In reading “The Little Mermaid”, one might be prompted to feel sympathy and occasional astonishment. The Little Mermaid is a mythical and inhuman creature. She has an otherworldly aura, while at the same time, being a curious young girl. Her struggle to gain mutual feelings of love from the Prince prompts the reader to feel sympathy, maybe even frustration, as she has sacrificed so much while a gloom fate awaits her. Leaving her family, losing her voice, feeling physical pain, and ultimately losing the one she loves, “The Little Mermaid” is filled with tragedy.
This exists within the Disney adaptation as well, but much less so. Ariel suffers less than her written counterpart, and is able to be with the Prince she sacrificed for. She is followed to land by friends, who are sea creatures reminiscent of home and able to guide her. Musical dance and sing breaks lighten the mood, and Ariel is not shown to be in any physical pain with her newly-gifted legs. She struggles through a brief encounter with Ursula, but it amounts for only a small portion of the movie before she defeats her and is reunited with Prince Eric.
Both versions of “The Little Mermaid” are easily recognizable and contain many of the same themes, but the Disney version is, unexpectedly, much more lighthearted.
Hi, Zoe. your comment reminds me of an article I read before that criticized Disney: Disney always changes the original tragic story into a happy ending for everyone. Children are eager to see a happy ending, but sometimes it is essential in their education to let them see the dark side of society.
I also picked up on the suffering that the little mermaid had to endure while Ariel was not mentioned having any pain (in her legs). Do you think adding these minor details would make the Disney version better? I agree with Zhongting’s comment. Perhaps sometimes kids should see the darker sides to these stories.