That was a fantastic write-up! Im glad I nominated that one after all.
My take on The Beast is that he represents the way fear can trick people into believing something thats absurd. So we see The Woodsman unable to break free from his burden because he is terrified he will never see his daughter again, when all he had to do is choose not to listen to The Beast and accept the unknown. In other words, The Beast is that lingering voice of doubt in your head when youre afraid.