| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺東大學 === 兒童文學研究所 === 95 === The fairy tale is obviously differentiated in the category of children’s literature. But the fairy tale which is not considered a childlike story, implies a profound meaning in itself through the interpretation of modern literature.
In children’s literature, the mermaid is a kind of special being. The mermaid owns beautiful upper part of the body equating to female human beings yet with a fishlike tale; the mermaid has emotions and sensory pleasures without the soul. The completed image of the mermaid is to be seen by Anderson’s “ The Daughter of the Sea ” and Wilde’s “ The Fisherman and His Soul ”. The mermaid pursues the eternity of the soul and spurns the interaction and the bodily attraction with human beings. But the mermaid comes to the death in the end.
The fairy tales written by Anderson and Wilde in 19th century contains mellow strain of the life and have been for hundred years yet to fade. Although the fairy tales are written for children, they express the inner desires, pursuits and disillusions of human beings. The fairy tales are not merely fairy tales. The fairy tales adapt the image of the mermaid, transcending through time and space, to affect the philosophy of love of people up to now.
The researcher tries to discuss Andersen and Wilde’s psychological levels in their cultural background. Through the analysis and comparison of these two fairy tales, the researcher looks after the modern significance of the mermaid. Moreover, the researcher attempts to construct the harmony of the body, the mind, and the spirit of human beings by reading these two fairy tales in depth. At the same time, the researcher has a reflection: Could the fairy tale be thought of a path to understand the whole experiences and tests of life in the process of reaching harmony?
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