A perfect gem
Although almost everybody knows the story, attention is rarely paid to the way in which Hans Christian Andersen tells his fairy tales, and that is a pity. The story of The Little Mermaid gets off to a slow start. First we have to go far out in the blue ocean and then deep into the crystal clear water where no anchor chain can reach. Here we find a coral castle, its windows of the clearest amber and its roof formed of shells. They open and close as the water flows over them and in each lies a glittering pearl. This is the castle of the Sea King, and here live six little sea-princesses with the most beautiful fishtails. The youngest sister is the prettiest of them all; her skin as clear and delicate as a rose leaf and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea. But she is an outsider musing and longing for something she cannot put into words.
Dream prince
All children know that feeling, but a grown-up reader would more likely be struck by the unhappy love story. The beautiful ocean princess loves a prince of the land and to win his love she undergoes a painful metamorphosis to become a human being. The princess carefully steps ashore on her two new legs, but the prince is not the least bit attracted to her. He cares for her, he even amicably gives her a nickname and brazenly discusses his love affairs with her.
However, when the prince dresses her in men's clothes, we should pay attention, for is the fairy tale really about the relationship between two men? One who is attracted to women, and one who is more attracted to other men? In short, the story of a young homosexual man who falls head over heels in love with his heterosexual friend. If that is the case it is no surprise that the girl in men's clothes cannot speak, suffers a world of agonies and does not get the one she loves.
Dorthe Sondrup Andersen is a Master of Arts of Comparative Literature and an author and writer on cultural affairs. Her books include "The Golden Age without the Gilt" ("Guldalder uden forgyldning") (People's Press, 2004).
Sculpture by Edvard Eriksen (1913) . Foto: Brian Bergmann/ Scanpix.