While reading the “Legend of Melusina” from The Penguin Book of Mermaids, I couldn’t help but notice how the theme of transformation was something to note. Melusine has to deal with her shapeshifting nature, even described to be, “… a serpent from the waist downward, till she met a man who would marry her under the condition of never seeing her on a Saturday.” (86) This origin sets her up to be deviant by nature even though she does so much in her power to build him a castle and even go as far as to conceal a murder for him. Her deviant nature is settled in a way. This shows the duality of human vs nature and the duality of women and how they can be perceived by others. Raymond, her husband, agrees to her terms and even has children with the countess. Although Raymond is deeply infatuated with Melusine he eventually breaks the promise and is heartbroken that she hid this from him, even though one of their children resembles her mystical nature. I think her being depicted as a great wife and mother tells a lesson on deception within marriage. Although the deception at hand can be perceived about her not sharing her true form on Saturdays. I think it’s a bigger issue that he broke his promise to her after agreeing to her terms. 

Her story reassures women that stories can be perceived in many ways and also demonstrates the duality of women. Although she can be seen as the one who “deceived” in the marriage first, thus making her inherently the bad guy, on further inspection, it demonstrates how men typically get let off easy in marriage deceptions because of logistics. When in reality, it was Raymond who deceived Melusine first after agreeing to her terms.