The Little Mermaid

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This week, we finally read an all-time classic, “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Anderson. Some of the main themes I wanted to focus on in this blog post are the ideas of pain being normalized in feminism and also the idea of belonging to a group or place.

The little mermaid is told by an older, wiser mermaid that “pain must suffer pride” because she was wearing uncomfortable clothing. The little mermaid, being youngest of her sisters, grew up watching her siblings enter womanhood feeling equally uncomfortable. This is something that I feel a lot of young women see growing up, which in a way could be conditioning them to accept a life of pain because it’s “normal”. But why is it normal? The little mermaid feels immense pain in her legs every time she takes a step. It is almost as if she is being punished for being curious, in the same way Raymondin was. I’ve noticed that in a lot of the stories we have read in class, people who are curious tend to be punished.

Another interesting thing from the reading is the idea that Mermaids do not have souls while humans do, and they are aware of this. Mermaids are only given souls if “a priest lay his right hand” (pg 144) on them in order to officiate a marriage. This idea taps into the subconscious beliefs that Christianity has planted in both men and women that marriage is a necessity to have a completed life. But there is really nothing natural about marriage, it is a man-made concept. I love this idea because if souls exist, they have absolutely nothing to do with man-made concepts, they’d be natural and work in natural ways. Meanwhile, people are reading these popular stories, and while they may not necessarily believe they need matrimony in order to have a soul, they could potentially unintentionally develop the need to find a partner for marriage in order to truly feel complete.

This reading caught me off guard. I did not expect to enjoy this chapter as much as I did, and I feel that the reason for this is because the ideas of feminism and the symbolism are extremely telling of how society was at the time. It’s interesting to see how much yet how little has changed since then.

Week 7: My First Impression of The Little Mermaid… ever.

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Hello all!

This week we all read Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid. I’m sure many of us had never read the tale before, but I assume plenty of my classmates had watched the animated Disney film of the same name. I have not. The ride at California Adventure is where I’ve had the most interaction with The Little Mermaid; my friend took me on the ride a couple of times because there’s a slope near the beginning of it that keeps you relatively hidden, so we would hit their wax pen and be all goofy for the rest of our visit. You get the gist of the animated film’s story through attraction: Ariel lives under the sea but yearns to be a human, falls in love with a prince, they get married, neptune attends the wedding and everything is happily ever after. I knew the original story was darker, but I had no idea it was as sad and harrowing as it actually was.

Just a couple of things that interest me about the story:

  1. The fact that, in order to gain human legs, she had to give up her tongue is CRAZY. That stacked with the addition of her NEEDING him to marry her or she would die. Physically not being able to explain to the Prince that she was the one who saved him is such a scary predicament – it kinda left a pit in my stomach as I was reading.
  2. I think the note about mermaids dying and turning into seafoam is so neat. I wonder if Anderson came up with that himself or if it was a pre-established detail in the mythology around mermaids at the time. I have the image of a lonely sailor coming across a patch of seafoam in the middle of the sea and telling that to himself to make the monotony of floating in the ocean a little less dreadful.
  3. I was a little confused about the ending. Did she turn into a cloud? Where was the cloud going? Was she to eventually turn back into a mermaid? I’d love to discuss it.

Those were three big takeaways I got from Anderson’s The Little Mermaid. I really enjoyed my reading of it.

The Little Mermaid

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Reading the original story of The Little Mermaid when I grew up with the 1989 Disney version, I can see some major contrasts between the plot and tone. In Andersen’s story, there is a more melancholic tone to the story and it shows themes of sacrifice and consequences of the desire for love. Similar to the Disney film, the little mermaid sacrifices herself to be with the prince, but she doesn’t end up with him and she dissolves into sea foam instead. She makes a choice of selflessness and sacrifice. Throughout this story, there’s less emphasis on the little mermaid’s actual personality and more just the fact that she is longing for an eternal soul. I wouldn’t consider the end of the story a tragic ending because she earns an immortal soul from making the right decisions and choosing not to be selfish.

