One of my two favorite fairytales is “The Little Mermaid” (the other is “Beauty and the Beast”). Why? I just love the sea and how I would just love to plunge myself into her world and become a mermaid just like her. Well, since I can’t be a mermaid (but who knows?) I just have to immerse myself into her world using my “IMAGINATION” (quoted from SpongeBob Squarepants). So while I was imagining myself swimming towards Atlantica, flipping my fins from reef to reef I came upon a magical oyster pearl whispering on my ear to try to look at my favorite Disney movie at a different light. That is with the eyes of a feminist. (Bubbles forming) I decided to investigate the whole story which of course starting off with my red-headed heroine, Ariel. She is characterized as someone who is headstrong (blame the red hair), adventurous (obviously) and independent (uhuh!). Evidence you say? Well, at the start of the movie, we could see Ariel raiding sunken ships for treasures (land dweller’s common objects) and battling with fin-hungry sharks instead of going to the “welcome to the society” concert her father, King Triton prepared for her (just like what he did with her other sisters). So how’s that for being headstrong, adventurous and independent? Another aspect is the “golden” voice that Ariel possesses. Who else could sing better than her other sisters? This voice served as the epitome of her feminism. Her outspoken ways when she tried to defend her treasure trove (of land dweller stuffs) against her father caused the underwater volcanoes to erupt. Ariel sought then the help of the sea witch, Ursula. This red-head was so upset since nobody could understand her desires (not even her patriarchal and tyrannical father) that she consulted the sea witch. Okay, so let’s move to the Sea witch, Ursula. Ursula through her songs and demands managed to describe how the women are treated by men (people from land). “The men up there don’t like a lot blabber. They think a woman who gossips is a bore. But they get drawn to a lady who’s withdrawn.” This explains while Ursula asked for Ariel’s voice in exchange for legs. Men up in the surface won’t like a headstrong, independent woman who can speak for herself. The song basically describes that up in the surface, a woman who is docile, quiet and naïve is a good woman and is suited for marriage. (Are women really meant to be just that?) So Ariel now goes to the surface, voiceless and being unable to write as well. So how does she get the attention of Prince Eric? Well through body language. (Are we really just mere sex objects?) Sebastian the crab even sings of it in Kiss the Girl. “She won’t say a word not a single word so go on and kiss the girl.” And what really served as a period in the story is the fact that Prince Eric saved Ariel by killing Ursula. (Freudian add-on, Eric killed Ursula with a thrust from a broken mast of the ship which means *toot*). Getting back on the story, Ariel appeared to be a weak and dependent woman when Prince Eric saved her thus cancelling out the headstrong, adventurous and independent woman character I built up for her. (Aaawwwssss, bubbles burst!!!!) And what’s with this whole “Prince Eric” thing? Why is his royalty the only thing that’s recognized? Ariel is the daughter of King Triton, the sea king but why isn’t she addressed as Princess Ariel but instead addressed as the “sea king’s daughter”?
So as I swim from reef to reef, I reflected on the fact that “The Little Mermaid” was this close to being a Feminist fairytale. Too bad.. but I still like the story. Hehe. I guess I just have to swim freely in this wide ocean of life and try my best to not give up my voice for the sake of something that would destroy my freedom….
Limbaga, Angeline Marie
Tompong, Geena
BEEN3
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