Sophia Raya

Ecl 305

Professor Pressman

April 14th, 2024

The Nature of the Ocean in the Merciless Tragedy of Desire

In the “‘Merciless Tragedy of Desire; An Interpretation of H.C. Andersen’s ‘Den Lilly Havfrue,’” a psychoanalytic essay by Jorgen Dines Johansen, the location of the mermaid kingdom and the sea witch’s territory is a horizontal topographical division within the setting of the Little Mermaid and serves to represent two forms of nature: cultivated and demonic. These two spheres of the sea are in opposition to each other with the cultivated nature of the mermaid kingdom reflecting the land above it. On the other hand, the sea witch’s territory is unrestrained and unsettling to the mermaids and is a place furthest removed from Christian influence and control. In a story that also serves as overt religious propaganda for the time, the sea witches’ territory is a place that acts as a warning to the audience and the little mermaid. By entering this oceanic space or spaces like it, an individual is forfeiting their access to heaven and an eternal soul, which is something to be actively avoided. This serves as religious propaganda and encourages the reader to recognize these spaces and actively attempt to avoid them. 

Nature exists on both a physical scale and an ideological scale, each of which has been recalibrated to fit the current societal needs in a given place and period. In Johansen’s work, ‘nature’ includes both, and the specificity of ‘cultivated’ and ‘demonic’ carry certain connotations with it. The term ‘cultivated’ means to foster the growth of something, usually in the form of crops. However, when the phrase is applied to the underwater kingdom, a reflection of the religious human kingdom above it, it can emphasize similarities between the two worlds in terms of social structure. The two kingdoms both have a monarchy and the hierarchical order that comes with it. However, only one has a church and access to salvation. Although the underwater kingdom mimics the land, it reminds the reader that places like the ocean, where they have similar cultural norms but no Christian god, are a space for final destruction (Johaness pg. 206). Final destruction, for the participants of the story and the audience, is a very active threat that must be both recognized and avoided. The reader must be faithful to Christ and follow the Church’s teachings, never straying from the path of righteousness. This encourages the reader to not venture offshore as the physical and spiritual body of a human cannot exist within the ocean. This leads to terracentric ways of thinking and limits the reader by landlocking them. The other participant in this story is the mermaid who can physically exist within the ocean but lacks a soul. Although the possibility of obtaining a soul as a mermaid is incredibly low, it’s not completely impossible within the region of cultivated nature. However, in an area of ‘demonic’ nature, this possibility of obtaining a soul lowers even more. For something to be considered ‘demonic,’ there needs to be a total absence of Christian worship and instead must be dominated by pagan witchcraft. To engage and actively use magic means to outwardly reject Christian teachings and the possibility of salvation. If the audience’s spiritual interest lay elsewhere this would reflect going to the sea witch’s territory. 

The sea witch’s territory truly lives up to the ‘demonic sphere of nature’ as it is oppressive and unsettling to both the mermaid and the audience. In Johaness’s essay, the gigantic polyps that line the sea witch’s territory emphasize death and destructive sexuality and try to strangle anything they can get their hands on (Johaness p. 216). Whatever gets caught in their grasp will never be allowed to escape or be released, including mermaids and humans that are unlucky enough to be captured. A mermaid being caught and killed in the polyps differs from that of a human because of the mermaid’s ability to survive in water. Because the sea witch deals with magical transformations, one might assume that similarly to the little mermaid of this story, a previous mermaid might have gone to the sea witch in search of a potion or spell as it seems like mermaids don’t regularly venture out to this territory unless they need something. Unlike the little mermaid, this mermaid became trapped and died because of this desire, solidifying the notion that the sea leads to one’s eternal demise. This detail also shows that to have desires that fall out of the realm of Christianity can most often lead to falling into sin which can compromise a person’s soul and potential salvation. The ocean environment is made up of both living and nonliving objects which help to increase the offputting demonic sphere of nature. Aside from the slimy polyps, the description of mud characterizes the place as destructive sexuality as it “signifies a realm of faecality” (Johaness p.216-217). Although waste is not physically being produced within the story, it creates the image of the territory itself feasting on food through the form of mermaids and other beings that may have entered the territory to satiate their desires but were caught instead. Once these creatures have served their purpose as sustenance, they are discarded and set to rot on the sea floor with no opportunity for rebirth or salvation. In this instance, the sea witch’s territory largely mimics hell or eternal damnation because of its position on the vertical plane and because it causes total destruction of the body and soul of those who have been trapped in this area. 

