This document discusses how psychology concepts relate to the Disney film Beauty and the Beast. It explains that defense mechanisms are unconscious strategies used to protect from anxiety, like regression which is reverting to more childish behaviors when stressed. In the film, the Beast displays regression through a temper tantrum. Cogsworth and Lumiere also show regression through bickering childishly. Connecting these characters' behaviors to the psychological concept of regression demonstrates how psychology intersects with storytelling.

1. PSYCHOLOGY IN
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
By Wesley
Traver

2. PSYCHOLOGY
BASIS

3. Defense mechanism
Stress/fear/
troubles
Defense Mechanisms
• These are psychological
strategies that are unconsciously
used to protect a person from
anxiety arising from
unacceptable thoughts or
feelings.
• They are ego-defense
mechanisms we use to protect
ourselves from feelings of anxiety
or guilt, which arise because we
feel threatened, or because our
ID or superego becomes too
demanding. They are not under
our conscious control, and are
non-voluntaristic.

4. • defense mechanism: Regression
• This is defined as a movement back in
psychological time when one is faced with
stress.
• When we are troubled or frightened, our
behaviors often become more childish or
primitive.
• There are many Defense Mechanisms, but
this is one of the main ones.

5. Media

6. Beauty
and the
Beast
• This is a Disney musical that I was involved
in here at YC this semester.
• A hideous creature, an enchanted castle, a
brave provincial girl, and a lingering curse…
• The enchanted castle is home to many
characters that, because of the
enchantment, have turned into
things/objects.

7. • The Beast was the prince of the castle
before the curse/enchantment.
• In order to break the spell/enchantment
that has turned these characters into
things/objects, He must find love and be
loved back.
• He lives in the castle with all of his
servants who are also becoming
things/objects.
• He is the master of the castle and is
slowly becoming more and more beast
like which strikes fear into his servants.
The Beast

8. Cogsworth
• Cogsworth was the majordomo (head of
the household) before the
spell/enchantment when he became a
pendulum clock.
• He is very “tightly wound” but makes
sure everything runs smoothly.
• He sticks to the rules and guidelines of
the master (The Beast) even when the
other characters deviate from them.
• When something goes wrong, he blames
others. (usually Lumiere)

9. Lumiere
• Lumiere was the maître d’
(host) of the castle before
becoming a candelabra after
the spell/enchantment.
• While Cogsworth makes sure
everything runs smoothly,
Lumiere makes sure it all looks
good.
• He is a very French man, so he
is a natural flirt.
• He follows the Master’s (The
Beast) orders unless it suits the
other characters needs more at
the time.

10. connection

11. • The Beast displayed the defense
mechanism of regression in this scene:
- Belle: “Why are you being such a bully?”
- Beast: “Because I want you to come down to dinner!”
(Jumps up and stomps down in a tantrum.)*
- Belle: “So… you admit you’re being a bully?”
• This temper tantrum is an extremely
childish behavior and an excellent example
of an adult reverting back to childish
behavior.
* This was not originally in the script, but was improved on stage in this production.

12. • Both Lumiere and Cogsworth
display the defense mechanism of
regression in this scene where they
come in bickering back and forth to
each other.
- Cogsworth: “Couldn’t keep quiet could we?
Just had to invite him in to stay, didn’t we?
Serve him tea, sit in the Master’s chair.”
- Lumiere: “I was trying to be hospitable!”
- Cogsworth: “Rubbish!”
- Lumiere: “Ah, Cogsworth, can you blame
me for trying to maintain what’s left of our
humanity? Look at us. Look at you!”
- Cogsworth: “What about me?”
- Lumiere: “You always were insufferable.
But every day, you become a little more
inflexible… a little more tightly wound… a
little more ticked off!”
• In this example both characters are
under a lot of stress and are going
back and forth in child like banter.

13. Conclusion • I have really
enjoyed
connecting
psychology to
my passion,
theatre.
• It’s really been interesting to
me to see how psychology is
mixed and mingled all
throughout life if you really
look.
• This project was
really an eye opener
to how much I can
use the things
we talked about
during
psychology
in theatre in the
future

14.  https://simplypsychology.org/defense-mechanisms.html
 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-
age/201110/the-essential-guide-defense-mechanisms
References