The Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
A young girl discovers a mermaid who has been left on the beach after being separated from her mother. The girl takes pity on the creature and decides to keep it as her own. However, she soon realizes that the mermaid's presence is causing problems for those around her, including her family and friends. As time passes, the girl becomes increasingly isolated and lonely due to the mermaid's influence. She begins to neglect her relationships with others and focuses solely on caring for the creature. The story takes a tragic turn when the girl's father discovers the mermaid and decides to kill it in order to protect his family. The girl is devastated by this decision and ultimately dies of grief, surrounded by the remains of the mermaid. The story explores themes of loneliness, isolation, and the consequences of one's actions.
By Hans Christian Andersen · First published 1837 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Romance · 9,953 words
First lines
Far out at sea the water is as blue as the bluest cornflower, and as clear as the clearest crystal; but it is very deep, too deep for any cable to fathom, and if many steeples were piled on the top of one another they would not reach from the bed of the sea to the surface of the water. It is down there that the Mermen live.
What this Textopian page supports
The Mermaid is listed on Textopian as a short story by Hans Christian Andersen, dated 1837 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Hans Christian Andersen
- Date: 1837 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Romance, Tragedy, Children's Literature
- Length: 9,953 words
- Structure: 1 section, 103 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Fairy Tale — The narrative follows a traditional fairy tale structure with magical elements, a moral lesson, and fantastical characters like mermaids and sea witches.
- Fantasy — The story is set in an imaginary world under the sea with mythical creatures and magical transformations.
- Romance — Central to the plot is the mermaid's love for the human prince, driving her actions and sacrifices.
- Tragedy — The story ends with the mermaid's unfulfilled love and her transformation into sea foam, highlighting themes of sacrifice and loss.
Tags
FairyTale · Mythology · MarineLife · Mermaids · LoveStory · TragicEnding · UnrequitedLove · SelfSacrifice · Fantasy · Romance · ClassicLiterature · DanishLiterature