The Disney version of the little mermaid is more fairytale like and lighthearted, but the two stories still definitely share some characteristics. Andersen’s tale focuses on themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the pursuit of a soul, while Disney’s version emphasizes themes of love, self-discovery, and personal agency. Disney’s obviously was written for a broad audience of families and children so their goal was to entertain and lift the spirits of their viewers. While the central plot remains similar, with the Little Mermaid sacrificing herself for the prince, the Disney version provides a more definitive and conventionally happy ending where love triumphs over adversity, and the protagonist is rewarded with her happily ever after. Disney’s story has a clear moral message and universal appeal, while Andersen’s can be perceived in varying perspectives. The differences in tone and thematic focus between Andersen’s original tale and Disney’s adaptation reflect the distinct intentions of the authors. Andersen’s was written with different intentions as it provided moral lessons and social commentary. I see his story as a cautionary tale about the consequences of sacrificing ones self for the sake of love or ambition. Andersen used his story to explore deeper philosophical and existential themes, rather than just for mere entertainment purposes. I think it is so interesting for me to learn about the original story versus the adaptation that I grew up with. I hope we see more of this in our future readings!

Week Seven: The Little Mermaid

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After reading Hans Christian Andersons version of the Little Mermaid, I was very intrigued with the similarities and differences of the Disney movie. I would say that most of the plot was pretty similar, minus the ending and other small details. One concept that intrigued me a lot was the relationship between the Prince and the Little Mermaid. In Hans depiction of it, as the mermaid had no voice or song, she was mute, and the Prince looked at her more as a pet than a lover. One line in the story states “The prince declared that he would never part with her, and she obtained leave to sleep on a velvet cushion before his door.” (page 144) I thought this description was quite interesting, as he gives her permission to sleep outside his door basically on a fancy dog bed. This takes away the little mermaids morality and quite literally turns her into his pet. Their relationship is quite interesting in the story, as he views her as his “little foundling” and pet, but says if he was inclined to marriage it would be with her. This dynamic threw me off just because of how he refers to her in adoration but also disrespect. As he says he never wants her to leave his side, yet he called her his little foundling and his “dumb child.” This could be his way of showing his affection, but it is also clear that he has romanic feeling for the girl who saved him form his death, and even though the mermaid is she, he could never love her. Another aspect of this version of the Little Mermaid that surprised me was how it ended with her death, and her becoming sea foam. The witch didn’t become the new bride, nor did the mermaid end up with the prince. It was a bittersweet ending, as instead of saving herself and killing the prince, she sacrificed herself to the Ocean, sort of facing the consequences she got herself into. I appreciated the non-cliche ending, but it was also sad to see how the prince ended up happy and the little mermaid did not because he didn’t love her or give her his immortal soul. This goes back to the question: Why did she need a man for her happiness and life? This is a repeating question I find myself asking almost after every story or tale we read. Almost all the women depicted in these stories long for a human man and a human love, to save them. I think this goes back to show the idea of the patriarchy even now, and the stereotypes put on love and happiness. Not only do women have the expectation of sacrificing earthing for a husband or family, but also the idea of how the Little mermaid was looked at as a pet, not another human being.

The Little Mermaid and the parallels of an Immigrant Experience

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When reading Chris Hans Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, many things came to mind, including the barriers of humans and nature, and things like sacrifice and selflessness. The little mermaid sisters and family were the one thing I could not stop thinking about when and even after finishing. It is clear that the little mermaid upon leaving was in distress and knew she would miss her sisters, her grandmother, and her family in general,”, now that she was dumb and was about to leave them forever. Her heart seemed ready to burst with anguish.” (pg123, Bacchilega). One of the many glimpses of sacrifice in our story is that she continues to leave her family and home behind, hoping to find love with our human prince.

After reading, I asked myself why I could not stop thinking of the sisters she left behind and how now being a daughter of the air, could not return to see her family. It reminded me of a story all too familiar. Growing up as a first-generation Mexican-American, it was exactly the story of my parents and their siblings. Leaving a country, in this case, the sea, for better opportunities, for the mermaid the chance of “true love,” and never being able to return. The Little Mermaid experience parallels the dreams and aspirations of many immigrants looking to leave their homes. A few other parallels I noticed were the struggle with identity, cultural assimilation, and sacrifice. The main one I would like to expand on is the yearning for belonging. Like the little mermaid, immigrants, and the children go through life feeling the same longing, being caught between two cultures and not feeling fit for either of them. In one sense there is a desire to return home, like the little mermaid longing for her sisters or family, but on the other hand, there is a stronger desire to pursue your opportunities and assimilate to a new culture.

The Little Mermaid to me, served as an allegory for the complexities of the immigrant experience. Which I greatly appreciated, and was definitely caught by surprise.

