocahontas, and Mulan as stronger feminist role models.[198] WriterMayukh Sen criticized the film's polished aesthetic for limiting the portrayal of Belle as a more compelling feminist figure and suggested that Woolverton's original vision for the character, which he believed was compromised by creative conflicts, might have better portrayed Belle as a more complex feminist.[199]
Feminist discourse surrounding Belle was revived by the2017 live-action remake,[173] with actressEmma Watson heavily promoting the character's feminist qualities and her efforts to update Belle into a more independent woman.[200][201][202][203] O'Shea argued that if feminism is defined by agency, Belle already met that standard, and Watson's revisions neither significantly strengthened nor weakened the original film's message.[198] In retrospect, some critics have reassessed Belle's relationship with the Beast, arguing that it romanticizesdomestic abuse by suggesting that women's kindness can reform their abusive partners.[203][132][204][205][206][207] Melanie Hamlett ofPaste observed that the film's major male characters either seek to control, imprison, or be saved by Belle.[208] Writing for theUniversity of Central Florida, Faith Dickens argued that Belle's character development is overshadowed by the Beast's struggles, with her passion for adventure giving way to romance.[191] Similarly, scholarHenry A. Giroux believes Belle is relegated to "a prop for resolving the Beast's problems".[209] Anna E. Altmann, author ofTales, Then and Now: More Folktales as Literary Fictions for Young Adults, found Belle's relationships with both the Beast and Maurice to be overly motherly.[169] Sonia Saraiya ofNerve ranked Belle the sixth-most feminist Disney princess, writing that, unlike Ariel, her defiance stems from intellect rather than teenage rebellion.[210] She commended Belle for resisting societal expectations but argued that, despite her bravery, she ultimately falls for a domineering man.[210] Similarly, writerKit Steinkellner expressed concern about "abusive undercurrents" in Belle and the Beast's relationship, despite her proactive nature.[132]Bustle's Mary Grace Garis also praised Belle's aspirations and love of reading while critiquing her relationship with the Beast.[211]
Over time, some critics have argued that Belle exhibitsStockholm syndrome,[205][212] suggesting that she develops feelings for the Beast while being held captive.[168][213] Jessica Mason ofThe Mary Sue said, despite her progressiveness, Belle's legacy is complicated by "problematic aspect[s]" of her story, which ultimately preventBeauty and the Beast from being feminist.[214] Writers forMother Jones called Belle "a near-perfect heroine", if not for the Stockholm syndrome, abuse, and kidnapping allegations, as well asdouble standards perpetuating "that girls are often taught to fall in love with men for who they are and not how they look, while men in Disney movies (and beyond) so often fall in love with women because of their beauty".[215] Woolverton refuted this interpretation, stating that Belle's love and kindness lead to the Beast's transformation without compromising her own identity.[213] Chapman also defended the character, saying that their only intention had been to create a heroine who saves her father and just happens to reform a beastly character, as opposed to what some interpret as "an abused woman hanging out with her abusive captor".[85] Rebecca Lewis ofMetro initially supported the Stockholm syndrome argument but later reassessed her stance, concluding in 2017 that Belle's autonomy in her decisions makes her "a feminist ... character that women around the world need right now".[176] In 2017, psychiatristFrank Ochberg, who had originally helped put the term into use, stated that "the case forBeauty and the Beast not being Stockholm syndrome is stronger than the case of it being Stockholm syndrome", explaining that Belle's dynamic with the Beast lacks much of thetrauma bonding required to qualify for the condition.[216] Ultimately, Ochberg described Belle as brave, courageous, and "a nice heroic story from a feminist point of view".[216] Discussing Belle's mixed reception, Rebecca Farley ofRefinery29 described her as "the Disney princess we all love to hate", noting that some of her actions have been viewed as questionable.[200] However, she also regarded Belle as a compelling heroine due to her unconventional nature.[200] Additionally, Belle has been criticized for being portrayed in isolation from other strong female characters,[185] which some argue suggests that she is "the only worthwhile woman around".[186]