In the ‘Merciless tragedy of Desire’ Johaness focuses on the oceanic plane and introduces the concepts of ‘cultivated nature’ and ‘demonic nature’ which relate to the two main oceanic locations in the Little mermaid. Although both the underwater kingdom and the sea witch’s territory are located beneath the waves, the sea witch’s territory lives up to Johaness title of ‘demonic’ and serves as a stand in for a physical hell within the tale. This stand in within the story aids in making The Little Mermaid an effective form of religious propaganda as it cements the belief that the ocean or places similar to it do not have the key to gaining a soul and eternal life. Instead a person must turn towards Christianity found on land and reject desire found in the ocean that falls out of favor with the church.

Works Cited: Johansen, Jørgen Dines. “The Merciless Tragedy of Desire: An Interpretation of H.C. Andersen’s ‘Den Lille Havfrue.’” Scandinavian Studies, vol. 68, no. 2, 1996, pp. 203–41. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40919857. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024.

Ranya Tobin

Professor Pressman

ECL 305

Midterm Essay #2

04/14/2024

Edna Pontilier, a Selkie Incarnate

Selkies have a certain empathetic charm to them that is unmatched by other creatures of myth. Any woman functioning under the stringent pressures of society can identify with the creature whose bodily rights and independence is often preyed upon and held just out of her reach. Similar to how women may also identify with Edna Pontilier, who is victim to the same pitfalls. Kate Chopin’s The Awakening follows the plotline of a classic selkie story, as Edna’s agency, much like a selkie, is usurped by marriage, and she is forced to deny her inherent nature in order to fit a role she was never made to exist in. Edna’s despair in having to deny herself in order to serve her family, her inability to feel fulfilled in the role society has forced her to exist in, and her inevitable return to the ocean makes her a selkie incarnate, framing her death as less of an act of self destruction, and instead as a means of returning to something greater than the man-made institutions of the land.

A Selkie, or “Seal Woman”, is a mythical creature with roots stemming from Viking Ballads of 793 AD to Ancient Ireland and the Northern Isles of Scotland (McEntire). The Selkie is most iconic for their thick, beautiful coats of fur. When hooded, these women roam the sea freely as seals, but when their coats are removed, they become beautiful, alluring humans able to tread upon land. These coats exist as a symbol of the woman’s autonomy, as she decides what form she takes, whether to sunbathe on the sand or swim with her kin in the ocean; however, this liberty, we find, is too easily usurped. Many Selkie stories follow a similar plotline, where a Selkie’s coat is stolen from her by a pirate or leering land-born man, and held ransom against her will. Without the pelt, the Selkie is barred from returning to her natural form and is forced to conform to human life as her assailant’s wife. Her existence on land is in service to her captor, as she is obligated to bear him children and keep his house, however, each retelling of the myth gives the seal woman the chance to make a great escape. Their husband is bound to make a mistake, accidentally revealing the location of where he has hidden the coat through a slip of the tongue or a not well thought out hiding spot, and she seizes the opportunity to steal it back and regain her access to the sea. The selkie will always return to the Ocean at the end of these stories, as she is an animal, not meant to exist within the confines of human constructs. Without looking back, she hastily abandons the life she was made to live on land, including the children she was forced to bear, in exchange for her freedom—which she desires above all else.

The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, written in 1898, coincidentally follows the classic Selkie plotline. The story centers around the character Edna Pontillier, a housewife in Louisiana, with two young boys and a husband named Léonce Pontellier—a forty-year-old, wealthy New Orleans businessman. Edna is a victim of the 1898 status quo, where a woman’s only purpose in life and typically only option is to serve a husband and bare him children. Some women happily take to this role, as observed in her friend Adele Ratignolle, but Edna is not one of these women. Edna is different, and something deep within her violently rejects the role that was forced upon her. She feels “an indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, [and] filled her whole being with a vague anguish.” (Chopin 16). Nancy Cassle McEntire’s article, “Supernatural Beings in the Far North: Folkore, Folk Belief, and the Selkie.”, explains the emotions of the Selkie housewives, stating that “[The selkie] often longs for the sea, but she resigns herself to her fate and becomes a dutiful wife and mother.” (McEntire 8). Edna and the Irish Seal Women share each others anquish, forced to be wives to husbands they do not love and mothers to children they were never meant to have—always longing for the life they belonged to and not the life they were chained to. They live in despair wishing to escape the oppression keeping them tethered to their husband’s homes. Despite her role as a wife and mother, Edna feels an undeniable duty to her inherent nature as a woman meant to be more than stuck in a house, more than a servant. Though she feels a natural maternal affection for her children, she is unable to abandon her inner nature for them, stating, “I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give myself.” (116). The core of Edna’s being longs to be free; she yearns for independence and the opportunity to explore a life beyond the house she was made to keep and the men she is forced to serve. This is very similar to how a Selkie, no matter how long she remains on land or how much she may care for her children, she will always long for the sea above all else. The Awakening also features frequent symbolism of the Ocean as a place of freedom and revitalization, and Edna’s frequent draw to it mirrors the connection between Selkies and their home. Edna ponders how, “the voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.” (39). The novel’s fixation on the Ocean and how it calls to Edna is uncannily similar to what a Selkie would experience in her situation. The Ocean acts as a refuge, warm and inviting like the home Edna did not have on land. It is a space that welcomes her and promises to revitalize her soul. This puts Edna on track to reaching the sea as an inevitable destination.

