The popular adaptation often portrays the little mermaid's story as a more upbeat and positive one. There are colorful characters and catchy songs. But the true story is a somber one. In the true story, the mermaid's love for the prince is unrequited. She gives up so much for him, including her voice and her life in the sea. The true story emphasizes the pain and sacrifice of love, while the adaptation focuses more on the idea of a fairy - tale romance.
The popular adaptation, like Disney's, gives the little mermaid a happy ending. But in the true story, she doesn't get the prince and turns into sea foam. The true story is more tragic and focuses on the mermaid's great sacrifices for love.
In the popular adaptation, the little mermaid's journey is more about adventure and finding love and getting it in the end. However, in the true story, it's a much darker tale. Her deal with the witch has much harsher consequences. She has to endure extreme pain while walking on land, and in the end, she doesn't get to be with the prince at all. The true story doesn't shy away from showing the harsh reality of unrequited love.
The real story of the Little Mermaid is darker. The mermaid's sacrifice in the original is not fully rewarded. Her sisters' attempt to save her also shows the desperation in the original. In the Disney version, Ariel is more of a strong - willed and adventurous character who gets what she wants. In the real story, the mermaid is more of a tragic figure who is at the mercy of fate. The endings are also very different, with the Disney version having a happy ending and the real story having a rather sad and thought - provoking ending.
In the real story, the mermaid doesn't get a happy ending with the prince like in the Disney version. She turns into sea foam.
In the real story, Cinderella's situation was more desperate. She had less help compared to the popular version where the fairy godmother seems to solve everything easily. Also, the consequences for the stepsisters in the real story were harsher like the pecking out of eyes which is not in the popular adaptation.
The more popular versions focus on the love story and the mermaid's beauty. But the dark story shows the real sacrifices and risks she took. For example, in the dark story, her deal with the sea witch is more menacing.
In the traditional version, it's more about a pure and somewhat idealized love story. But in the dark story, the prince is more of a jerk. He doesn't appreciate the mermaid's love and sacrifices. Also, the mermaid's suffering seems more intense in the dark version.
The main difference is obviously the gender of the characters. In the original, Ariel is a female mermaid, but in the genderbend version, it could be a male mermaid. This changes the entire dynamic of the story, especially in terms of relationships. For example, the way the mermaid pursues a relationship with a human (if that's still part of the story) would be different based on gender norms and expectations.
In the Disney version, Ariel gets a happy ending with the prince. But in the real story, she doesn't. In the real one, she turns into sea foam.
In the Disney version, Ariel gets her happy ending with the prince. But in the real story, she doesn't. In the real one, she suffers a lot more, like walking on knives with her new legs. Also, in the real story, the prince marries another girl and the mermaid turns into sea foam.
The Disney version of the Little Mermaid is more of a fairy - tale romance. Ariel is a spunky and adventurous mermaid who gets her prince in the end. However, in the real story, the mermaid's journey is much more tragic. She suffers a great deal. For example, she experiences extreme pain while walking on land with her new legs. Also, the prince doesn't fall in love with her as she hoped, and she ends up sacrificing herself instead of getting married to the prince like in the Disney story.
The original ending is much darker. The mermaid sacrifices so much for the prince, but he marries another girl. As a result, she is given the option to kill the prince to save herself but she can't bring herself to do it. So, she jumps into the sea and turns into sea foam. In the Disney version, she gets to be with the prince and they live happily ever after, which is a big difference.