12. A Maid of the Sea, Old and New
Musing Interruptus is a podcast meant for sharing thoughts and stories and enjoying idiomatic phrases and words in general. You can read along; the transcription is in the description of this episode. The idiomatic expressions are in italics. Try to get the meaning from the context and then look them up to see if you were right. If you like it, share it, but more importantly, continue the conversation. Music is called  Orejitas by Blue Dot Blue Dot Sessions 
Greetings and welcome to Musing Interruptus. Join me on an exploration, into the depths of the great blue sea and the shallow end of a young, royal, spoiled mermaid, who must get her way. It is a tale of obsession, masquerading as a story of true love, and not taking no for an answer because I assume she is used to getting what she wants when she wants it. We will discuss the original Little Mermaid in contrast to the 1989 version. From dinglehoppers and thingamabobs to a contract that essentially changes Ariel from a mythical sea creature to a human. Today, A Maid of the Sea, Old and New. 
Ariel is the youngest daughter of the Sea King, obsessed with the human world. Mermaids are allowed to swim to shore to see life on land, once they hit 15. As soon as Ariel does, she sees a very handsome young Prince and is in the position to save his life from a shipwreck. So far so good. She then becomes obsessed, I think because nobody knows she saved his life. The Prince ends up believing a neighboring princess did the deed. If only she could show that Prince it was her, she would win his attention or even love. Let’s pause for a second. Doesn’t this sound familiar? I’ve done this for you, you should love me! As if love were a reward for good deeds. I’ve heard men and women complain because the object of their affection did not return these feelings. Their argumentation includes all the things they have done for them. I did this, they owe me love. Tsssss. That surely can’t be the way you want to be loved.
 Ok, getting back to the story. Ariel is becoming obsessed with getting this guy’s attention. Also, she wants to be human, because, in the original story, humans have eternal souls, whereas mermaids live to be 300 and then turn into sea foam. But it was mostly the guy. She claimed to be in love and to love him more than she loved her parents. She exclaimed she trusted him with her life. This is a clear example of why adolescents should not be allowed to get married. This is also a great public service announcement for therapy. Psychoanalysis could help her work through these obsessions, help her accept who she is, her tail, and fate. Realizing what freedom means and truly considering the consequences of her actions. I mean, changing who you are to be loved, nay, be noticed, undergoing mutilation so the guy looks your way for the chance to say: I saved you, you owe me love. This plan does not hold water. Enter the Sea Witch. 
This creature knows the workings of magic and mystical things, the world above the sea, and the way things are below. In the original version of the story, she tells Ariel how idiotic this plan is and that giving up her cushy life below the sea was not worth a little driftwood, a sausage taco, a roll in the hay… you get what I’m saying. In both versions of the story, Ariel loses her voice. In the original one, she loses her tongue and her voice. This is done in exchange for her legs. The transformation in the 1989 version is pretty magical but in the original story, it is really painful. This is all part of the contract she signs. We need to remember this, she signed a contract. Continue reading


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