Now- I don’t know if defending Gaston in the original animated Disney Beauty and the Beast is still a thing, but I’m gonna say this once and say this now… Gaston is FAR from a “good man who just wanted to sleep with Belle.” I’m tired of people saying he was the misunderstood good guy.
Exhibit A: We all know Gaston was arrogant. “So what?” you might say. Well you see- he only wanted to marry Belle because “she’s the most beautiful girl in town. That makes her the best! Abd don’t I deserve the best?” From his next lines… we can assume he does kind of have the hots for Belle. But we also hear from the other villagers that they think she is beautiful and of course- everyone in town loves Gaston therefore… that’s why Gaston thinks Belle should be his prize. He sees her as a token for his beauty. Think of it as a popular boy and popular girl situation. Not entirely that bad, but kind of some red flags. Like- he only likes her for her beauty and the fact everyone else thinks she’s beautiful.
Exhibit B: He doesn’t support her interests or cares. We see this when he and Belle first interact on screen where he takes her book, mocks her for liking it (like most of the villagers, but they’re more discreet about it) then tosses the book into a mud puddle before practically saying “You should be more interested in me.” He’s also expressed much distaste for Belle’s father, her only living relative we know of, calling him crazy and even trying to put him in an insane asylm because Belle wouldn’t marry him (big red flag I will cover again). He often projects his interests on Belle and interests for Belle on to Belle like wanting her to bear 7 boys and massage his feet. Every given moment he is with Belle he mocks what she wants and like and tells her what he wants from her and what he likes. That’s not- no. I would not (at least I hope I wouldn’t) want to date a man- or woman for that matter- any person who tells me how they want me to be and that I’m pathetic for liking what I like and not them. Big… Red flag.
Exhibit C: Biggest red flag- He’s forceful. Very forceful. When he was going to propose to Belle, he already had a wedding ceremony set up outside. Say what you want about French culture in the 1700′s or whatever time it was, but that’s a bit sudden for someone who isn’t living in Spartan times. And of course- in that same scene we see Gaston not just invite himself in wearing muddy boots he put right on Belle’s favorite book she got to keep (the same one he threw in the mud). Oh no… he backed Belle into corners while projecting his interests, about ready to force her out the door, even pinning her to said door. Now I understand some people find that sexy… Belle sure didn’t. She said no and nervously tried to get away a few times. Sure- she was strong and smart enough to give him a slip into a mud puddle, but that sure didn’t stop his temper (take out usually on his loyal friend). You still find him innocent? Need I remind you that the man’s next resort after moping like the loser he really is was to PUT HER FATHER IN A MENTAL ASYLUM!!! Not just because he was ranting off about some beast he saw- no, that was part of the excuse. It was blackmail to get Belle to marry him. By threatening to take away the one person she truly cares about and truly cared about her (other than maybe the bookseller and maybe a couple other villagers like the baker), he was going to force her to pick Gaston or her closest family. But what Gaston didn’t expect was there to be a beast. Was he worried about the village that adored him now that it existed? Was he worried about Belle’s mental state after hearing her say the Beast was kind and was stuck with her? Was he worried about how he kidnapped her father? Hahaha- after trying to throw said father into a mental asylum if Belle didn’t marry him? Of course not. In fact, I remember him asking something like, “Wait, do you actually have feelings for this beast?” Then the look on his face changed as he rallied up everyone’s fear and forced 50 Frenchmen to the castle where either they would die or the Beast would be unjustifiably murdered by the people he lied to. He even when fighting the Beast eggs him on with the line “What’s wrong, Beast?! To gentle and kind to fight back?!”
He sees Belle as his prize. He’ll sacrifice anything for that prize. Her family, her happiness, whatever she cares about that isn’t him. And because everyone likes him for his macho attitude and looks, he has influence over the people whom he could sacrifice to a hungry beast as long as it means he gets is prize. And they’re all on board with him marrying Belle (well- except for the triplet ladies who adore him)- they all probably saw it coming- heck even Belle’s father was like, “Why aren’t you going out with that Gaston fellow? Isn’t he nice?” (at least I think he said something like that. Could’ve sworn he did…). Everyone probably thought those two would settle down- Gaston’ll get her eventually. And Gaston was determined to do anything to get her… anything that would force her to be a part of his ideal life. And what about the Beast?
- The Beast did trap Belle’s father, but the father did enter unannounced. The servants were nice to him, but the Beast had an uncontrollable temper. Granted, he may’ve been transformed into a Beast when he was 12 because he had apparently no parents around and acted angry and selfish to the wrong person.
-Belle said she’d take his place instead to which the servants (granted wanted to be free from the curse but were also pretty nice) insisted he give better living conditions to.
-When Belle ran away (respectively frightened after he got mad about the rose which he told her indirectly to stay way from) he saved her from being attacked by wolves.
- When he got mad at her for trying to help, Belle got mad back (which is granted unhealthy for starting a relationship) it made him stop and rethink things.
- Despite people claiming it to be Stockholm Syndrome, the Beast and Belle got to know each other and try to understand one another. When the Beast couldn’t eat with a spoon, she decided not to eat with a spoon. He let her teach him how to get birds to eat out of his hand and playfully had a snowball fight where he lost.
-In return for Belle’s kindness, the servants gave her fancy dresses and he gave her his Library and let her read to him. Note that Belle loves reading and in a holiday special he got mad he got a storybook for his birthday. Something’s there that wasn’t there before ;-)
- When Belle missed the outside, he gave her his only window outside.
- When Belle saw her father in danger, he let her go, despite if it benefitted him (granted the servants were a bit peeved because it affects them too).
-He didn’t really fight Gaston. He asked why Belle came back after he freed her.
I mean- both men have their ups and downs (kind of some crazy downs) on why Belle should not be with either of them. But would you rather have a person treat you like you’re their trophy and everything you do reflects their ideals or someone who tries to understand you and grows from the person they were to someone who understands and tries caring about what you think?
Think Gaston would have eventually listened to Belle read a story book? Or the Beast never could control his temper? Go ahead. Tell me. I know where I stand
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