Understanding Edna’s connection to the mythical Selkie, women bound to existences they were never meant to live, drastically changes the ending of her story. The Awakening ends with Edna deciding to commit suicide by walking into the Ocean and swimming as far as she possibly can until her body eventually gives in to exhaustion—drowning her. By interpreting The Awakening as a selkie story, Edna’s final act is not one of self destruction or a result of an untreated mental health crisis. Instead, if Edna herself is a selkie, this end is not a death, but a return. In this final scene, Edna is liberating herself. In a reverse-Selkie fashion, “when she was there beside the sea, absolutely alone, she cast the unpleasant, pricking garments from her, and for the first time in her life she stood naked in the open air, at the mercy of the sun, the breeze that beat upon her, and the waves that invited her.” (268). Where a selkie would throw on her hood to return to her seal form before diving in, Edna strips off the clothes she is made to wear within the rules of the human world and enters the water in only her natural, naked body. She goes on to describe that “she felt like some new-born creature, opening its eyes in a familiar world it had never known.” (269). The novel takes care to describe that this is an encompassing transformation of self. Edna is no longer existing within the body she once used to tred the land and live in service. She shifts much like her Selkie predecessors into a new form; a form she was always meant to exist in. A form with which she can enter a new life. The most curious thing about Edna’s “death” however…is the novel never actually states that she passes away. The final sentence of the novel is “there was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of pinks filled the air.” (270). This is the final Earthly sensation Edna experiences, but she does not perish within the water—at least, the text never states so. This ending is left up to interpretation, with readers assuming she dies. However, when observing this conclusion through the lens of a Selkie story, this would be the moment Edna, following her transformation, escapes into the sea and lives out the free existence she was always meant to achieve.  

The Awakening by Kate Chopin was a monumental text of its time, with its ending leaving a lasting, sorrowful impression on its readers. To end the story with a suicide was a powerful choice, insisting to the novel’s readers that the social norm of a woman’s role being defined for her creates an uninhabitable existence for women who desired more. However, The Awakening as a Selkie story offers en ending of hope—promising trapped women that there is somewhere they can be free, somewhere waiting for them, that they do not have to pass through the afterlife to achieve. Edna, and other Selkies like her, are always gifted by their stories with a great escape; an opportunity to transform, shed their societal bounds and embrace themselves, before diving into a new existence that welcomes them with open arms.

Citations:

Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Penguin Classics, 2018.

Nancy Cassell McEntire. “Supernatural Beings in the Far North: Folkore, Folk Belief, and the Selkie.” Scottish Studies (Edinburgh), vol. 35, 2010, pp. 120-, https://doi.org/10.2218/ss.v35.2692.

Cristina Bacchilega and Marie Alohalani Brown, “Introduction: The Stories We Tell about Mermaids and Other Water Spirits” (Penguin, ix-xxii)

Jonah Mathewson

Jessica Pressman

ECL 305:Literature in the Environment

14 April 2024

Starbucks

The history of the Starbucks, its name, and logo (the mermaid) serve as a reflection of Western ideologies embodying themes of exploration, misogyny/feminism, capitalism, and contemporary environmental issues. Created and designed by three men, the history is heavily based on maritime themes including its opening location in Pikes Place Seattle (big seaport), the world-famous logo of a mermaid, and even the name is a reference to a Moby-Dick character named “Starbuck” which correlates to our studies over the duration of this English course.

The theme of exploration is represented through its maritime background and success. Often the ocean serves as a means of transit and travel facilitating exploration. Obvious examples of this are the voyages undertaken by famous explorers Christopher Columbus, Magellan, and Vespucci to name a few. Its extreme success and expansion has acted as an explorer itself by establishing its presence overseas in many countries leaving and imposing its influence and western culture in vast foreign cities big and small which can be compared to that of colonialism where another foreign entity gains a foothold in a foreign territory. As of today the company operates over 38,000 stores in 80 countries.

