After reading the Hans Christian Andersen version of The Little Mermaid, I realized that this story has quite huge differences in comparison to the other Mermaids in previous stories we have read. For starters, the most obvious difference that stood out to me was the little mermaid’s infatuation with the upper world, “There was nothing she delighted in so much as to hear about the upper world” Pg. 109, which Mermaids such as Melusine, seemed to have honestly cared less about the humans and their ways of life. For example, she would lock herself up in her own make-shift fish tank, away from Raymondin, and the rest of the human world. The little mermaid on the other hand, yearns for her rite of passage at fifteen so that she can go see the upper world.
As I was reading the story what came to mind was how there seemed to be several themes of coming into womanhood, or in the case of the story, mermaid-hood. The little mermaid’s garden seems to represent her innocence, and over time, the end of it. Her garden consisted of, “[…] the youngest planted hers in a circle to imitate the sun, and chose flowers as red as the sun […]” Pg. 109, which could hold a symbolic meaning of her innocence, the red flowers being representative of her menstrual cycle. Not to mention, there is a, “[…] pretty statue, representing a handsome youth, hewn out of pure white marble that had sunk to the bottom of the sea […]” Pg. 109, which could be interpreted as a form of lust for her. I say this because as she gets older and officially reaching the age of maturity, fifteen, she started to feel lustful towards other beings like the Prince she rescued, or the marble statue within her garden, “The mermaid kissed his high, polished forehead, and stroked back his wet hair; she fancied him like the marble statue in her garden […]” Pg. 115, the garden signifying her “deflowering”.
Many great points here, but I most intrigued by the point you raise in the beginning, which you then do not continue exploring: the little mermaid’s infatuation with the upper world. You write, “There was nothing she delighted in so much as to hear about the upper world” Pg. 109, which Mermaids such as Melusine, seemed to have honestly cared less about the humans and their ways of life. ” This is a really important insight about this character– her desire and curiosity for a different life; and I’d love to see you pursue this in more detail. Perhaps you can lead us in conversation in class..
Hi Leon,
I was really intrigued by the point you made in the beginning in regards to the little mermaid’s infatuation and curiosity towards the human world. In the story, the novelty of the upper world had worn off on her sisters yet it had remained in her, so much so that she was willing to make sacrifices to walk among that world. I believe its a huge reflection of her character and the message the author was trying to get across with the youth being able to explore their curiosities.