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{PDF EPUB} the Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen the Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} The Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen The Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen. The story of "The Little Mermaid" has many morals ranging from ancient ideas of how a woman should behave to more modern thoughts on what is considered "bravery." One of the most argued morals of this tale is that of women holding their tongues and being silent beings. In older times, it was considered ill mannered for a woman to voice her opinions. Women were beings that should be looked at, not heard. They were there for the entertainment of men and to keep the house clean and warm for the return of their husbands from a long day of work. Another well argued moral is that of "the grass is not always greener on the other side." While the mermaid wishes to live a life on land because the celebrations, the clothing, the machines, etc. infatuate her, she eventually realizes her mistake. She had overlooked the greatness of the life she was already living and regrets that she will never be able to return to her wonderfully peaceful life. One argument that is present in almost all versions of the tale is that of being careful what you wish for. This oral is seen in most tales but specifically in this one. The main character wishes for the undying love of her prince but she must give up her voice in exchange. While she does know what she is giving up, she doesn't realize how important her voice is to her. A fourth possible moral is that of the voice and the ability and bravery to speak up. The main character loses her voice and with it any hopes of marrying her prince or ever having a say in anything again. While this may have been a virtue in the beginning days of the tale, it is now considered shameful to be quiet and keep your opinions to yourself. It is important in today's time to share your opinions and have your own thoughts. One cannot go through life without ever having a say in decisions that affect you. I believe that a very important moral in this story is that of family value. The main character quickly gives up the love of her family for a prince whom she's never even talked to. She disappoints her father and leaves her sisters without a second thought. She gives up such a powerful love from her family, for a questioning love from the prince. It is important that reader's realize the main characters mistake in trading in her family for one man who she doesn't know very well. Andersen’s The Mermaid: A Tale of Female Sacrifice. Andersen, Hans Christian. “The Mermaid.” The Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen . Illus. Maxwell Armfield. Trans. Mrs. Edgar Lucas. Ed. F. D. Tilney. New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1910. 9-35. Introduction. Mermaids have been a part of popular culture dating back to their date of origin in 1000 BC in Assyria. For centuries they have been interpreted in many different mediums (including folklore and film) and portrayed in different societal roles. This exhibit examines by example the way in which their roles and moral representation in pop culture have morphed through the ages. Specifically this presentation focuses on Hans Christian Andersen’s short story, The Mermaid (1837), and Disney’s film, The Little Mermaid (1989), to demonstrate how evolving time and an ever- changing societal moral code have defined these two distinct interpretations of mermaids. Category. Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was knowledgeable on mermaids as they appeared frequently in popular culture during the period in which he lived. Andersen used elements of traditional mermaid characteristics, but still created his own personal version that is original in its story. Since the time of early mythology, fantastical creatures of the sea have had a place in the oral traditions of folklore. Merfolk exist in stories from all the world over, and are represented in a multitude of forms. Their top halves are human-like, while their bottom halves are fish-like. This combination of sea and land forms appears time and time again in real life accounts and in fictional tales of mermaids in contact with humans. Living in the ocean, the merfolk may rest on the waves or a rock in the water and be often disguised by the water or as a fish. In Andersen’s story, the Mermaid holds a fascination with humans. She begs her grandmother and older sisters for information about the wildlife, the greenery, and the scents. From the time that she was young, she was desperate to find out as much as she could. When she turned the age of fifteen, she was allowed to approach the surface of the water to view the world from above the waves. Her adoration of mankind grew until she could no longer sustain the thought of being a mermaid. Despite her Grandmother’s clear warning to steer away from thoughts of life above water, and her insistence that she honour her commitments as a mermaid, the Mermaid pays no heed and determines the land is where she wishes to be. She must be loved by the Prince as though she is a family member, yet she dares to risk everything to take advantage of the opportunity to win his love and affection. She approaches the Sea Witch to help her in reaching her goal. The natural ability to entrance men with her loveliness and siren-like voice is a key characteristic of a mermaid. With her enchanting voice, she sings to fishermen. Traditionally, mermaids offered these men safe harbour from harm. Andersen’s mermaids have beautiful voices, which he describes as being clearer than any mortal voice (Andersen). During storms on the sea, they sing to the fisherman, bidding them no ill will. It is this lovely voice which the Mermaid sacrifices in order to be in touch with the Prince to discover love and happiness on land. Essential to her character, her voice defined one of the key features of mermaids and their purpose to living in the sea. On land, her ability to prove her love and dedication to the Prince relied only on her physical beauty. That which made her unique was no longer an option for her, and the Mermaid was punished for her unfortunate lack of understanding of reality and the human world. Without her voice, she is able neither to convince the Prince of how she saved his life, nor seduce him with her voice. The Sea Witch has bargained with the Mermaid for her sexuality and it has not paid off for the Mermaid. In some versions of stories involving merfolk, the merfolk make actual contact with human life. These tales have been passed on through the ages, allowing mermaids to maintain a certain reputation of both trickery and safety. In some stories, the mermaids are the thought to have carried men out to sea and to not have allowed them back (Waugh). In others, she is merely a flash on the ocean, and a good story at the local pub as fisherman regale one another with tall tales. Andersen’s Mermaid has the opportunity to have the Prince perish at her hand, but she chooses instead to release herself from the promise of love. There are many instances of sexual undertones in Andersen’s story. Although the Mermaid has made many sacrifices, she is not emotionally mature enough to engage in a relationship with the Prince. This story is meant to be a warning to girls to wait for what will naturally come to them, as Andersen intended. The Mermaid’s fascination with mankind, and the initial motivation to approach the Sea Witch, in the end undid the Mermaid and her contact with her family. Illustrations. Maxwell Armfield (1881-1972), a British artist, illustrated the collection of Andersen’s stories. The book is bound and decorated intricately with gold leaf. It features an illustration from one of Andersen’s stories, and is enticing to the viewer. One is able to see keen detail in Armfield’s work inside the book, especially. The graphics are printed in colour, and display a wide range of shades and tones. Armfield has exercised extreme care in imagining life for merfolk. The Mermaid’s long, flowing hair masks her body partially and adds to the allure of the mermaid. The clothing of the Prince, and the structure of the ships, are intricately illustrated. They demonstrate the grandeur and exoticism of human life to which the Mermaid is attracted. "A big three-masted ship lay close by." Just in front of her stood the handsome young Prince. Context. In the time period between the first publication of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Mermaid in 1873 and Disney’s interpretation, The Little Mermaid in 1989, much has changed in the way of moral structure between the two stories. At face value, the moral seems to be that with great sacrifice and change comes great reward. The issue is whether that moral is even universally realistic. And this begs the question of whether Andersen’s interpretation has a deeper meaning. In Andersen’s version, the Mermaid experiences monumental sacrifice before she is rewarded. The Mermaid rescues the Prince from drowning and immediately falls in love with him. The unfortunate issue in this scenario, however, is that the human Prince could never fall in love with a woman of the sea.
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