When it comes to Disney princesses, everyone has a favorite. A lot of people choose their favorite at a young age based on who they look like, or who wears the prettiest dress—the exterior of the princess.
But while there are many princesses to choose from, only one can be the best, right?
No other Disney princess matches up to Belle, and that's just the honest truth. Yeah, she's beautiful (after all, her name does mean beauty), but it's the interior of this princess that seals the deal.
While each of the princesses have amazing qualities, there is something about Belle that makes her shine brighter than the rest, and be the princess that we should all look up to.
She craves knowledge.
If Belle lived in today's world, she wouldn't be tuning into Keeping Up With The Kardashians. She would be keeping up with the New York Times best seller's list. She wouldn't want to read about meaningless gossip. She's curious, and would read about the actual important happenings of the world, though we all know she prefers to read about far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, and a prince in disguise. AKA, Belle would be a Game of Thrones fan.
She puts her family first.
Belle loves her father dearly, and would do anything to protect him.. Like agreeing to live in a castle with a beast forever so that her father doesn't have to suffer. Now that's commitment. (Something a lot of us need practice on).
While every girl in town wants to get with Gaston because of his looks, Belle couldn't care less.
Okay, so it's pretty obvious that Gaston is a complete player. If he were a real life human, he would probably look like Henry Cavill (swoon). It's no wonder those three blondes want him, look at the muscles.. He even has biceps to spare. But none of this matters to Belle. Belle doesn't even put the time into thinking about guys. She only focuses on herself, and what she envisions for her own future until love just so happens to come her way.
Belle's totally a feminist and does her own thing.
A beauty, but a funny girl. Everyone treats Belle like she's a spectacle, although she really isn't as weird as they think. Belle is simply taking a step outside of the gender norm by reading a book, because that's what she enjoys. Even when Gaston, the most popular guy in town confronts her about it, she shuts him down.
Gaston's sexist comment: "It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas and thinking."
Belle's eloquent response: "Gaston, you are positively primeval."
You go girl.
She's passionate.
Everything Belle does is done with passion. She does nothing halfheartedly. She vigorously reads a whole bookshop's collection, she does anything for who she loves, and daydreams among dandelions.
Some of us could use a little daydream.
She falls for the Beast slowly, and their love grows as a real relationship would.
In many other fairytales, the prince and the princess have instant chemistry, or love at first sight. Not in this case, as I'm not sure how she could have felt love at first sight while looking into the eyes of an angry, growling beast. At first, he isn't too fond of her, and she does not like him either. But it is through helping one another that their love grows. She teaches him how to read, he gives her a library. He saves her life, she heals his wounds.
Belle does what she wants.
Belle is stubborn, which can be a good quality. Being stubborn means that you are determined, and will not fall to settling for the desires of others. Belle certainly doesn't let anyone boss her around, including men.
"You can go anywhere you like, except the West Wing," says the Beast.
*goes to the West Wing*
"Say you'll marry me," says Gaston.
*turns him down, and dumps him into a puddle of mud where he belongs*
She wants so much more than they've got planned.
Belle knows that she doesn't want to live the routine life that the villagers have grown accustomed to. She wants adventure in the great wide somewhere, and is determined to achieve it. But Belle isn't immune to human emotion. She wishes someone could understand how she feels, and probably deep down even wishes someone would want to tag along with her on an adventure so she isn't always alone. But Belle is confident enough in herself to the point where she knows that she doesn't need anyone else. She knows how to make herself happy.
These are only some of the reasons Belle is a great inspiration, and therefore the princess we should aspire to be like. Yes, the other princesses are great too, I know. Mulan fought for her country, Tiana was a hard-worker, and Anna punched Hans in the face. But Belle is simply the best.
It's no wonder Emma Watson is playing her in the upcoming film, they're both perfect.
Thank you, Belle, for being a princess that we can admire.
