As a lifelong fan of fairy tales, I must say that Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” is a tale unlike any other. Having read countless versions of these classic stories, I can confidently say that Andersen’s original story is the most unexpected and intriguing take on this beloved tale.
Nowadays, when people hear “The Little Mermaid,” they instantly picture the 1989 Disney animated version. This tale about growing up revolves around Ariel (voiced by Jodi Benson) who yearns for a life beyond her underwater kingdom and sets out to explore the surface world. Despite being an old story, it remains relevant in contemporary culture.
According to its namesake fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Mermaid” marked the beginning of what became known as Disney’s renaissance period. This significant era won two Academy Awards for Disney and led to numerous prequels, sequels, and spin-offs over time. In the year 2023, a live-action adaptation was released.
To put it simply, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” deviates quite a bit from the original story by Hans Christian Andersen. The original is significantly darker than the animated film you know, so when Walt Disney Studios adapted it, they lightened it up to make it more suitable for younger audiences. However, despite these changes, there are still similarities that tie both versions of Ariel together. If you’re not familiar with Andersen’s original fairy tale, this could be your introduction to his work.
The Little Mermaid story was technically for kids – but very adult
Originally appearing in Hans Christian Andersen’s “Fairy Tales Told for Children” (1837), the tale of “The Little Mermaid” unfolds the adventure of an unnamed sea creature, a mermaid, who yearns to live on land. In her fifteenth year, every mermaid is granted the opportunity to explore life above water. Unlike her fellow mermaids, the Little Mermaid finds herself captivated by this new world. After witnessing a prince’s birthday celebration, she becomes enamored with him and heroically rescues him from a shipwreck disaster.
After developing feelings for him, the mermaid agrees to a bargain with a sea witch to transform into a human in an attempt to win the prince’s affection. However, there are complexities to this tale by Andersen. Mermaids lack eternal souls and the Little Mermaid yearns for one as much as she desires the prince. In exchange for her transformation, the mermaid offers her soul to the sea witch, who warns her that she will forever miss her tail (which turns into human legs), and each step on land will feel like walking on sharp objects. Regrettably, this is true, but the Little Mermaid endures, optimistic that the prince will return her affections.
Initially, the prince mistakenly believed that a young princess from a nearby temple was the one who rescued him, rather than recognizing the mermaid for her true identity. In Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” the story does not conclude with the title character finding romance, and despite a wedding taking place, it isn’t between our protagonist and the prince.
The biggest changes Disney made to The Little Mermaid story
In contrast to just the conclusion, “The Little Mermaid” deviates significantly from its original narrative. While some may view Disney Princess stories as unsettling, “The Little Mermaid” carries a more optimistic undertone compared to the animated adaptation. Although Ariel’s pursuit in the film revolves around love and transformation into a human, her objective in the original tale is to acquire a soul. This desire for a soul is connected to her union with a prince, as their relationship would grant her an eternal soul upon death. Despite the Little Mermaid not achieving her fairytale ending with the prince, her story still conveys a positive message, albeit one that involves her sacrifice.
Deeply grieving for their sister’s unfortunate predicament, the elder mermaids strike a pact with the sea witch. They offer their enchanting hair as payment to receive a deadly knife for the Little Mermaid to slay her scornful prince. If she were to carry out this act, the mermaid would gain a human soul in return. However, when faced with killing the man she adores or his new bride, she is powerless to do so. This leads to her demise, but instead of turning into sea foam like other mermaids upon death, she transforms into an airy spirit (often referred to as a sylph). Given a lifespan of 300 years, this ethereal being continues to perform good deeds in the world. What an extraordinary mission!
Here’s where you can find the original Little Mermaid story
One option to find the original “Little Mermaid” tale by Hans Christian Andersen is by searching for it within various fairy tale compilations. Alternatively, you can read the story online for free, with The Hans Christian Andersen Center’s website being one of many options available. It should be noted that Andersen originally wrote the story in Danish, but it was later translated and published as part of a new “Fairy Tales” collection in 1849.
Although Disney’s interpretation of “The Little Mermaid” is widespread nowadays, the original story by Hans Christian Andersen continues to be available in printed form. Since it’s part of the public domain, you can find different versions of “The Little Mermaid” on Amazon and other online book retailers.
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2024-11-06 22:00