In 2012, Todd Gilchrist ofBoxoffice Pro deemed Belle an "iconoclast" who remains just as exciting as when the film was released over 20 years prior.[217] Belle is regarded as acultural icon.[48][50][218][219] Journalists forTime andHarper's Bazaar consider the character to be Disney's first feminist princess.[26][220] Some reporters believe her characterization as one of Disney's first proactive princesses helped revolutionize how princess characters would be depicted in animated media.[a] According to Amy Ratcliffe ofNerdist, she "opened the door into a new era where the female protagonist of a Disney movie wasn't motivated by love".[71] FilmmakerMamoru Hosoda believes Disney's treatment of Belle triggered a "major shift" towards the presence of independent, intelligent fairy tale heroines, and cited the character as an inspiration onBelle (2021), his own retelling of the "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tale.[225] Emma Gray, senior women's reporter forHuffPost, said "Forwomen who grew up in the late '80s and early '90s, few characters loom larger than Belle", crediting her interest in reading over marriage with offering "a portrait of a more empowered Disney princess".[205] According to Kevin Fallon ofThe Daily Beast, Belle challenged the conventional image of a Disney princess, one he described as "singing songs about how much you love combing your hair with a fork and giving away your voice if it meant you got to marry the guy with that dreamy chiseled jaw".[226] Animation historianCharles Solomon considers Belle one of four Disney princesses responsible for breaking conventional restrictions,[227] and film criticChris Nashawaty said she helped establish Disney's second generation of princesses as independent instead ofdamsels in distress.[228] Writing forVirgin Media, Limara Salt believes the character "proved that audiences could fall in love with a brown-haired intellectual".[158] A survey conducted by Disney after the film's release claims to have discovered that Belle's affinity for reading inspired young women to read.[62] In 1991,Disney Press releasedBelle's Book of Books, a journal in which fans were encouraged to write about their favourite books.[139] In 2015, writers forTime andStylist said Belle is arguably one of the most famous bookworms inpop culture.[229][230] According to Emily Rome ofUproxx, she "became an immediate favorite for any girl who ... would rather have her nose stuck in a book than doing just about anything else".[60] The character is also revered as a positive role model for young women.[231][232][233] According to a poll reported byParents, Belle was voted the best Disney Princess role model based on over 2,400 parents surveyed.[234]
Belle is the fifth member of theDisney Princess franchise,[235] and is frequently recognized as one of its most popular and enduring characters.[136][236] Tyler B. Searle ofCollider, who ranked her the second-best protagonist from theDisney Renaissance, remarked that she is often considered "one of if not the best Disney princesses".[237] Patricia Garcia ofVogue described her as "a welcome exception to the Disney princess stereotype" due to her bravery, adventurous nature, and love of reading.[238] Similarly, Kayleigh Dray ofStylist referred to her as "one of the least two-dimensional characters in the original Disney Princess line-up".[204] Kim Renfro ofBusiness Insider credited Belle with contributing to a new era of modern Disney heroines,[239] and Vicki Arkoff ofTLC noted that the character helped "break Disney's passive-princess mold".[240] Belle has consistently ranked highly in polls and media lists evaluating Disney Princesses.[241] A 2020 international survey reported byMarie Claire found her to be the most popular princess in nine countries and the fourth overall.[242] She was ranked first in separate polls byE!,ComingSoon.net, andHuffPost,[243][244][245] second by theHarvard Law Record,Refinery29 and/Film,[246][247][248] third by theYale Daily News,[233] fourth byCosmopolitan,[249] and fifth byUSA Today,Seventeen,BuzzFeed, andIGN.[250][251][252][177] Cristina Alexander ofIGN described her as "one of the first modern Disney Princesses to break the stereotype of how princesses behave".[177] In terms of commercial success, Belle was the fifth most successful Disney Princess based on box office performance as of 2014, withBeauty and the Beast grossing over $350 million worldwide.[253] Despite this, she was the lowest-selling Disney Princess oneBay in 2013, generating under $7,000 in merchandise sales, although she is frequently cited as a customer favorite.[254][255]
As Disney heroines go, Belle was an iconoclast. Her strong-willed, independent personality feels invigorating in a medium where most damsels are in distress. That was definitely true 20 years ago whenBeauty was released, and it's still half-true today.
