Gods and Monsters: Mermaids
Eve Volungeviciute
As we are making our way down a list of every mythological entity ever thought of, I decided that since we explored forests, skies, and graveyards, it is now time to dive into the oceans. That’s right, we are now looking at mermaids. To my pleasant surprise, there is a plethora of information on these sea goddesses…so let’s explore the depth of it, shall we?
Origins
Mermaids are prevalent in the folklore of various cultures across the world. Their nature can be either benevolent or beneficent depending on the legend; however, they are often associated with ill-natured events such as floods, shipwrecks, storms, and drownings. In British folklore they are considered an omen of bad luck in general by either predicting disaster or provoking it, such as speaking to ships and ominously telling them they will never see land again. During Romanesque period, they were often associated with lust.
Sirens are quite intertwined with mermaids in regards to their origin, the separation becoming apparent during the medieval period. While there is room for interpretation when it comes to mermaids, sirens are almost always portrayed as malicious and dangerous, trying to lure sailors to their death. Homer’s Odyssey features them as an obstacle for the titular character on his voyage home. In the book, Ulysses instructed his crew to pour wax into their ears so they couldn’t hear the siren song while he himself was tied to the mast, able to listen but not tempted to go off board.
Ancient Middle Eastern lore depicts mermaid-like creatures in Mesopotamian artwork from the Old Babylonian Period. However, Syriac fertility goddess Atargatis is said to be the first mermaid on the written record. African water spirits could either be male or female and were called Mami Wata. They were worshipped as a way to prevent natural disasters. Even today, these myths serve as a way for African communities to maintain their identity.
Ancient Greece and Rome was also not short of their versions of the creatures. One of the most famous myths was that Alexander the Great’s sister Thessaloniki was transformed into a mermaid upon her death and lived in the sea, drowning any ships who refused to acknowledge her brother’s rule.
In Isle of Man, mermaids are thought to be more favourable towards humans. One story of the region states that once a man helped a stranded mermaid get back to the sea and in turn was rewarded with treasure. Not all depictions are as nice though, as in Swedish folklore a mermaid kidnaps a human girl and nearly murders her before the girl’s brother manages to save her. Chinese folklore also imagined them slightly more gently, considering they could turn their tears into pearls , while on the other hand, Japanese ningyo are considered a sign of warfare, especially if their bodies washed up the shore.
Rusalkas are a Russian twist on the entities and, although their exact origins vary, the main common trait is that they are restless spirits of unclean dead. Usually, these spirits are of women who have died a violent death before their wedding, often by drowning. They then inhabit sources of water, appearing as beautiful women with green hair and pale skin. Korea, surrounded by sea, also has its own version of mermaid lore, believing them to be sea goddesses as they would warn sailors of bad weather.
Theories
Centuries prior to Darwin, one evolutionary theory from Milesian philosopher Anaximander suggested that humanity had developed from aquatic creatures, not dissimilar to mermaids. There is no actual scientific evidence of their existence, but sightings are reported to this day, although they could be easily confused with other sea creatures – seals, for example. Another theory is that sailors hallucinated these sightings as they were desperate for female companionship.
Overall, the topic of mermaid existence has been under scientific scrutiny with all the evidence as to why it would be impossible, including but not limited to thermoregulation (adaption for regulating body heat), reproductive challenges and digestive differences between mammals and fish (considering they have completely different systems and a mermaid is meant to be a mixture between the two).
Appearance
Western countries describe mermaids as captivating seductive singers (another connection to sirens). Pre-Christian era they were half-birdlike then became half-fishlike, having a head of a woman and a body/tail of a fish, which is the imagery we are most acquainted with today.
They are also depicted to take great care of their hair, constantly combing it while singing. Irish depiction of mermaids (called merrows) closely matched how we envision them today, with long green hair and a face of great beauty.
The earliest depiction of a mermaid can be found in the Normal Chapel of Durham Castle, which was built all the way back in 1078.
Modern day portrayal
Although not exactly modern at this point, one of the most famous and therefore impossible not to mention portrayals of mermaids is Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale The Little Mermaid. Since then, they have been envisioned in countless paintings, books, animations and live-action movies, although perhaps rarely in main roles.
The mermaid symbol is also used as a brand logo by Starbucks. The name of a transgender youth network – Mermaids UK – that supports people who are transgender or gender-diverse is linked to mermaids’ ability to transform, as their lack of genitalia renders their sex irrelevant.