Thread:NerdWithAKeyboard/@comment-1705775-20180207063106

he was not really delusional, Gaston was.. you see, Beast never believed anyone could truly love him and he knew deep down how he was treating Belle was wrong.. the servants were the ones pushing to get them romantic.. Beast was desperate to break the curse and his villainous acts are mainly out of said desperation and frustration.

Gaston is deluded because he genuinely believes he's a good guy and Belle should be in love with him, he can't process why she wouldn't.. thus he blames everyone except himself.. Beast blames himself even in the first part of the film and knows he is wrong.. he just feels he has no choice for his own survival.

that's why it changed when he allowed Belle to save her father, he finally realized that sometimes you have to put others before yourself and that true love is to allow those you love freedom of choice, even if it means potentially sacrificing yourself.. that in turn made Belle understand Beast had a good heart under all the desperate and cruel acts he had done before.

so to me anyway he acts out of desperation, not delusion. 