Preview

The Little Mermaid Character Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1055 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Little Mermaid Character Analysis
A hero is a very popular title for those who rescue or save others so to speak. What most people do not know is that there is a way to determine whether characters are true heroes or not and that is through “A Guide to Joseph Cambell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces” (Vogler). Christopher Vogler lays out twelve stages of a hero’s journey, which, if a hero completes them all, then he/she successfully fulfills the archetype and in this instance, Theseus from “Theseus” and Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” do. In “The Little Mermaid”, Ariel goes on a journey in which she finds true love and completes numerous obstacles while doing so, and in “Theseus”, Theseus travels throughout the Greek region and in turn, saves the woman from being killed by …show more content…
At the beginning of both stories, Ariel and Theseus show a pride that is not necessary to their heroic journeys. In Ariel’s case, after her father destroyed her grotto, she went to Ursula to find a way to become human to be with Eric, away from the sea, and an undermining way to displease her father (Clements and Musker). This action is not very heroic as the stereotype shows how heroes are supposed to be selfless when all Ariel was trying to accomplish was a way to get back at her father. This does not fit an archetype stage because her action was not thought out well however; if she would not have went to Ursula, then the story would not have progressed and had the happy ending it did. For Theseus, he felt a need to show how he is closely related or better than Hercules. With a prideful mindset “Theseus refused to go by water, because the voyage was safe and easy” (Hamilton 1028). Theseus’ refusal to go the “easy way out” was an arrogant statement. Theseus felt as if he needs to prove himself to the Greek people in the nature that he is unafraid of challenges. This completely derails the course of Theseus’ heroic archetype because all he is doing is being stubborn, cocky, and downright stupid due to the fact that he wishes to risk his safety to seem what he thinks is “heroic”. Most heroes fail in this area like Ariel and Theseus because they let their flesh take over their mind and almost fall short of …show more content…
Theseus put his superhuman strength into action and with his bare hands “he battered the monster to death” (Hamilton 1031). This surely fits the archetype and specifically, stage eight because he came face to face with the Minotaur and killed it so that he would never hurt the young women again. In that instant, Theseus had a “fight or flight” moment where his only option was to kill the Beast, which demonstrates his ability to save people and overcome the challenges that he faces. Likewise, Ariel uses the same fight or flight mentality when her loved one crosses the path of danger. When Ariel hears the news of Ursula’s disguise she swims out to sea to save Eric as well as herself, her sidekicks (Scuttle, Sebastian, and Flounder) also work together to “round up the troops” to come to the rescue (Clements and Musker). Ariel has a sudden drive to save those in need, which is what heroes do. There is always a risk when dealing with Ursula but because Ariel truly loves Eric, she will take any risk. This goes along with stage eight because it is a supreme ordeal; she must save Eric and herself to have any type of future together. Mutually, Theseus and Ariel perfectly fill the archetype in stage eight which allows for both of these characters to at least accurately fill a stage of the archetype if not the others.
Theseus and Ariel are two characters that fulfill the archetype of a hero but in unique ways and in the princess article,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Gabrielle is an archetypal hero because, of the stages of the heroes journey. The first stage of the heroes…

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus each exhibit heroic characteristics in Homer’s Odysseus, but their definitions of heroism differ. While Odysseus embodies the traditional warrior hero archetype, Penelope and Telemachus demonstrate heroism through their resilience, intelligence, and devotion to family. Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus are all heroes in the Odyssey, but they differ in their characteristics and the nature of their challenges. Odysseus is a warrior hero who faces physical trials, Penelope is a strategist who uses her wits to overcome social and cultural obstacles, and Telemachus is a coming of age hero who must learn and grow to become a leader. Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus all share common heroic traits such as courage,…

    • 233 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf portrayed bravery when he lunged from the sleeping bench and grappled Grendel in the darkness. The way in which Beowulf decided to handle the situation with bare hands without weapon or armor of any kind. This truly captures the meaning of hero. Theseus also shows this characteristic on his expedition to meet his birth father. A sixteen year old boy defeated three monsters that could have likely killed him. At great risk Theseus puts a considerate amount of trust in him to slay the miniature and save his…