The logo itself and its meaning is a representation of misogyny and feminism all throughout its history of logo modifications. Its first image depicted a topless mermaid with short hair opening its split tail up and apart with its hands. The second modification to the logo changes its color from brown to green and covers the mermaid exposed breast with long wavy hair but maintains the action of the mermaid holding her legs up. The third and fourth image modifications are relatively similar depicting a closeup face shot of the mermaid with a slight view of its raised forked tail. The intentions of mermaids as we know is to entice, attract, and seduce men leading to their demise which from a business perspective can be to fulfills a customer’s strong desire for caffeine possibly leading to the detrimental affect of developing an addiction. However, the modifications of its logo with each iteration showcasing a more conservative image of the mermaid shows empowerment to women by covering her parts up and eliminating the need to blast a naked woman on their business to attract customers. One thing I found interesting was the heavy presence of male figures with the company including the creators and even the name “Starbucks” which was a reference to a male character, yet they placed a nameless seductive female entity as the face of the business. This structure of men using the image of a female mermaid (who already symbolizes lust and temptation to bring in customers and revenue) can be compared to the relationship between pimps and prostitutes highlighting the concept of misogyny and the control over women.

Before we knew the name Starbucks as it is today, it was initially named “Starbucks Coffee Tea and Spices” giving off the theme of capitalism. During the early days of trade coffee, tea, and spices were all extremely popular commodities that often brough wealth as well as bloodshed. Nevertheless, the trade of these goods facilitated the emergence of global capitalism evident with the historical Spice Trade, Silk road, and large trading companies such as the East India Trading Company. In today’s world, Starbucks is participating in global capitalism by having a presence in foreign markets whether its establishing new locations abroad or sourcing coffee beans from foreign entities.

Our recent readings in class have brought up environmental issues and humanity’s lack of attention towards the ocean. Over the last decade many companies began promoting their sustainable practices whether it’s them using recycled material in their clothing or using energy efficient methods such as solar panels. Starbucks has become a big advocate for promoting sustainable practices as seen with the replacement of plastic straws to paper straws. However, many people were not satisfied with the change as it did not suit their needs (the straws would dissolve) and Starbucks later rolled out the new sippy cup lids to solve this. Starbucks’ continued effort to implement sustainable practices in their business model regardless of the initial backfire of the paper straw indicates its dedicated mission to promoting awareness on ocean pollution and emphasizing the importance of being ecofriendly.

So how does all of this relate to our course? We have learned about the world environment throughout history using the mermaid as a symbol to symbolize different themes including the ones mentioned above: exploration, misogyny/feminism, capitalism, and contemporary environmental issues. In this case I have used Starbucks to symbolize these same exact themes by using its history and modifications to the company to show its adaptation to the constantly shifting environment whether that’s creating a less revealing logo or to implementing green practices.

Kiersten Brown
Professor Pressman
ECL 305
4/14/24

Siren: Discovery

The Freeform series Siren depicts mermaids as frightening predators. Siren contrasts the town’s celebration and folklore of mermaids as romantic and docile, shown in their Mermaid Days annual event. With the reality of the mermaids off their coast who are, as their leader Ryn shows, animal-like. Mermaids are not the romanticized version the people of Bristol Cove have created for their own fantasies. This show shows mermaids as creatures of nature and the ocean, not creatures of human culture or creativity. This thus serves as a reminder that mermaids are fierce creatures of the ocean, not human entertainment or fantasies. I see that this narrative is evident through the main character Ryn, who, despite her innocent and helpless appearance, is actually strong and violent. As this mermaid is navigating her new pair of legs in episode one, we see how this narrative that Bristol Cove has created about mermaids being weak and docile, is false.
In the first episode of Siren we can see how this fierceness of Ryn is portrayed, fending for herself in this new world and environment. Ryn’s depiction and behavior is breaking the narrative that Bristol Cove has created around mermaids, as they are celebrated in the annual parade, and are portrayed as innocent, blond blue-eyed, ignorant, and romanticized in general. The history of mermaids in Bristol Cove is the lore that the founder of the town fell in love with a mermaid, painting the picture that she was obedient and docile to him. This is shown with the parade celebration, as well as the statue built for the founder with the mermaid sitting at his feet, as if she is worshiping him and docile. This “love story” described between the mermaid and the founder turns out to be quite false, as he was obsessed and fascinated by her, which we find out at the end of episode one. As the episode goes on this idea of mermaids being docile and tame to humans is proven to be quite untrue, as Ryn cannot be tamed or controlled by the men around her. She refuses help from the other main character Ben, and anyone else who approaches her. Ryn’s true nature is portrayed through her actions, first killing the man who tried to assault her, and navigating the human world on her own without the reliance on a man to save her. When she killed the man in the car, blood splattered everywhere, depicting more of an animal-like kill, showing Ryn’s true nature and connection with nature. This narrative that the show Siren shows is how mermaids are independent and cannot be held down by humans or men, like the people of Bristol Cove have come to believe.
One of the most interesting portrayals of mermaids in “Siren” is the depiction of Ryn’s transformation from human to mermaid. While the town celebrates the depiction of mermaids to emphasize the beauty of a mermaid, Ryn’s transformation is depicted as almost demonic and is honestly disturbing to watch. Her tail, for example, is far from being covered with shells and pearls as it has more of an animal-like appearance, which further reinforces the show’s narrative of the connection between animals/nature with mermaids. This depiction is somewhat of a visual narrative for the untamed nature of mermaids, emphasizing not only their strength and capability of violence, but also showing their connection to being creatures of the ocean. We also see this as the sea lions suddenly growl and screech when they see/sense Ryn, they can sense the predator that she is as they escape into the water. She is an animal from the ocean, a big predator and threat to those creatures who dwell there as well. Not only this, but the imagery of Ryn’s transformation is more animal-like, and is also shown as very painful. Ryn is slowly dying, as she is separated from the water, also furthering the mermaid connection and need for the ocean. Not only does she rely on it to survive, but it is a part of who she is. She is not meant to be out of the water and live with humans, she is meant to be in the ocean preying on animals and sea creatures. As Ryn changes, it is not a beautiful image of her shifting from human to mermaid, but is a quite painful scene to watch. Depictions of her feet being sewn back into her tail, fins breaking the skin of her back to form, and her teeth morphing into sharp fangs, all animal like depictions. These images show the savage-like characteristics of mermaids, and that they are predators of the ocean.
Siren depicts Ryn as an animal-like predator, and someone to be feared. Throughout episode one, Ben is the only person who is genuinely trying to help Ryn. Before he realizes what she is, he also views her exterior as harmless and innocent. He learns this is not true, as when he jumps into the water to try to save her assuming that she is helpless and weak. Her exterior is deceiving to him and others, as it seems that she is lost and cannot speak english, he feels inclined to save or help her. As he jumps in he immediately sees her mermaid form, not as inviting as her human one. She sees him and attacks, going into her predatory mode and shifts from quiet and innocent, to violent. Although Ben did nothing to hurt or provoke her, it was as if she forgot his kindness before, and attacked – quite literally like a rabid animal. This depiction of Ryn further supports the narrative of mermaids the show Siren is trying to provoke: That they are animals and creatures of the ocean, not lovers and worshipers of humans that the town assumes. Humans are their prey in the ocean, nothing more than that. Once Ben escapes the water, with a bite on his neck from Ryn, he realizes just what he was dealing with. This new narrative of mermaids challenges all Ben has ever known of them, all the stories and folklore from his town proven to be false. The narrative of mermaids being beautiful tame creatures and lovers proves to be quite false, his ancestor was not telling the truth. As Ben was taken by Ryn’s siren song, he describes to her that it had been stuck with him since she sang it to him. This is showing the power of manipulation that Ryn holds as well, furthering the power she has over him and others. This has Ben questioning everything he’s ever known, and provoking new ideas and conceptions of mermaids.
Through the character of Ryn, Siren shows that mermaids are not tame and beautiful creatures, and instead the show presents mermaids as frightening predators. They are creatures that are capable of violence and murder. Ryn might have been seen as harmless in her human form, but the minute she hit the water she was no longer the prey, but she was the predator. The show Siren was able to portray that mermaids are a part of nature and the ocean, as they rely on it to survive. Ryn was strong, independent, and violent. She did not need a man to save her or the assistance of others, as she kept running away from Ben’s help. She was self-sufficient and able to take care of herself, although she didn’t quite know how to navigate the human world, she did not need the protection of a human or a man. By taking away the romanticized notions that Bristol Cove had of mermaids, and emphasizing the primal nature of the creatures, Siren offers an interesting interpretation of this mythological creature, one that resonates with themes of power, violence, and the relates them to the untamed wilderness of the Ocean.