The Courtship of Mr Lyon: Notes

The Courtship of Mr Lyon

Based on Beauty and the Beast, and in ways, the 1946 film
version (for the often leonine interpretation of
the Beast).

The Courtship of Mr Lyon focuses on The Beast, this leonine figure of wealth who the father of Beauty comes across after his car breaks down. Although the Beast is somewhat homely, the Beast begins to feel anger when the father steals a white rose from his garden. The Beast and the Father eventually agree to a pact, which means that Beauty must spend time with the Beast. Beauty, after some time, leaves for London to go to her Father and begins to forget about the Beast. Meanwhile, the Beast's lack of Beauty begins to make the Beast deteriorate. Upon hearing this, Beauty returns to the Beast. They declare their love and live happily ever after...

...happily ever after...

...in a Bloody Chamber short story?

Something doesn't sit right here.

THE DESCRIPTION OF MR LYON

First things first, we are given the blatant description of Mr Lyon as a leonine figure. Lions are representative of power, which would reflect the character's wealth and seemingly high-up social position. However, this is quite ironic considering the Beast is quite submissive, placid and even goes so far as to wither and nearly die due to his lack of Beauty.

Though it has feminist interpretations, it may be that the story takes on a more Marxist perspective. The animal-like qualities are almost products of being wealthy. We begin to see Beauty take on more animalistic traits later on when she returns to her father, living somewhat wealthier in London. The Beast becomes beautiful once more when exposed to love; specifically, his love for Beauty. 

A Marxist then may interpret the story as having a moral. That moral being that money is ugly and, in turn, makes you ugly. The idea of Beauty being drawn in shows an adoration for wealth that has come about through a capitalist system. In a nutshell, money is the root of all evil.

His human description is not unlike of that of a boxer, claiming that his nose has the beauty of a boxer in a fight. 

^ film was made in 1980 (after Bloody Chamber) but the idea is the same...

This may be Marxist in two ways:

1) his features are very human and very real, his flaws and inconsistencies are no longer masked by money and animalistic features - it is the idea of being free from capitalist control, and freedom is beautiful

On The Waterfront (1954) - deals with
corrupt union managers, and one
boxer who could've been
a contender!

2) just a theory... but a lot of boxers in the early 20th century were unemployed and had to work with whatever jobs they could find, such examples would be James J. Braddock who worked on the docks in-between his years as a boxer. The dockworkers were often part of unions which were heavily supported by Marxists; any corruption, in a Marxist view, would've been blamed on capitalism. In this case, it would seem that boxers are representative of the working man - they are the embodiment of the crushed spirits of the proletariat. If this is so, we could see how that, underneath his mean, callous, heartless exterior appearance, the Beast is just a normal man gone bad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3LFML_pxlY

Citizen Kane (1941) - in the end, the
guy died with a ridiculous fortune
and nobody to share it with.
Aww.

Something else very human about the Beast is that he uses his wealth as a means of popularity. There seems to be a sense of loneliness about him; that regardless of how rich he is, without the attention of another person to love him, he is nothing. His palace and his grandeur mean nothing to him. Another Marxist interpretation that money is not necessary for happiness. This would explain the Beast's openness with the father.

THE GOTHIC

Fear/horror - the fear that surrounds the image of the Beast; an inner beauty disguised by a monstrous exterior
Setting - a majestic mansion - shows power and grandeur

The Supernatural - the Beast's transformation to a man, and the Beauty's image of herself becoming cat-like

Transgression - it is a forbidden love; although not in the same vein as Puss-In-Boots, the idea of a woman falling in love with a non-human character is questionable

Blurring of Roles - the Beast himself; both half-human/half-animal AND he is a male character and is the victim here

Class - the (at first) poor girl falling for the rich guy? Perhaps not 'gold-digging', but certainly shows a definite division of class - shows how powerful money is in dividing people (also, similarities to Jane Eyre).