Tag Archives: Merpeople: A Human History “introduction”

Merfolk: A Sign of Misfortune or Beacons of Hope?

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Traveling back to a time where the only form of communication was through word of mouth and written forms/letters, it seems almost impossible not to have any historical accounts of mythological creatures such as dragons, unicorns, and cyclopes. However, one mythical creature that catches most peoples attention and continues to trend in various forms of media and art itself is none other than the mermaid.

There are many reasons as to why this specific creature (mermaid) is arguably the most popular one out of all of the other ones and after reading Merpeople: A Human History by Vaughn Scribner, one of the many reasons that stood out to me which I never really took into consideration was the fact that the mermaid/man is a combination of an animal and a human. This hybrid characteristic something that although may seem tame in the world of myths due to the fact that there are many other creatures that are more otherworldly and supernatural (e.g. Phoenix, Wyvern, Cerberus, etc.) while simultaneously having features from actual animals, it still goes back to the hybrid characteristic of merpeople that makes that specific creature so interesting and compelling.

Further understanding of merpeople makes one truly appreciate the complexity of their origin and initial perception which is symbolic in religion, “..these half-women, half-fish served as ideal symbols of wonder and danger for Church leaders” (Scribner). With more information being showcased in this section of the reading, one begins to realize just how different the media has portrayed merpeople – more specifically mermaids – in a wondrous light with an actual functioning society and hierarchy when in reality, the early depictions of mermaids were shown to, in a way, criticize lust and sexuality in a manner that would leave the viewer shocked and repulsed due to the lack of clothing and complete fish form below the waist. While the theological portrayal of the mermaid is associated with lust and the danger of said feeling, one would have to also take into account the historical background of the mermaid through the lenses of sailors, and as the rise of explorers became a huge contribution to the reports of these mythological creatures, it also makes one wonder whether the “sightings” were either just completely fabricated or a misinterpretation of an actual marine organism for a mermaid.

As one continues to research the subject of mermaids and just how common it was to encounter one throughout the Nineteenth Century, it almost makes one ponder about the legitimacy of these accounts, and when one begins to question said accounts, one piece of information that is important to mention is that the ocean is so vast and so diverse. Although this fact is obvious, it does beg the question, why is the concept of merpeople included in the “fantasy” category? This is not to say that such a creature exists, but after completing the reading, the concept of the mermaid does not seem completely absurd especially after viewing various different marine organisms that do seem fictional like the colossal squid.

With the many different interpretations of merpeople existing throughout the years, there really is no true answer to whether they are a sign of good luck or meant to serve as a cautionary tale. However, I view the mermaid as a misunderstood being; a creature that is not accepted on land nor in the sea which is entirely relatable if one is in a transitional phase in their lives. Although this is just the introduction to merpeople, I am already intrigued and hoping to expand my knowledge on the correlation between merpeople and the environment.

Week 2: Merpeople and the Human Obsession of Hybridity

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From the very start of the introduction, Scribner draws his readers in with quite an unorthodox observation: “Merpeople are everywhere” (Scribner 7). Typically, you don’t think merpeople are “everywhere,” after all, we are land-dwelling creatures, which would deprive a mermaid of living ability. And yet, Scribner notes various forms in which mermaids are seen daily: the mascot of a coffee chain, TV shows, and even “Mermaid University” programs.

This interest in mermaids isn’t new, Scribner notes, saying that this interest has always been present in humans. I find it interesting that Scribner goes on to say that “[T]hese hybrid creatures represented danger as much as hope, wonder as much as horror” (8), which makes me wonder—what is it about hybridity that humans tend to obsess over? What is it about the blending of two things we are so obsessed with? Perhaps I have a different perspective on this because I grew up in a mixed-race household—my mom being Filipino and my dad being Italian-American—but I can’t count the number of times I’ve received strange comments about my lineage: “So, what are you?” “Wow, so exotic!” “That’s so interesting.” I don’t exactly take offense to it, but there is a little bit of a sting when people (usually from older generations) have this sort of intrigued yet fascinated look when I tell them I am mixed. But the human interest in mixed things doesn’t stop at these mixed children like myself; we see it in cultural/regional fusion dishes, domesticated dog breeds (most dogs nowadays are hardly ever pure-bred), even academic disciplines (Interdisciplinary Studies?), and many more I can’t think of off the top of my head. I think humans are naturally drawn to this mashing up of two different things because we crave uniqueness and originality, with the mermaid and other hybrid mythical creatures satisfying this craving thousands of years ago to today. Scribner goes on to solidify this, writing, “Monster theory and hybrid studies are imperative for Merpeople: A Human History, especially in their ability to reveal the humanity in such seemingly foreign, incongruous manifestations of the natural world” (8).

