Week 2

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Before this reading, I didn’t know much about mermaids or where they originated from but it was so interesting to read and learn about. The perception of mermaids has changed over time through different cultures and places based on the stories and illustrations passed on. I thought it was interesting to read about how sexualized mermaids became, especially from a Christian perspective. It reflects a power dynamic between men and women that still very much exists today. Women’s bodies are often objectified and seen as controlled by men, which is shown frequently throughout the illustrations and pictures in the reading. I think that the sexualization of mermaids serves as a view into the deeper cultural beliefs and narratives about women and their role in society. In the text, there’s a quote that really stuck out to me, “Mermaids continued as mascots for the defamation of the feminine, representing religious traditions as well as folk-portents of storms, doom and death. Perhaps even more overtly, sixteenth-century Westerners often called prostitutes ‘mermaids’ or ‘sirens’.”

I also found it very interesting about how many people claimed to see merpeople in the medieval period. After claiming to see a mermaid or merman, these people seemed to gain some attention and/or fame. In the reading, it talks about how many of the people who said they interacted with merpeople were often a part of a higher class and were considered to be trustable people in society. I think this may be a main reason of why no one often questioned that they were lying or possibly fabricating something they saw in the water. There was a quote in the book that reads, “Perception, in short, is everything.” This quote expresses the the idea that people’s beliefs and interpretations can shape their understanding of the world around them, like their perceived sightings of merpeople in these times. I think it is very understandable as to why many believed they saw merpeople in the oceans because humans have a natural tendency to make sense of their surroundings with figments of our imagination.

Week 1: Introduction

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Hello everyone, my name is Paige Harrisberger and I am currently in my second year at San Diego State University, studying as a Business Administration major. I was born and raised in Orange County, which is only about an hour and a half north of San Diego. I’ve always lived near the beach and cannot handle the cold, which is one of the main reasons I chose to go to school here. In my free time, I love doing things with my friends like going shopping or trying out new places to eat or get coffee. I don’t have a lot of free space in my schedule though because I work around 20-30 hours a week, as well as being a full time student. When I signed up for this class, I didn’t know it was going to be about mermaids, but I love learning about new things and I’m excited to see what is to come in this class!!

Week 3: Cultural Differences in Representations of Mermaids

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What I found interesting in the reading this week was some of the ideas presented in the Penguin Book of Mermaids. This introduction discussed some of the differences in cultural representations of mermaids. For instance, the Romans and Greeks had Sirens, who were seen as harlots. In Britain, mermaids were compared to prostitutes: “…the appellation of prostitutes as ‘mermaids’ in early modern British culture likewise attests to how a woman who oversteps the boundaries of gender propriety has, over centuries, risked being defined as monstrous” (p. xiii). Both these cultures clearly look down upon these ideas of mermaids, and the feminine. This has an interesting contrast when compared to Hawaiian ideas of mermaids, which is also discussed briefly in this introductory chapter. The author states: “Significantly, there are no tales of men who try to tame their mo’o partners, because the mo’o, like the features of the water they embody, cannot be contained or domesticated” (p. xx). This representation of mermaids in Hawaiian culture allows them to be independent beings, who are not being objectified, or ‘tamed’, like other stories. Meanwhile, European culture is more focused on the idea of ‘taming’ a woman, and the struggle for power between a man and woman who are romantically involved. When discussing European cultural views of mermaids, the author states: “These tales speak to the discrepancy between men’s longing for a woman unfettered by social mores and their attempt to control her by domesticating her” (p.xviii). Not only can these ideas of taming a mermaid be seen in these tales, but this can be seen in modern day relationships, where some men have the mindset of ‘taming’ a woman and expecting submission. 

I found these cultural examinations of perception of mermaids to be interesting as the other reading from Merpeople  was more focused on the Christian Church and how Europeans viewed mermaids. I am interested in learning more about how Hawaiian culture viewed merpeople, and how other cultures may have viewed mermaids with respect and as equals, as opposed to mythical creatures that are both intriguing and dangerous. I do wonder if Indigenous culture plays a role in how mermaids may be viewed. In the introduction to Penguin Book of Mermaids, the author briefly mentions that “mermaids and other water spirits raised issues of gender, voice, and sexuality, as well as knowledge, ecology, and spirituality–especially but not only in Indigenous contexts” (p. x). I don’t want to speak on something I do not know much about, but it is my understanding that some Indigenous cultures, especially in the US, believe that animals have spirits and often represent significant things in these cultures. So, I wonder if Indigenous Hawaiian culture, if possessing similar beliefs, may have had more respect for merpeople because of this–having previous respect for non-human forms leads to respect for half human half animal forms. 