—Boxoffice Pro's Todd Gilchrist explaining the way in which Belle altered Disney heroines for the 20th and 21st centuries.[256]
Belle is widely regarded as one of Disney's most beloved heroines,[b] whose popularity film historianJustin Humphreys ofThe Hook described as "staggering".[83] In 2016, Scott Huver ofPeople said the character's "popularity remains a force to be reckoned with" over 25 years after the film's release.[50] Kelsie Gibson ofPeople declared her among "the most recognizable animated characters of all time",[262] and a writer for theYale Daily News called her "One of Disney's best heroines".[233] In 2023,The A.V. Club ranked Belle the 10th greatest animated Disney character of all time, deeming her essential toBeauty and the Beast's reputation as one of Disney's greatest films.[263]Business Insider readers voted Belle the 15th most iconic female film character.[264] Belle was the only animated heroine nominated for theAmerican Film Institute's50 greatest heroes ranking.[265][266][18][267] She was ranked Disney's second most iconic character by theDaily Mirror, behind onlyMickey andMinnie Mouse.[268] Meanwhile,PopMatters ranked her Disney's second-best hero.[269]People described her as one of "The World's Most Beautiful Cartoon Characters" in 2016.[270] The character was ranked 64th onUGO's list of the most attractive female cartoon characters,[271] and 14th onComplex's "25 Hottest Cartoon Women of All Time".[272] Considered to be astyle icon,[273]E! ranked Belle the second best-dressed Disney Princess.[274] Herball gown is widely regarded as one of the most famous dresses in film history.[120][275][276] Belle appeared onStylist's list of the "Best beauty looks in Disney" twice, for both her hairstyles.[277] As of 2022[update],Entertainment Weekly ranked Belle's hairstyles seventh among the Disney princesses.[278]
According to journalist Emily Zemler, characters like Belle helped prove that strong female protagonists are capable of drawing audiences into theatres.[28] Becoming a prolific screenwriter afterBeauty and the Beast, Woolverton has achieved notoriety for her dedication to writing strong female characters.[25][79] Since Belle, most of Woolverton's heroines have been headstrong and independent, namelyNala fromThe Lion King (1994),Mulan fromMulan (1998),Alice fromAlice in Wonderland (2010), andMaleficent fromMaleficent (2014).[25] Susan Wloszczyna ofIndieWire said Woolverton's Belle "set a new standard for fully fleshed-out fairy-tale heroines",[30] in turn paving the way forKatniss Everdeen fromThe Hunger Games, andAnna andElsa fromFrozen (2013).[25] Woolverton remains protective of Belle.[26][32] InBeauty and the Beast, Belle performs the film's opening number, "Belle", which was nominated for theAcademy Award forBest Original Song at the64th Academy Awards in 1992.[279] To commemorate her work onBeauty and the Beast and various contributions to Disney, O'Hara was honored with aDisney Legends award on August 19, 2011.[280]
In 1994,Susan Egan originated the role of Belle onBroadway in thestage adaptation of the film.[281] Egan's manager insisted that she audition despite the actress initially having reservations that staging a cartoon on Broadway "was a terrible idea".[282] She ultimately turned down callbacks for productions ofMy Fair Lady,Carousel, andGrease because she had always wanted to originate a Broadway role.[283] Egan had never watchedBeauty and the Beast prior to auditioning,[283] and instead relied on her "creative instincts" to avoid imitating O'Hara.[282] Her performance received critical praise and aTony Award nomination forBest Actress in a Musical at the48th Tony Awards.[284][285] At least 20 actresses played Belle on Broadway, until the show closed in 2007 withAnneliese van der Pol in the role.[286][287]Sarah Litzsinger remains Broadway's longest-running Belle,[288][289] whileChristy Carlson Romano was the character's youngest performer, at age 19.[290][291] SingerToni Braxton was the only Black woman to play Belle on Broadway.[292] The ballad "A Change in Me" was written specifically for Braxton when she joined the cast in 1998,[293][294] and has been retained in the musical ever since.[295]
Belle was the main character in various comic book adaptations of the film, including a graphic novel by Bobbi J. G. Weiss,[332][333] and 1995Marvel Comics series set during Belle's stay at the castle, specifically some time after the Beast gifts her the library.[334][335] A prequel series set several years before the film was published distributed byDisney Comics.[336] She makes regular appearances at Disney parks and events.[63] Belle and the other characters from the first film appear in the stage show,Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage atDisney's Hollywood Studios,Walt Disney World. Belle also appears in a meet-and-greet attraction atMagic Kingdom'sFantasyland calledEnchanted Tales with Belle, along with meet-and-greets in all of the other parks worldwide.