Week 7: The Victorian Standard – The Little Mermaid

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For this week’s reading, I really enjoyed learning the story of the “The Little Mermaid.” Being such a big fan of the original 1989 movie, I found it quite interesting reading the story for the first time and seeing the continuous theme from both the movie and the original story about the fascination of the unknown from both the merpeople and humans. Being such a big theme in a lot of the past readings we have done, the fascination of the unknown was definitely prevalent in the reading, “What struck her as the most beautiful was that the flowers of the earth should shed perfumes, which they do not below the sea; that the forests were green, and that the fishes amongst the trees should sing so loud and so exquisitely that it must be a treat to hear them” (Penguin, page 110). Not yet being able to go above the water till she is fifteen the little mermaid throughout the whole story, “Longed after all these things, just because she could not approach them,” I am very fascinated by this idea because humans as well do this in attempts to understand certain things (Penguin, page 111). As well, their fascination is conveyed the constant use of similes and metaphors when describing the land above which furthers the idea of the fascination of the unknown. Humans and Mermaids, since they are half human, share this quality of curiosity which can thus continue the argument that mermaids ( and thus the environment) should be treated equally as they are part human as well. But a quote that stood out to me, that can argue as much as mermaids are half human, they yet are still not seen or treated as equal because “Mermaids have no tears, and therefore suffer all the more,” and this emphasis that though the upper half of their bodies are of human description, they do not carry the emotion or “soul” that humans contain since they are not able to display their emotions fully because they cannot abide on land (Penguin, page 113). 

Week 7: The Little Mermaid

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Reading The Little Mermaid this week for the very first time was a real jaw dropper. Growing up this was one of if not the only Disney movie that I would constantly watch on replay and eventually became my favorite movie ever, so to wrap my head around this story for the first time is difficult. Noticing how the story I read and what I know of the movie stayed consistent for the most part, there was a dramatic change in the endings to both story and movie. There was no happily ever after in the original story, but instead there was an ultimatum for the little mermaid to either prioritize and pick herself or to continue to prioritize a man whom she did not know.

There was a point in the story in which really resonated with me as it reflects the idea of today’s society. The moment in which the grandmother had told her that “Our souls are not immortal.” (page 117) and then proceeds to describe the only way in which to obtain a soul is by making sure a man was fully committed to you but also only deeply in love with you is very hard to believe. This section to me made me truly realize that even in stories involving mermaids and the sea, men still found a way to have some sort of control over females and mermaids. The little mermaid went to an extreme extent to be with a man who did not know her but also that she was not certain that would love her, just to ultimately take that risk for him. At the end of the story in which she is given a final chance to pick herself over the prince, she still does not do so as she still puts him over herself even though he was already married to someone else at this point. This idea goes back to last week’s discussion as how it is perceived that women cannot be complete without a man. There is a saying that goes around and is frequently said which is “my life never started until I met you” which I believe applies to the story of The Little Mermaid as she had made it known that she preferred living on land with the prince since it did not compare to living down in the ocean with her family. I believe it also shows in a way how women in toxic relationships can be easily influenced to leave behind what they know, their background, family, and entire lives all for a single man who they have known for not so long. Reflecting on this story and comparing it to the world we live in today, truly puts into perspective that as time goes on, men will still be perceived as having more power and control over women.

Week 6: “Undine and Huldbrand: Love and Nature”

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For this week’s reading assignment, Undine, the story of a mermaid who categorizes her race as “Undines” has married a knight through the church. The story however takes place the day after the marriage, but something is tugging at Undine’s heart, which I believe is that she wants to come clean to her now husband, Huldbrand. Undine’s story was wholesome from start to finish as it shows a different perspective of what we’ve been seeing throughout the readings assigned. I may be wrong, but I felt this was a heartfelt romantic passage between two beings that though their differences are huge, their love for each other keeps them together. As shown in the passage, I was surprised that Undine came forward to tell Huldbrand the truth about her and where she comes from, “Listen attentively to what I will relate to you…You must know my loved one, that there are beings in the elements which almost appear like mortals, and which rarely allow themselves to become visible to your race.” (Bacchilega & Brown 104) 

Not only has Undine revealed what she is to her husband but to her coming heartbreak also lets Huldbrand know what it is of the Undines once they pass away. “We and our like in the other elements, vanish into dust, pass away, body and spirit so that no vestige of us remains behind; and when you mortals hereafter awake to a purer life, we remain with the sand and the sparks and the wind and waves.” (Bacchilega & Brown 105)  

