Beauty and The Beast

When I first started searching for films that embodied the ideals of Romanticism I didn't expect to find anything I would have seen. But, I soon realized that a lot of the films that take into account the various aspects from the era. A modern day Romantic example of pop culture is the film Beauty and the Beast.

To begin, one of the most obvious ideas associated with Romanticism is a connection with nature. In the film Belle, the main character, is seen in various scenes strolling through meadows or forests. In these scenes she isn't just passing through, but embracing her surroundings from the wind to the grass on the ground. In most of these instances she also takes time to acknowledge important conflicts or appreciate the people close to her. 

Another aspect of Romanticism expressed in the film is an important hero. In this film Belle definitely exemplifies this aspect. Belle doesn't conform to society's ideals. She is made fun of for reading where other women are swooning over the villain, Gaston. She eventually ends up falling in love with the beast which can be seen as unconventional. The beast can also be seen as a hero as he is an outcast from society and also acts against society's ideals for a "beast." He doesn't kill Gaston even though he had the chance. Everybody expects him to kill the people of the town but instead he expresses emotions and feelings 

I didn't expect to find a modern day example of Romanticism let alone be something that I have watched so many times. After analyzing this film, I guess you could say Romanticism is still alive.