The last thing I noted while reading this introduction was Scribner’s observations that “[W]hile mermen found their origins in a Greek God, mermaids largely originated from hideous beasts who only intended to bring man to destruction through his own lust for sex and power” (11). I find it quite interesting that this evolution—man from God, woman from beast—is likely from patriarchal structures that prevail throughout time and is reflected in our own society today. Women being placed below men on the pedestal because “Eve committed original sin.” Women being told they are too emotional to lead. Women are being told they are weaker and, thus, inferior. I don’t think these examples hailed from the mermaid coming from hideous beasts, but it is definitely related. It is yet another example of women getting the short end of the stick and often being the “root cause” of men’s problems (e.g., being the reason they get led to their doom, even though they craved sex and power). This Introduction sets up a brilliant framework for how mermaids have shaped modern society today.

The Silence of the Mermaids

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In Merepeople: A Human History, Vaughn Scribner says that mermaids act as a means for symbolism for the shift in humanity and their conceptions of myth, religion, science, and capitalism (27). Mermaids perfectly reflect that change in humanity from believing in something mythical to exorting it. Mermaids were viewed as grotesque to some, simply because they’re half-human and half-animal. Whereas some mythological creatures like angels, for example, are very much also hybrid beings–half bird and half human–are symbolic in a different way; a way that is full of purity and transcendence. Mermaids were vilified while angels were, quite literally, angelic and uplifting. The stark contrast between those two hybrid beings shows how gendered interpretations chose whether a hybrid was to be celebrated or condemned.

I feel like the human half of the mermaid should’ve invited sympathy, which could’ve been symbolic in a way that allows people to connect their own experiences to life, not just on the surface, but as Princess Ariel’s good friend, Sebastian, once said, also under the sea. But instead, the difference between merepeople and humans was just too vast, and humans couldn’t relate to them, and that’s what began painting them as monstrous. Early portrayals of merepeople started with mermen, and they were associated with being strong and as a force in nature. But as religious and artistic traditions changed, women were physically and figuratively becoming the face of the merepeople. Triton’s wife, Amphitrite, and other mermaids were sexualized and defined with less autonomy and more by how they reflected a man’s anxieties and desires as time progressed.

It’s also very important to note that Christianity very much weaponized this villainization of mermaids. Christians used mermaids as symbols of sin and as a warning against feminine temptation, “A scriptural passage from the Wisdom of Sirach simply stated, ‘better the wickedness of a man than a woman doing good’. Women, for early Christian leaders, represented lust, weakness and man’s fall from grace” (37). When mermaids started to be transformed into sirens and their “siren song” epitomized the danger of a woman’s voice. Instead of letting mermaids be protectors of the ocean, they became basically a scapegoat for male weakness…I totally feel like the chance to see mermaids as a protector or guardian of the sea, and it’s marine life, was overshadowed by how they were portrayed to be dangerous seductresses. By turning mermaids into monsters, humans have definitely taken away a potential voice for the environment and the natural world.

Ultimately, mermaids show how femininity, but when connected to power or danger, their feminity has been weaponized against women themselves. I wonder if the silence of the mermaids can be changed if we tried to reimagine them as protectors of the ocean rather than something that kept people out.

Introduction

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Hi all, I’m Jesmond. I am a Lao-American in their fourth year of majoring in English. There’s not much to this post since I am a quiet person and not really experienced in writing long posts but I’ll try to introduce myself as best as I can.

