Like Cinderella, Belle displays a lot of tact, common sense, and intellectual curiosity. Going into the West Wing wasn't a move of stupidity- it was a move of defiance. She was trying to find out more about the Beast, and that was a good idea of a place to go to figure out what was going on. We also see her cleverly manipulate Lumiere and Cogsworth. I'd put her as #3 or #4.

Belle is really great because she was specifically designed to be a "clever" princess. She is a really great example and role model and Belle very rarely does something stupid. I agree with all the West Wing stuff.

Going to the West Wing was a move of stupid defiance. The Beast could harm her father for her petulance. He knows where the village is located. Otherwise, though, she is pretty smart: she has a big vocabulary, a lot of imagination and resourcefulness and is argumentative. Her problem is that she is nosy and doesn't think of consequences. Plus, "Where is Papa, Phillipe?" Does she really expects her non-talking horse to anwser her?

Can you really criticize Belle for talking to her horse when you have characters like Snow White?

^The difference is that the animals in Snow White's world DO understand human speech and talk to her. And that argument is more joking than serious, though it's a point one can make.

Btw, I want to make clear that I'm not bashing Belle. She is one of my favorite DPs.

She's curious, and has an active mind. And I always thought she was quite smart when dealing with Gaston.

Silverrose, I can assure you EVERYTHING talks to their pets. It was just more belle thinking out loud. Btw, Phillipe actually did understand because he took belle to her father soooo

^I know everyone else talks to their pets. I have one. Like I said, I was being (much) more joking than serious. I don't think Phillipe actually understood Belle: he just followed his horse senses. And yeah, Belle was desperate at that point.

She's bright and an intellectual, but she willfully does very foolish things knowing she'll probably get into trouble (the west wing, letting Gaston into her house when she's ALONE, running away, showing the Beast to an angry mob). It's not because she's naive or just ignorant, either, like some of the other girls. I have her around 4 or 5, I forget which. Because she IS everything mentioned too.

^remember she showed the beast so they wouldn't throw her father into an asyleum

She is far from the word 'stupid' but I don't see her as an intelligent one either.

Reading really does make people smarter. She is intellectual and independent.