    • 339 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One might be angered that most of their child hood and lifetime stories are all based on archetypes. A simple skeleton of all tales, novels and stories alike. Until Discovering what an archetype was, you may have though that The Odyssey and Harry Potter were completely different tales, however this assumption would be wrong. Odysseus, a true hero destined by society to have the falls and triumphs of a hero, as well as “the chosen one” That was Harry. Both chosen by society, both had ambushed plans as well as successful adventures. Analyzing this story using a thought process based on archetypical example and themes, you can clearly see the naked structure of the ‘Willing Hero’ Archetype.…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Theseus: An Epic Hero

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Heroes are courageous, respectable people who are not selfish. Edith Hamilton talked Greek mythology heroes in the book Mythology. In that book, one of the true heroes was Theseus. Like many heroes Theseus went on a quest and killed a monster and people respected for his braveness. Also, like other heroes he had a tragic death. For these reasons Theseus was definitely a epic hero.…

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    On the subject of heroism, Maya Angelou once wrote that “I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people” (Angelou). The general picture that comes to mind when the word “hero” is said is the idea of Superman or Wonder Woman; however, a true hero is anyone who tries to make their world a better place. Odysseus, the hero in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, fought in the Trojan War and embarked on a ten year journey to return to his kingdom, Ithaca. During his quest to return home, he encounters many supernatural forces that show both his heroic, and not so heroic actions. He faces countless challenges, meets new people, and has to make sacrifices for the overall benefit of his crew (Bowler and Homer 645-705).…

    • 1620 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    secondary work from the original and whether or not they are successful. In her novel she says…

    • 2087 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hero's Journey

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The central theme around which these great heroes form consists of three main acts: The Call to adventure, the Transformation, and the Return. These concepts may deviate slightly, but overall, the theme is present. Consider…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Epic of Gilgamesh and Hero

    • 1640 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Hero 's come in many forms, a hero can be someone we look up to (father, mother, teacher). They can be a unique character passed down for thousands of years such as Odysseus, in The Odyssey. They can be someone we 've never interacted with or someone by our side every day. They might be brave, courageous, truthful or dishonest. A hero could be male or female, black or white. A hero may be someone that simply affected a life in a positive way. One thing hero 's all have in common is that they provide drive and purpose for those the believe in them, they help some focus on dreams and they might provide a path when no path exists. In this paper will be defining a hero and the qualities an epic hero has with my definition. I will be using epic hero 's in, The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey to help shape my explanation.…

    • 1640 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hero is a person who has super powers or can do things normal people could not do. A hero is strong, smart and ladies call them “attractive”. A long time ago, a poet named Homer had written an epic poem called “The Odyssey”. In “The Odyssey”, there is a person with these traits named Odysseus. Odysseus goes through adventures for a long time trying to get home. Odysseus is an epic hero…

    • 396 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Heroes are the game changers in society, who create the misfortune and accomplishment through their efforts. Throughout time, heroes have been represented in a variety of different ways. The Canterbury Tales and the Odyssey both portray their heroes far different than the other. In addition, heroes from the fifteenth century may be considered villains in today’s society. In conclusion, heroes are viewed in different ways because of perspective, the time period, and their self morals.…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus Is A Hero

    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Anyone with the right qualities can be a hero. They just have to be brave, strong, and inspiring to others. Nicole Moore is one example of a hero. Odysseus, from Homer’s The Odyssey is also a hero.…

    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dominant Epic Heroes

    • 1002 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Some people believe that Asians resemble (got rid of to-be verb) nerds, they aren’t great drivers, they are cheap and all they eat is fried rice and eggrolls. Today, heroes are known to show power, wear tights with their underwear outside of their pants and use superpowers to fight crime. (Reworded for concision and got rid of to-be verb) Nobody would believe that Kevin Wu could be the dominant epic hero over Odysseus, but while Kevin and Odysseus share certain traits, Kevin’s superiority in epic heroism (changed from heroicness to heroism) controls over that of Odysseus. A hero isn’t self-serving, never boasts and never needs help. Odysseus fits all those categories. (Tried to avoid asking a question) Although Odysseus seems to be a dominant epic hero, Kevin Wu is more prominent as the hero because of his characteristics. (Had to reword because had a to-be verb)…

    • 1002 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Role Of Heroes In Art

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages

    There is no hero like the heroic figures in books and movies. For this reason, people must take advantage of who they are, take charge of their life and fight the stereotype. To be capable of becoming a hero is something that is within reach of everyone. The four qualities of strength, independence, pride, and bravery must be allowed to blossom in order for every person to truly believe they are their own hero, and anything is…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays