Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale “The Little Mermaid” and Disney's 1989 film adaptation differ in a multitude of notable ways, from key plot elements to those of the character. Perhaps the most obvious difference, aside from the highly contrasting endings, is the characterization of the protagonists, the mermaids themselves. The Disney version introduces its viewers to a wild and adventurous 16-year-old girl named Ariel, while Andersen's original story features a thoughtful and quiet 15-year-old who remains nameless for the entire story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Due to her rebellious and outspoken nature, Ariel's character may initially appear to viewers as a more positive feminist role model for girls and young women. After all, the Disney film came out some 150 years after Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" was first published, during which time the women's rights movement made countless strides in the Western world and beyond, perhaps most notably women in the U.S. have gained ground. the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. However, despite this very different cultural climate, Disney's Ariel ultimately proves to still be under patriarchal reign, in some ways even more so than Andersen's original Little Mermaid. note that each mermaid exists in a completely different cultural landscape. Andersen's famous fairy tales were published during the Romantic period, during which a multitude of writers and other artists rejected the rational ideals of the Enlightenment in favor of the key principles of individualism, respect for nature, and emotionality. Andersen's The Little Mermaid exemplifies these new ideals. She is repeatedly described as a “quiet and thoughtful” child who appreciates art and nature (150). Her personal garden, unlike those of her sisters, pays homage to natural elements rather than material ones; their gardens are “filled with all sorts of things they had collected from shipwrecks” while his contains only one non-natural object: “a marble statue” (150, emphasis added). This statue is not just a “thing” but a work of art, which the mermaid practically adores, even “embracing” it after noticing its resemblance to her beloved prince (157). Furthermore, when she is finally allowed to rise to the surface of the water, the first thing the little mermaid sees and admires is the sunset: a natural element rather than an artificial one, like the ship, which she only notices after seeing the sea. sun. Thus, Andersen's little mermaid appears to be a true romantic heroine, endowed with all the qualities that would have been considered ideal in Andersen's time. Disney's Ariel, on the other hand, represents a completely new and different type of woman. Like Andersen's little mermaid's older sisters, she has a vast collection of "stuff," all of which are incredibly important to her. In this way she is a truly modern woman. His greatest desire is to live in a capitalist society where the ultimate goal is not to appreciate art and nature but only to acquire more and more things. Therefore, Ariel and Andersen's little mermaid starkly contrasts due to the values ​​of their respective societies. Another key difference between the societies in which Ariel and Andersen's little mermaid exist is their patriarchal and matriarchal nature, respectively. In both narratives, the little mermaid has several sisters and no brothers. But in Andersen's story, the little mermaid and her sisters are raised mainly by their paternal grandmother, who is depicted as a decidedly feminine character, with her.