Jackson Greer ponders on why Chesterton claims “Beauty and the Beast” shows that to be lovable, one must first be loved.
By Jackson Greer
“There is the great lesson of ‘Beauty and the Beast’; that a thing must be loved before it is lovable.” – Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton
The first time I read G.K. Chesterton’s quote about the great lesson in “Beauty and the Beast,” it caught me off guard. The fairy tale is often described as love once upon a time but to me it seemed more like a present-day case of Stockholm Syndrome. Surely Chesterton was mistaken.
Yet I couldn’t stop thinking about Chesterton’s claim. I found a copy of the story on an overflowing bookshelf and looked at it anew.
Love abounds all over the fairy tale as we meet Beauty, a loving and devoted daughter. Though her father has lost his wealth, she works and serves while never taking the bait of her cruel older sisters. She denies herself tears and self-pity, instead seeking happiness and contentment in life without wealth.
Then after a stay at the Beast’s castle, her father is cursed for taking a rose to give to Beauty. Hearing that she could take her father’s place, Beauty knows what she must do.
She arrives at the castle under no illusions that the Beast has noble intentions. Yet, despite the Beast’s frightening appearance, Beauty detects a heart and kindness. Love leads Beauty. She rejects the Beast’s marriage proposal but is always honest with him. Indeed, love rejoices in the truth. As the quote goes, “For in truth great love is born of great knowledge of the thing loved.”
Months pass. Beauty gets to know the Beast little by little over dinner each evening. She learns more and more of the Beast’s qualities. The Beast, heartbroken that his proposal is consistently rejected, does not see that Beauty’s attitude toward him is changing. She might not feel the love he has envisioned, but she loves with a philia, the love/affection of friendship.
The Beast offers Beauty a short return home, at the risk – because of the enchantment he’s under – of death. She promises to return.When she does come back, it is not a mere duty for her; she is overjoyed to be at the Beast’s castle again. When he doesn’t show up for dinner, Beauty fears the worst. Running from room to room, hoping against hope, Beauty realizes her strong love for the Beast. It is no longer by philia but by an eros love. She finds him, weakened, and declares her wish to become his wife. Her declaration sets the Beast free, and he is transformed back into his princely form. They marry and live a life built on virtue.
Martin Luther writes, “The love of God does not find but creates that which is lovable.” Transforming love has made something new. True love is a beauty that creates and redeems. In our weakness, Christ died for us (Romans 5). The worthy Son of God has made us worthy through Himself.
The great church father, Athanasius, in On the Incarnation, paints a picture of a great king entering a large city and establishing his home. The city was not worthy for a king to dwell there, but the very entrance of the king made the city worthy of honor. Athanasius of course is drawing a comparison to the believer and the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are made lovely and holy by a loving and holy God. We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
There is a level of magic that flows from reading fairy tales. In, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis dedicates the book to his goddaughter, Lucy. He gives sagely wisdom that there may be a lull in her interest in fairy tales, but soon she will be old enough to read them again. We should grow older and do the same.
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Jackson Greer teaches history at New Covenant Christian Academy in western Kentucky. He writes at Reading Jack with Jack, a substack dedicated to the writings of C.S. Lewis. He and his wife have three active boys. Jackson can be found appreciating treasures found in local coffee shops and bookshops.