The Little Mermaid exemplifies the societal perception of women, where their worth is determined by their physical appearance rather than their personality. In the fairy tale, both men and women judge women based on their looks. The little mermaid expresses her concern about losing her voice, indicating that she believes she cannot rely solely on her true self to win the prince’s affection. Similarly, the prince also views women in the same shallow manner as he converses with the little mermaid. He belittles her, referring to her as a “dumb child” simply because she is unable to speak.
The entire story of The Little Mermaid is shaped into a feminist piece through its tone. Hans Christian Anderson uses a cautionary tone to convey the moral of the story to women, urging them to recognize the underlying message. The little mermaid sacrifices everything for the prince, ultimately suffering a terrible consequence as a result. Through imagery and characterization, Anderson approaches her story in a cautionary tone, signifying its feminist nature. The grandmother of the little mermaid exemplifies how appearance outweighs personality, highlighting the portrayal of women in the story where physical attractiveness reigns supreme.
The grandmother told the little mermaid that humans find mermaids’ fish tails ugly, while people in the sea see them as beautiful. She thinks humans have to use legs to look nice because they know little about mermaids. According to the grandmother, personality does not change humans’ negative perception of mermaids. This viewpoint is not limited to men, but also shared by women and girls.
The cautionary tone of The Little Mermaid is evident in its portrayal of women as beings characterized by their beauty. The story seeks to make readers understand the significance of its message. For instance, when the little mermaid decided to seek help from the sea witch in order to become human, the witch warned her beforehand, saying, “How stupid of you! Still, you shall have your way, and it’ll bring you into misfortune, my lovely Princess” (Anderson 226). It is clear that the sea witch had already cautioned the little mermaid about the potential consequences of her actions even before making the potion.
The young and naive little mermaid made a decision based on her beliefs about love, showing her lack of experience. The sea witch’s admonishing tone serves as a cautionary message to the mermaid. By using the witch as a character, Anderson effectively illustrates to the reader how easy it is to make mistakes when it comes to love. One such example is provided by the witch, who warns the mermaid that if she fails to win the Prince’s love and make him forget his family in order to be with her, she will not receive an immortal soul (Anderson 226).
The author presents the little mermaid as naive and easily influenced by her childish dreams, using a reproving tone. Anderson creates the character of the sea witch to caution women about sacrificing themselves for others. The description of the mermaid’s beauty reflects what the prince desired in a wife. Despite the prince’s care and affection for her, he refused to marry her because she lost her ability to speak.
According to Anderson (229), he affirms that she was the only person he could ever love in this world, and you resemble her so closely that you almost replace her image in my heart. The use of hearing and seeing serves as imagery to depict a woman’s attractiveness. The prince adamantly opposes the idea of marrying someone who is not as beautiful or possesses a similar voice as the little mermaid did. This demonstrates the prince’s prejudice, as he only selects the finest individuals and disregards those who may not be as physically stunning but possess the kindest heart imaginable.
According to the author, the prince viewed the little mermaid as being almost like him, with the only distinction being her inability to speak. Unfortunately, this difference was enough to prevent the prince from marrying her. Ultimately, the little mermaid never achieved her desires and faced a tragic fate in death. In her final moments, she resigns herself to the fact that this evening would be her last encounter with the prince, whom she sacrificed her family, home, and voice for. Additionally, she endured daily pain without his knowledge (Anderson 231).
The tone of the text is significant as it demonstrates the extent to which the little mermaid sacrificed for a prince who did not reciprocate her love. In this quotation, the little mermaid honestly conveys her true sentiments about the predicament she found herself in. She was unaware and unable to see beyond the prince’s physical attractiveness, ultimately resulting in her demise. Women fail to comprehend their significance; they are solely preoccupied with beauty and men. The mermaid deeply regrets forsaking everything for something that was never granted to her. The employment of this literary device confirms that The Little Mermaid can be viewed as a feminist work due to its careful tonal warning directed towards women regarding romantic relationships.
The feminist aspect of The Little Mermaid is portrayed through the characterization, imagery, and tone used to depict the female protagonist. Anderson aims to empower women by highlighting their role and significance in society. The little mermaid, driven by her infatuation, fails to consider the consequences of her actions. She willingly gives up her own identity and home in exchange for her love interest’s devotion and marriage proposal. She expects him to leave his family behind and prioritize their relationship. (Anderson 226).
The Little Mermaid is a feminist work of literature that demonstrates the importance of women being cautious in decision-making and how they fulfill their roles. The story shows how the prince’s expectations for a wife lead to a tragic outcome, causing the protagonist to pay a terrible price and ultimately die. Through the character’s experiences, the author, Anderson, intrudes in an impactful manner to make the reader aware of these lessons. In the story, women are portrayed in a way that highlights their responsibilities in life, offering advice to women who read the tale.
