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Mermaids in Popular Culture

Mermaids can be seen in popular culture symbolizing both positive energy, love, fruitfulness, and/or negative energy, great misfortune, and death. Mermaids, like many other creatures of mythology and folklore, are regularly depicted in literature, film, music, and beauty. Through mythological stories and tales that began thousands of years ago, as early as 1000 BC, the "mermaid" has remained popular in cultures around the world. In older pop culture, mermaids were seen commonly as dark creatures looking to cause pain and suffering. Mermaids represented the danger of the sea. Tales of mermaids lurking in the sea scared people away from entering the water alone or in the dark, when drownings were most likely to occur.

Past Popular Culture

In past culture, mermaids were thought to have been the reason for shipwrecks and men lost at sea. Popular tales claim that they would use their beauty and sensual voices to lure these men out to them, bring them bad luck, or even kill them. Mermaids were depicted most often as evil with bad intentions. Disney's 1989 animated film "The Little Mermaid" is a good example of the types of characteristics seen with mermaids in today's culture. The main character, "Ariel", falls in love with a human prince, and longs to be with him. In the end of this tale, Ariel and Prince Eric fall in love and live happily ever after. Ariel is a mermaid with only pure intentions toward the prince, while mermaids seen in different times and other cultures would exhibit characteristics opposite to Ariel's. In 1953, Disney's Peter Pan came out and became an instant classic. In this movie, mermaids are seen in the "Mermaid Lagoon" outside of the island "Neverland". These mermaids are self-absorbed creatures who spend their time combing their hair and looking at their reflections. They are beautiful and alluring but known to drown you if you get too close, especially at night.

Present Popular Culture

Today's culture depicts mermaids as innocent friendly creatures searching for love and happiness. One of the most well-known mermaids today is the one on the Starbucks coffee cup logo. The mermaid shown on the popular coffee cup was modeled after the 16th century tale of "Melusine". Melusine was a mermaid-like creature found in the woods by the Duke of Aquitaine. The Duke then begged her to be his wife, and Mesuline accepted. Mesuline was determined to hide her true appearance and would bath in private in order to accomplish this. One day, the Duke peaked in on her and saw her true appearance. She then returned to her mermaid physicality and left the Duke for good.

There is currently a community in Seattle, Washington of people who believe themselves to be real-life "mermaids". These mermaids swim in pools, lakes, and rivers while wearing mermaid tails. Mermaids in this community have quit their jobs to pursue being a mermaid. In Las Vegas, Nevada there is a hotel with it's own aquarium in which actors dress as mermaids and put on shows for the guests in the Mermaid Lounge.

In California, there is a business called "Once Upon an Island" which revolves solely around mermaids. Mermaids are hired to attend birthday parties, camps, and to run a "Mermaid Academy" for children. Annual mermaid parade's are held in Coney Island,New York and Portland,Oregon. People are encouraged to dress up as mermaids when attending or participating in the parades.

Mermaids have inspired fashion as early as the 1930's, when the first mermaid style gown was created.Mermaid inspired hair became popular around 2017. The fishtail braid, mermaid waves, and hair colored in pale blues, greens, and purples were all inspired by mermaids in popular culture.