Admirable Character Traits of Disney Princesses (Part 5)

I’ve had a great deal of difficulty with this instalment of the Disney Princess series because this princess is my favourite.  I’ve studied this character more than any others, and yet I still struggle to sum her up completely.  The fifth Disney Princess is Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  I think that she most resembles the character of Elizabeth from the Jane Austin book, Pride and Prejudice, and this may be one of the reasons why I like both characters equally.

So let’s take a look at her positive character traits:

1. Intelligent – she is a very smart woman and continues to further her intelligence through reading.  This is a positive trait for a woman to have because a woman who knows a lot is better able to hold an intelligent conversation with other people and less likely to fill the conversation with frivolous gossip.
2. Thinks for herself – she is not the sort of woman who will follow blindly, she is not a sheep.  She will form her own opinion and is extremely unhappy when she feels as though she is being forced to be something she is not.  This is a positive trait for a woman to have in that it allows her to be willing to stand out from the crowd, and she doesn’t rely on other people to form opinions for her.  There are times when it is better to follow obediently, but there are also times that require a person to think for themselves and question everything, so the questioning personality is definitely a positive trait.
3. Imaginative – she has a “hyper-active” imagination and is often in a dream land.  If this trait is channelled into the world correctly it can be a positive trait.  I can imagine Belle with children where she would give them a big cardboard box, a broom and newspaper to turn into a sailing ship, and keep them occupied the whole afternoon.
4. Patient – she is not afraid to speak her mind, but she is patient with other people’s faults.  The beast had many faults, and over time she gently encouraged him to become a gentleman.  Who knows how much time passed during her arrival to the castle and the grand ball that was so famous.
5. Unconcerned by appearances – she doesn’t mind what other people think of her, and she is unconcerned by her appearance.  She is beautiful, but seemingly unaware of it.  She is not impressed by the “handsome” Gaston, but rather falls for a Beast who is a gentleman.
6. Loyal – when she made the promise she stuck to the promise, she also showed extreme loyalty to her friends and father.
7. Self-less – she took the place of her father in the beasts prison.
8. Courageous – she was a valiant woman, and appears to not be scared of anything.

Do any readers have anything to add to this list?  How do you feel about this Disney Princess?