Week 3: : Mermaid as Metaphor and Paradigm for Understanding Culture, History, and the Environment

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For this week’s reading I found it fairly interesting in regards to the idea that through the different stories of mermaids and how humans have always had a fascination towards them, we are able to understand the history at the time and the beliefs at the time. The fascination of mermaids and the stories being told were not of fairy tales or fiction, “But as myths and legends,” with that being said individuals, “believed or believe in the material and/or symbolic truth of the tale” of mermaids (Cristina, page 16). Along with this idea of our constant fascination with mermaids throughout the years, it brings up the question of “What does our fascination with this dangerous yet desirable other suggest about us” (Cristina, page 14)? To answer this question one can look back to past stories where it is said that, “Beauty can be a powerful weapon – a lure that draws us nearer, a temptation that we are unable to resist … They (as in mermaids) reflect our fascination with and fear of female bodies” (Cristina, page 14). These misogynistic views of mermaids have been used in the past during times when women were associated with such a negative connotation, and it aids in conveying the history of how women and mermaids were thought of and treated, “The appellation of prostitutes as “mermaids” in early modern British culture likewise attests to how a woman who oversteps the boundaries of gender propriety has, over centuries risked being defined as monstrous” (Cristina, page 13). But as time goes by and looking at a different location, individuals are able to see the growth of what mermaids are representing and viewed in a more positive light, for example in hawaiian stories, “There are no tales of men who try to tame their mo’o (mermaid) partners because the mo’o like the features of water they embody; cannot be contained or domesticated. Thus, the confluence of anthropocentrism and misogyny often found in European tales is absent” (Cristina, page 20). The idea of mermaids thus is seen as more an embodiment of nature and beauty and not in a negative sense as seen in early British culture. The hawaiian stories of mermaids in a sense uplift mermaids, and in a way women, and in the stories turn the tables to the men to control their desires because these beings are beautiful, “Rather than cautionshing men against the dangerous power of powerful female beings in the European tales, these tales enjoin respect for nonhuman life and divine power” (Cristina, page 20). So as the years go by the idea of mermaids has grown to be more of an uplifting idea and a way to express oneself and the reimagined figure allows for, “ Fluid feminine self-possession or playful queerness. If the mermaids overstepping the boundaries of gender or sexual propriety is transgressive, it is embraced as such, and not punished” (Cristina, page 22). Thus again, through the foretelling of stories throughout the years and in different cultures about mermaids, individuals are able to see the timeline and progress of society that was occurring. 

Introduction

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Hello class! My name is Jonah and this is my first year at SDSU. I transferred from Southwestern Community College and am studying Information Systems. I was born and raised here in San Diego, so if anyone needs recommendations on good restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. feel free to reach out. My hobbies are traveling, trying new things (especially food), and hitting the gym. A fun fact about me is I have 9 pets, no cats thankfully, and have a soft spot for animals, though not soft enough to turn vegetarian. When I found out this class was about mermaids I thought, “What did I get myself in to?”, but now I think it’s something new and interesting to learn. I’m looking forward to working with you all!

Week 2

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This week’s reading on Vaugh Scibner’s Merpeople has made me realize how long the myth of merpeople already exists. Having known basically nothing, I would have never thought that the history of mermaids and mermen has deep roots in the Christian Church, with merpeople characterizing “hybridity, contradiction and power struggles” (Scribner, p.29). In medieval churches, mermaid sculptures were often used for decorative purposes. It is grotesk to believe that churches put mermaid sculptures into their holy halls, even though they were afraid of mermaids having a sinful creature and being dangerous to men. That leads me to another aspect that puzzled me, which is the difference in how mermen and mermaids are perceived. When people nowadays think of mermaids, they have this image of a beautiful half-human and half-animal in mind, which has a feminine outward appearance with for example long beautiful hair, a pretty face, … just like Disney’s Ariel.

The question which arose to me was, whether mermaids in western cultures have always been presented in this way. After reading this week’s chapter. I came across the interesting fact that mermaids were first perceived as dangerous aquatic females who intend to bring men to death (cf. Scribner, p. 31). Apart from that, mermaids were not described as being beautiful, instead they were having “twelve feet […], and six necks […], and on each one an awful head” (Scribner, p. 31). Only a few centuries later the mermaids were repeatedly shown as “dangerous, passionate, sexual beings, with topless torsos” (Scribner, p.40). This image might also be the one that coined our current image of mermaids. Mermen in comparison were portrayed as being predominant (Scribner, p.34), as well as in religious self-control (Scribner, p.51). It would be interesting to get a little bit more knowledge on how this shift has happened.

Another topic worth a discussion is in how far mermaids are a figure of misogyny. Even though I think that everyone knows about misogyny I will still put a little definition into this post: Misogyny is the “hatred or prejudice against women, typically exhibited by men. It is generally accepted that misogyny is a consequence of patriarchy” (Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/misogyny). As mermaids are regarded as sexualized and sinful creatures in church, one could also argue that misogyny must be part of how we see mermaids now. It might be interesting to discuss in class, how women in general were degraded and seen at that time.