I am a neurodivergent person (austistic) who loves to read and game. I used to read a lot of books in middle school and high school, and I am especially interested in monsters such as vampires, zombies, and ghosts.

Now, what got me into monsters (and this class?) To put it simply: fear drives curiosity. According to one of Jeffery Jerome Cohen’s seven theses of monster theory, “fear of the monster is really a kind of desire.” Monsters are the personification of our fears and anxieties, yet there is something about them that makes us want to learn more about them. This curiosity inevitably leads us to create more monsters, until eventually we become the monsters others want to learn about.

It was only a few semesters ago when my fascination with monsters started. First, I took a class about monsters and was first exposed to Cohen’s theses. Next, I analyzed a children’s literature novel on vampires and expounded on the concept of the other and “othering”. And last, I applied Cohen’s theses for a comparative analysis on vampires in media with the help of my classmates.

That is why monsters, especially literary monsters, fascinate me.

As for this class, I didn’t know what to expect since it was simply listed as “Literature & the Environment,” but when I got an email from the professor that it was going to be about mermaids, I knew I was in for a ride. Mermaids are a type of monster to be expected in media, although some mermaids may not be classified as monsters. Mermaids can represent our desires to explore the depths, but they can also represent what we sacrifice. Our freedom, our legs, our way of life–what will we give up for ocean life?

That is all for now. I am looking forward to hearing you all and getting to know you more.

What Distinguishes Merpeople from Humans?

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The question about what distinguishes us as humans has puzzled many scholars throughout the history of mankind. When talking about the history of merpeople, the question of what is a human and what is an animal is often worried about. In addition, mermaids and mermen are hybrids that stand between animal and human. More than even hybrid mermaids, they stand between what is normal compared to what is monstrous. This idea of human is an important matter in what we classify hybrid studies and in monster theory- human, they reveal how we define ourselves by facing the new.

The idea of what it is to be human is a question that has also been discussed throughout the ages. In the Introduction chapter of Merpeople: A Human History, author Vaughn Scribner references a historian Erica Fudge who says the following: “Reading about animals is always reading through humans … paradoxically, humans need animals in order to be human.” Scribner writes about another historian, Harriet Ritvo, who made a statement about how when establishing the definition of humanity, the individuals who make the determination matter more than the subject, based on who or what carries out the assessment. When we view the perspective of those who inhabit the combination of having human-like and inherent sea and water qualities, we are better able to understand that the myths, stories, and divisions that have been built around this group to represent deeper human concerns and issues.

Monstrous entities within Western culture such as merpeople have challenged the way human-animal boundary is perceived. While merpeople are partly human, do they contain all the essential qualities that make humans who they are? These include, reason, dignity, and even spirituality. Or, were their animal traits socially lower on the “natural order,” and due to this their human superiority is reinforced? All these questions have made people reconsider what it truly means to be a human, and the way natural order actually is supposed to work.

The study of merpeople shows how the dividing lines of what dictates humanity are continually uncertain. Our sense of human identity purely relies on what we define as human, nonhuman, civilized, or wild, and that the human domination of nature is not absolute.

Mermaids: Monsters and Women

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The classification of mermaids as monsters rather than mythological creatures has a lot to do with variation in perception of women. The introduction discusses the existence of all hybrid creatures in ancient literature as being seen as both cautionary and also exciting. When it comes to creatures like unicorns, their fantastical existence made them a staple for children, versus centaurs seen as freaks of nature for their unnatural mesh between human and horse. Horses natural undesirability as animals made them something humans would never want to be associated with, versus unicorns being entirely one species with these concepts understood as beautiful attached to them.

The human half of mermaids reflects the almost selfish view people tend to have; if it’s not happening to us, we cannot begin to understand it. When we don’t understand, it arises fear and these representations become “monsters” because of their inability to relate to the experiences that only our brain actualizes. Their non-human existence and how its impacted by the environment becomes imminent for us to be able to place ourselves in the aquatic world, in the real world that fish and other animals suffer in as a result of the incredible issues facing the ocean as climate change worsens.

