In this video, Gaston is explored as a Disney Villain. Why is he so unconventional? Why does he stand out, almost fitting in more with the Disney princes? 

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To explore this, you must first understand the nature of the original villains: Belle’s sisters. In the original fairytale, Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont uses Belle’s evil sisters as foil characters, heightening Belle’s good nature and selflessness. When the medium of the story was shifted to the big screen in Disney’s 1991 hit animation, the contrast between Belle and those around her did not need to be as straightforward anymore. This video briefly explores the ways in which the film uses the affordances of the video medium in order to set Belle apart from the rest in a broader way, using the townspeople as a whole to set Belle apart.

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In the animation, the Beast is the one who gets a foil character – Gaston. Gaston is the epitome of a charismatic, thick brained, closed minded hunk who thinks he is better that everyone in the town – and everyone loves him. Gaston provides a stark contrast against the Beast, who is ugly, shy, and rough around the edges.

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But there is more to Gaston than one may think. It is easy to write off Gaston as an device for plot development, but this video explores important underlying themes such as the danger of complacency and a feeling of alienation from your surroundings. Themes that Gaston enhances.

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So it may seem easy to write off Gaston as a surface level character, and in terms of character development, he is. But he is more than that. Disney’s divergence from their normal villain archetype was no coincidence. To dig deeper into these ideas, and to appreciate Gaston as the villain and character he is, check out the video essay linked below.

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Enjoy!