Week 1: Introduction

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Hi everyone! My name is Lina Rau. I was born and raised in a small village in Germany and came here just two weeks ago. In Germany, I am studying two majors at the same time. The first one is English and the second one is Geography. After my bachelor’s and master’s Degree, I will be an English and Geography teacher for high schools. This is also the reason why I chose to come to the U.S.

Besides of studying, I love taking strolls and discover new places. Especially then if the day ends with a great coffee! 😊 Apart from that, I love reading, playing guitar or meeting my friends. Reading something about the mermaid myth has never come to my mind, but I’m so excited for everything we will learn this semester.

Let me say that I am so thankful for your warm welcome in class and that I am looking forward to meeting all of you. I am already so excited to learn more about mermaids! This semester will be great!

Viele Grüße!

Merpeople

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In Merpeople “A Human History” the historical background of mermaids is discussed and has brought a great amount of new perspectives. Prior to this my understanding of mermaids was slim to none, sure I have enjoyed fictional works with mermaids, but I have never questioned the history behind these creatures. After studying this I am fascinated but also not surprised as the traditional views of women remain similar to the historic understanding mermaids. The way that mermaids are perceived as sexual and objective is similar to the way that women were, and still are, viewed in life and various fictions. Similarly, stereotypes between mermen and man linger simultaneously. The idea that they are with “lust for sex and power”( Scribner,11) does not fall short of how they are perceived in a non-mermaid world. With that being said, there are ways were I can connect the two and reiterate that merpeople are used “to gain a deeper understanding of one of the mysterious, capricious and dangerous creatures on Earth: humans( Scribner, 7).

On the contrary, there are surely some ideas that have come to my surprise. Specifically, the fact that religion plays great a role in the history of mermaids. What specifically caught my attention is how the Christian Church typically encourages a modest, more reserved lifestyle yet the mermaid was deemed such a sexual creature. Considering my lack of previous study on this topic, I am interested to see how mermaids are perceived and understood in different religions apart from the Disney films I have seen. I guess my knowledge also comes from a very specific type of mermaid film, and one thats audience is much younger. I am excited to broaden my understanding and learn more about this character.

The Human Woman and Mermaids-A degration

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One of the major themes that I found when reading Vaughn Scibner’s, Merpeople: A Human History, was the degradation and defamation of feminity and womanhood as a whole. This stood out to me because my personal beliefs revolving around mermaids focus solely on their beauty and praise of feminity, not on their negative associations. Keeping this in mind many questions arose when thinking of this concept, how does the role of mermaids attempt to tame and train women? What do depictions/ texts about mermaids reveal about women’s relationships at the time? How did a mermaid’s sexual appeal build over time” And What does the depiction of mermaids and mermen express about genre roles, specifically opinions on women? I would love to touch on every one of these specifically but I want to dive into the overall concept and think of all of these questions under one bubble.

On page 41, he states the idea that medieval church men had the “ultimate goal remained tethered to decentring the feminine. Hence the repeating image of mermaids as dangerous, passionate, sexual beings…”(Scribner, 41) Mermaids were often depicted to be enticing representations of sin and deception, which I believe was to scare human women. Depictions and stories constantly disrespect the mermaid figure and blatantly say that their depictions were intended to tear down the representation of women. A similar concept continues with the idea of “equating femininity with inferiority. Renaissance woman accordingly experienced a fringe existence in public society” (Scribner, 61) where one can truly see the connection drawn between mermaids and women. The intention behind this quote is a negative, and attempts to degrade/ oppress not only the mermaid but the woman as a whole.

“Nevertheless, mermen remained clear reflections of the Church’s ability to merge the wondrous and the religious sin in an effort to denigrate femininity while vaulting men to positions of prominence and piety ” ( Scribner, 53) Rather than focus on the mermaid, this quote focuses on the depiction of the mermaid to express the concept of opinions on women and taming the woman figure. The words hold negative connotations and denotation, using the words, ” denigrate feminity” yet the “prominence” of the male figure. These phrases juxtapose each other in the most clear way, showcasing a revelation about women in literature and art in a negative light.

While I focused on the negative depictions/relationship between womanhood and mermaids, mermaids can be depicted to signify beauty, strength, and popularity. Throughout the book, one can clearly see the changing attitudes and depictions, from beauty to fear to sin, etc. This is the duality of the mermaid in the most pure form and represents a tie between womanhood and the depiction of mermaids.

Introduction

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Hello! I’m Kim and my major is English and Comparative Literature. I am a second semester transfer student from San Diego City College and proud to be at SDSU! I’m also born and raised in San Diego. Although my knowledge about mermaids extends to the Disney version of The Little Mermaid, I’m excited to learn through a different and more intellectual perspective. I’m also enthusiastic to learn what relation mermaids have to the environment!