In the same light as centaurs and unicorns, but alternate views, mermaids original beginning as mermen allowed them much more freedom to be seen as powerful and forces of nature. Following that, artistic interpretations skewed the eventual Greek creation of mermaids as Triton’s wife became more of an additive than a standalone character, and made mermaids a reflection of these sexualized ideals of women. Religion then utilizing these characters to squash any of humanity’s belief in femininity’s benefit, painting them as lustful creatures who intended to bring humanity’s destruction, thereby added to the mountain of rhetoric against womanhood.

Their eventual sexualization additionally has to do with this societal perception when it comes to women, and how femininity immediately signifies a difference in the subject at hand. Going from mermen that focused on anything but their beauty and stories of Triton to women seducing men and glorious creatures trivialized them to the standards women must comply to . It creates the conclusion that regardless of being seen as monsters, they will always be considered women above it, and that’s their actual issue.

Femininity and Mermaids

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What I found most interesting from Chapter 1 of Merpeople: A Human History by Vaughn Scribner was how the author focuses on gender to showcase how mermaids can reveal the sentiment and values of a certain time period. While people may not think twice about gender when it comes to mermaids, the text highlights that mermaids being female was a deliberate design by the Christian Church in the medieval era to keep women inferior to men. With her alluring nature and provocative form, the mermaid was essentially propaganda to illuminate the dangers of femininity and to “[decenter] the feminine” (Scribner 39-40). If women were allowed to be seen as equal to men, then the foundation of the patriarchy would no longer be stable – which is why the Christian Church formed the “dangerous” mermaid to warn society of the risk femininity posed to the community. By creating a feminine creature who represents a plethora of sins and vices, the church has a reason to keep women out of positions in power and to lower their position in society. In turn, current readers can see that the medieval period champions the masculine but despises the feminine through their portrayal of mermaids as sinful and dangerous creatures who lure men into sin and death. The mermaid becomes a figure which each era in time can put their fears or values upon and allow future generations to understand the issues of the period. During an era in which women were seen as inferior and given few rights, mermaids confirmed the medieval fear that femininity could be the downfall of a patriarchal society. Despite many of us growing up on classic mermaid work such as Disney’s The Little Mermaid, looking at the origins of mermaids allows us to think deeper about the relationship between society and how its depiction of mermaids can speak to a generation’s perspective. The history of mermaids and humans become intertwined as they hold up a mirror to society – beckoning us to understand our fears and desires as humans. As humanity evolves and grows, so do the interpretations of mermaids and what they represent.

Between Myth and Humanity: The Role of Merpeople

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Vaughn Scribner’s “Introduction” to Merpeople: A Human History contextualizes the origins and importance of merpeople. Scribner poses and answers questions about this well-known hybrid creature throughout Western history. Notably, he asks: “How might such a creature change their understanding of humanity’s origins? How might it alter our conceptions of classification, and even humans’ supposed supremacy on the planet?” (Scribner 8-9). Humans have always held a certain level of superiority as the most intelligent life form on Earth. The idea of another life form, merpeople, closely resembling humans puts that superiority into question and forces humanity to rethink its previous notions of our role on earth.

Within literature, there has always been a tendency to anthropomorphize animals, whether as a way to make certain themes more digestible or to comment on our own actions as humans. Think E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web or George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Scribner expresses this through the words of historian Erica Fudge: “reading about animals is always reading through humans…paradoxically, humans need animals in order to be human” (8). On that point, though merpeople may not be certified creatures on Earth, they are arguably the most relatable non-human creature known today. Merpeople are anthropomorphized myths that people fantasize as a way to reach parts of the world we have yet to discover. These hybrids have access to the deepest and darkest parts of the world that people strive to understand, and having access to such creatures even through stories—allow people to question what could be. They are also a window to question our impact on the ocean and its creatures. If humans keep putting toxins into ocean what happens to the sea creatures that live in it? Having a more humanized creature allows for empathy and understanding of humanity’s carbon footprint and climate change. Scribner notes from Harriet Ritvo that the classification of merpeople says as much about the classifier (humans) as it does the creature. Whether one classifies them as sirens, selkies, mermaids, or mermen these hybrids may be myth but, like any form of story, they are also a reflection on humans and humanity.