I enjoyed reading this passage as I could feel the fear Undine felt with her revelation and her husband’s decision after doing so. To this, I feel like Undine represents that part of nature that wants to be known, discovered, and cherished. Nature personified telling us to adore and take care of it with the fear that humans may turn against it. Fortunately for Undine, and also to my happiness, Huldbrand replies to her in the best way he can express his love to her, and she to him, “She was about to say still more, but Huldbrand embraced her with the most heartfelt emotion and love, and bore her back to the shore…he swore amid tears and kisses, never to forsake his sweet wife,…Undine walked back to the cottage, leaning on his arm; feeling now for the first time with all her heart,” (Bacchilega & Brown 106) 

There is no man vs mermaids/nature in this passage, and I’m living for it. It is about a man accepting and truly loving nature and everything that has to do with it, which is Undine. This must be my favorite story from The Penguin Book of Mermaids, so far. 

Week 7: The Little Mermaid and Christianity

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The Little Mermaid contained a lot of Christian imagery and ideology, but I found the contrast between air spirits and mermaids really fascinating. The two different creatures were representations of heaven and hell where souls were either present or not. Mermaids are described many times as not having an immortal soul which signifies that they cannot live in an afterlife. For instance, the grandma of the little mermaid explicitly tells the little mermaid that their “souls are not immortal. [They] shall never enter upon a new life” (Andersen, p. 116). This means that a mermaid’s soul is returned to the earth and is not meant for anything further than that. In Christianity, a person who has been “saved” by Christ is seen as having an eternal soul that will continue to exist in another plane after death. However, people who are not saved by Christ are not allowed to experience eternal life. In this way, mermaids represent those who were considered unholy and destined for hell at the time. Their souls will never be able to experience the “greatness” of the “unknown and favoured regions” (Andersen,p. 116) humans enter after death. 

Comparatively, the air spirits are a clear representation of heaven and godliness. The imagery of the air spirits resembles angels who are messengers of God in Christianity. The aerial spirits exist to do good deeds for humans and are given the chance to live in the human afterlife. It is explained to the little mermaid that “the daughters of the air, although not possessing an immortal soul by nature, can obtain one by their good deeds” (Andersen, p. 128). This opportunity to get an immortal soul is the closest that un-human entities can get to being human. From my understanding, this is a representation of becoming “saved” in Christianity. In the religion, a person must follow God and do good deeds, which is what the aerial spirits are doing. They depict the people who at the time were considered to be righteous and who would do God’s work. 

This dichotomy also made me think of the discussion in class we had about verticality. The mermaids are underwater which hints at hell because it’s below and the only way to get an immortal soul would be through duplicity. The air spirits are in the air which hints at heaven because it’s above everything and the only way to get an immortal soul would be from doing good in the world.  

Week 7: The Little Mermaid and Her Grandmother

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This week I found the Little Mermaid story to be intriguing and brought back a handful of childhood memories. The main portion I want to dive into is when the grandmother is explaining the difference between humans and merpeople and their souls. She says, “unless a human being loved you so dearly that you were more to him than either father or mother; if all his thoughts and his love were centered in you, and he allowed the priest to lay his right hand in yours, promising to be faithful to you here and hereafter: then would his soul glide into your body, and you would obtain a share in the happiness awaiting human beings” (Bacchilega, Brown, Page 119). I had a few thoughts about what this excerpt could mean with the first being that I believe the author is suggesting that mermaids (or more specifically women) cannot be whole/complete unless they have their male counterpart to provide and care for them. This has been a recurring theme across the mermaid stories we have read so far, especially when considering Melusine. However at the same time I find this ironic because merpeople seem to have other-worldly powers, wouldn’t the man become complete with marrying into power versus the other way around? My second thought–especially after the introduction stating that after a mermaid loses her tail and gains feet that it is a symbol of sexual maturity–is that maybe she will gain a soul after making herself sexually available for a human (or more specifically the prince). My third attraction to this quote is the importance of comparing romantic love versus familial love. I personally have never considered or seen those to be in the same boat, but rather as two separate concepts. I think it would be weird to love your significant other the same way you love your parents, but I guess it’s more so the concept of holding the other in your thoughts and heart at all points of the day. I am interested as to if this was published before or after the romantic era to have a better understanding on views of love at the time.