There are many similarities of plot, character, and morality in Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont's "Beauty and the Beast" and Lucius Apuleius's "The Myth of Cupid and Psyche". The similarities in the two short stories attempt to signify several morals such as that someone should be judged by what is on the inside, as opposed to what is on the outside; jealousy and envy can only bring pain; mistakes should be learned from and corrected; and love conquers all. The parallels in these two tales signify the importance of the lessons that can be learned from them.
One moral in these two tales is that someone should be judged by what is on the inside opposed to what is on the outside. In de Beaumont's "Beauty and the Beast", the protagonist, Beauty, is thought of as good and liked by all not for her looks but for her sweet nature. "But everybody .
pitied poor Beauty, because she was so sweet-tempered and kind to all, and several gentlemen offered to marry her, though she had not a penny; but Beauty still refused, she said she could not think of leaving her poor father in this trouble". (p.357) in Apuleius" fable "The Myth of Cupid and Psyche" the protagonist, Psyche, although very beautiful, is triumphant due to her good heart, not her beauty. The similarity between Beauty and Psyche signify the importance of a good nature over good looks.
A second moral which is seen from the similarities in these two tales is that jealousy and envy only bring pain. Both Beauty and Psyche had two older sisters. Both pairs of sisters were almost, but not quite as beautiful as their youngest sibling. Both pairs of sisters were also ill-tempered and envious of their youngest sibling. Beauty's sisters talk her into breaking her promise to the Beast in order to bring about Beauty's downfall. For this, the fairy says, "I have no worse punishment for you than to see your sister happy. You shall stand as statues at the door of her palace".
