A few months ago, I watched a documentary talking about the story of a young woman who spent 3096 days in captivity. She has been kidnapped when she was 10 by a man who forced her to leave in a cave until she escaped 8 years after from the clutches of his captor. Despite all this, she ended up feeling compassion for him. And some conclude she must suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. But what exactly is Stockholm syndrome, and how can it be related to one of the famous Disney's fairy tales, the Beauty and the Beast? That's the subject of today's writing. Thanks for joining me.
For those who don't know the story of the Beauty and the Beast, the tale goes like this:
Once upon a time, there lived a kind girl named Belle who lived with her father. One day, on his way home, Belle’s father met with a serious storm and landed near a castle. He went in and ate all the delicious food on the table. He went outside once the storm stopped in the garden. He saw a beautiful rose and picked it out. Just then, the Beast appeared.
- Beast Said, “who’s taking my precious rose?”
- Oh, Belle’s father said, “I’m so sorry, sir! It’s for my daughter!”
- “If you want to live, bring that daughter,” the Beast said.
Belle’s father came home and told Belle what happened. Belle had no choice but to go to the castle alone. Belle was scared of the Beast at first. But as time passed by started to sense his warm heart. Beast gave her everything she needed–delicious food, many books, and beautiful flowers. They started falling in love. However, little by little, Belle started missing her father. Beast allowed her to visit him one time. At home, Belle had such a great time with her father. After realizing that she stayed home for too long, Belle went back to see the Beast. There, she saw the Beast passed out on the ground. Regretting not coming earlier, Belle shed tears of love. At that moment, the Beast disappeared and suddenly a very handsome prince appeared. The prince told Belle that he was put on a spell that true love could only break. Belle and the Prince got married and lived happily ever after.
What is Stockholm syndrome?
Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon in which the hostages express empathy and sympathy towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and having an affectionate relationship with the captors. Besides the original kidnapper-hostage situation, Stockholm syndrome now includes other types of trauma in which there’s a bond between the abuser and the person being abused. Many medical professionals consider the victim’s positive feelings toward their abuser a psychological response — a coping mechanism — that they used to survive the days, weeks, or even years of trauma or abuse. Other closely linked psychological conditions include trauma bonding, learned helplessness, and battered person syndrome. People who have Stockholm syndrome have:
Positive feelings toward the captors or abusers.
Sympathy for their captors’ beliefs and behaviors.
Negative feelings toward police or other authority figures.
Other symptoms are like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and include:
Flashbacks.
Feeling distrustful, irritated, jittery, or anxious.
Can’t relax or enjoy things that you previously enjoyed.
Trouble concentrating.
Note that: Mental health experts do not recognize Stockholm syndrome as an official mental health disorder. As a result, it is not listed in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Some famous cases of Stockholm syndrome.
The name of the syndrome itself is derived from a botched bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. In August 1973, four employees of Sveriges Creditbank were held hostage in the bank’s vault for six days. During the standoff, a seemingly incongruous bond developed between the captive and the captor. One hostage, during a telephone call with Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, stated that she fully trusted her captors but feared that she would die in a police assault on the building.
The most famous case of Stockholm syndrome maybe when Patricia Hearst:
Shortly after the Stockholm incident, members of a left-wing militant group called the United Federated Forces of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) kidnapped 19-year-old Patty Hearst from her apartment in Berkeley, California. Twelve days after the kidnapping, Hearst was involved in a bank robbery alongside members of the SLA. According to Hearst, the SLA had brainwashed her and forced her to join them. The FBI arrested Hearst on September 18, 1975, 18 months after her kidnapping. Hearst received a 7-year prison sentence. President Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence in 1979, and she eventually received a pardon.
Another case is the Natascha Kampusch case: Natascha Maria Kampusch (born 17 February 1988) is an Austrian author and former talk show host. In 1998, Wolfgang Priklopil kidnapped 10-year-old Natascha Kampush and isolated her in a cellar for over 8 years. Priklopil beat her and threatened her life; he also bought her gifts and fed and bathed her. Kampush cried after hearing that Priklopil had died by suicide. So, it was assumed that she had Stockholm Syndrome. However, she claimed that having a strange relationship with someone who kept you captive for eight years is only natural.
Is 'the Beauty and the Beast's tale related to Stockholm syndrome?
So now you might be wondering how the Beauty and the Beast Tale is related to Stockholm syndrome. Let's have a closer look at both theories:
YES: On one hand, there are several disorders that can be found in this story. Among them: Stockholm and Oedipus complex syndrome in beauty and severe depression in the Beast. In the beginning, Beauty was frightened of the Beast and shuddered at the sight of it. Then she found that in spite of the monster’s awful head, her horror of it was gradually fading as time went by. She had one of the finest rooms in the Castle, and sat for hours, embroidering in front of the fire. And the Beast would sit, for hours on end, only a short distance away, silently gazing at her. Then it started to say a few kind words, till, in the end, Beauty was amazed to discover that she was actually enjoying its conversation. The days passed, and Beauty and the Beast became good friends. Beauty starts to enjoy the company of the Beast. As the story continues, the Beast began to treat her even sweeter. Knowing that Beauty misses her family, the Beast gives her a magic mirror in which she could see her family. At this moment Beauty becomes extremely emotionally attached and Stockholm syndrome has taken full effect on her. This is proved when Beauty is finally willing to return to her captor, the Beast, after being allowed to go. Beauty’s action also can be seen as a sort of a Freudian slip of what she is craving: love, attention, and self-actualization.
NO: On the other hand, here are five reasons explaining why Beauty does not suffer from Stockholm:
Beauty chooses to live with the beast of her own volition: Against the express wishes of her father, Beauty agrees to the bargain, even when she thinks the Beast will kill her. But this turns out to be an empty threat since Beast treats her extremely well from the moment she arrives.
Beauty has plenty of freedom—and uses it to break all the rules: Beauty is given complete free rein over the castle to conduct her schedule as she sees fit.
Beauty fights back constantly: She’s stomping on them and daring the Beast to do anything about it. She calls out his anger management issues, refuses his demands at every turn, and snaps right back at his rudeness.
Beauty remains loyal to her father throughout the story: Beauty only returns because she knows the Beast will die if she doesn’t, and his absence is what helps her see that she truly does wish to marry him.
Beauty falls for the beast only after he changes: She’s terrified of the Beast when she first arrives at the castle, but over time she realizes that he’s actually a kind, decent person. Only after what she felt for him.
Sources:
We're already at the end of our analysis. Honestly, I'm mitigated. But I lean towards the theory of Stockholm Syndrome. Plus, after reading Women who love too much, my view about the tale changed. For those who are interested, you can check it out to see what it is about. Thank you for reading. I hope you've appreciated it. Tell me in the comments whether you think the 'Beauty and the Beast' tale is related to Stockholm Syndrome. And why? I can't wait to hear your pov. Meanwhile, may God bless you, take care.
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