Strange that such a small and unassuming thing should be such a popular tourist attraction, but the Little Mermaid, who in the fairytale is so lonely, in statue form is one of Copenhagen’s most visited icons. Smaller than life size the Little Mermaid’s face was modeled on ballerina Ellen Price, who played the role with the Copenhagen Royal Theatre, and her naked body on the wife of her sculptor, Edvard Eriksen. She was unveiled in her place in the harbour in 1913.

Despite her diminutive size and the frailty of her tale she’s become a symbol and has attracted more than just tourists. Her head has been sawn off several times and she’s been covered in paint and dressed in a bra and a burka. Luckily the statue in the harbour has never been the original so she’s been repaired each time, but in 2007 she was moved further out to sea out of harms way.

Sorry if you’re a fan of the Disney version, but you need to hear this: part of the reason she looks so serenely forlorn is that at the end of the Han Christian Anderson original story the prince marries the girl he thinks rescued him from the sea and the Little Mermaid turns into sea foam rather than murder him. So no wonder the feminists don’t like her.

Written by  World Reviewer Staff.

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