Fairy tales are the first stories that we hear as a kid right? But are they as innocent as they seem? Hans Christian Andersen was one of a well-known fairy tale writer which his famous story includes Thumbelina, The Snow Queen, The Little Match, Girl, and The Little Mermaid. Despite a happily ever after fairy tales, his fairy tales stories are more like to have sad endings rather than happy endings. The Little Mermaid is one of his stories that full of love, sacrifice, magic, and of course sad ending. Compare to the Anderson's version, The Little Mermaid in Disney's version was very different because the little mermaid found her true love and the lived happily ever after.
These days, kids are not familiar with the Brother Grimm of Hans Christian Andersen, but Disney. The Little Mermaid is a fairy tale that has been through many adaptations since Hans Christian Andersen wrote it in 1836 in his native Danish (Nikolajeva). But what makes the Disney version is different from the Andersen's version? Well, with the changing of the ending and the depiction of characters. We have compared the story of The Little Mermaid in both versions, as well as how female maturation is potrayed in each version. Because The Little Mermaid is a tale that show a character maturing from a child to an adult, and many children enjoy it. However, society should understand and be aware of the messages and images pot rayed to children, especially girls, about female maturation and life goals. Therefore, fairy tales are not as innocent as we think, compare to the original version which has tragic story plot.
photo taken by http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2014/03/19/live-action-little-mermaid-directed-sofia-coppola/the-little-mermaid-hans-christian-andersen
In addition, The Mermaid in Andersen's tale is presented in a sexualized, symbolic figure of female sacrifice, as well as the desire of her heart and making choices to become a human form. By exploring a deeper meanings, we can see the behind morals and different perspective of these two interpretations of mermaid's tales; one gains a greater understanding of the way in which the ethical message of a decades-old tale changes through the process of "Disneyfication." The last one is able to determine which moral is more poignant and realistic past value.
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