In addition to Disney Princess merchandise,[167] Belle has her own line of merchandise that includes clothing, jewelry and housewares.[63] Belle has appeared in various video games. She recurs throughout theKingdom Hearts series as one of thePrincesses of Heart, seven female characters whose hearts lack darkness or corruption potential,[337] and thus pose as threats to the games' antagonists.[338] Belle appears as a playable character to unlock for a limited time in the video gameDisney Magic Kingdoms.[339] Analternate version of Belle appears as a playable character in the video gameDisney Mirrorverse.[340] She is also featured as a character the player meets during their adventures in Disney Dreamlight Valley alongside Beast and Gaston. In thekart racing gameDisney Speedstorm (2023), Belle is a playable racer who can use her enchanted mirror to a variety of effects, including summoning obstacles in front of opponents.[341][342]Game Rant ranked her one of the best characters in the game.[343]
^Knight, Andy (director) (November 11, 1997).Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (Motion picture). United States: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
^abcdAmes, Katrine;Ansen, David (November 17, 1991)."Just The Way Walt Made 'Em".The Daily Beast. Archived fromthe original on September 21, 2013. RetrievedMarch 9, 2013.From the start, the filmmakers knew they didn't want Belle to be the passive character of the original story or a carbon copy of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid," a creation some critics found cloyingly sexist.
^England, Dawn Elizabeth; Descartes, Melissa; Collier-Meek, Melissa A. (February 10, 2011)."Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses"(PDF).St. Francis Xavier University. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on February 24, 2015. RetrievedFebruary 24, 2015.
^abKim, Brendan (November 29, 2021)."Original Beauty & The Beast Star Says Belle Paved The Way For Mulan".Screen Rant. Archived fromthe original on April 22, 2023. RetrievedSeptember 2, 2022.Since its release, Disney's Beauty and the Beast has been praised for its depiction of Belle. Critics point out that she is the first of Disney's princesses to break free of many of the problematic tropes that saddle earlier princesses in Disney's fairy tale canon.
^abSalt, Limara (August 14, 2012)."The evolution of Disney princesses".Virgin Media. Archived fromthe original on February 13, 2015. RetrievedFebruary 13, 2015.[Ariel] became an instant favourite but also received mixed reviews from critics who noted that, although she's an explorer keen to escape the kingdom run by her strict father, she also gives up her family and home for a man. No such criticisms were thrown at Belle.
^abcAltmann, Anna E.; De Vos, Gail De (2001).Tales, Then and Now: More Folktales as Literary Fictions for Young Adults. United States:Libraries Unlimited. pp. 41–42.ISBN9781563088315.
^Acito, Marc (2017)."A Feminist Perspective".Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Archived fromthe original on April 1, 2024. RetrievedAugust 31, 2022.Twenty-five years after Disney introduced Belle to the world, debates still flare online and in numerous scholarly papers as to whether she's a positive role model for girls.
^abcFarley, Rebecca (March 17, 2017)."I Hate That I Love Belle, But I Totally Do".Refinery29. Archived fromthe original on April 21, 2024. RetrievedMarch 13, 2025.What with today's release of the live action film Beauty & The Beast, there's been much chatter about the figure of Belle.
^Pereira, Marta (October 1, 2017)."15 Best Disney Characters of All Time".The Cinemaholic.Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. RetrievedDecember 24, 2018.One of the most beloved Disney princesses
^Thomas, Bri (August 1, 2020)."Belle: Her 5 Best & 5 Worst Traits".Screen Rant. Archived fromthe original on April 26, 2023. RetrievedSeptember 1, 2022.Belle ... is one of the most beloved and celebrated princesses from the magical world of Disney
^The New Adventures of Beauty and the Beast, Issue 1; story 2: Bothered, Page 14. Disney Comics, 1993. "Maurice: You should be playingoutside with theother children! //Belle: I'm having a much better time inKing Arthur's Court! Sometimes I can see myself living in a castlesurrounded by servants. I might even entertain the thought of ahandsome prince... ...As long as he wasgentle andkind... Not like those childish roughnecks in the square! Not one of them could evenspell gallant! //Maurice: A day will come when those boys will look likeknights in shining armor to you. //Belle: Never! I won't have anything to do with them. Men are such... such... //Maurice: Hear that,Pierre? According to my daughter there isn't anounce of difference between us! //Pierre: Oink! //Belle: Well, I suppose there aresome exceptions."
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