The Little Mermaid

Sinopsis Lengkap The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid is a Disney classic animated film released in 1989, adapted from the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows The Adventures of Ariel, a passionate and curious young mermaid, on her journey in pursuit of true love and freedom to live in the human world.

Background Story

The story takes place in two different worlds: the majestic underwater kingdom of Atlantica and the human world on the mainland. Atlantica is led by King Triton, Ariel's father, who is strict but affectionate. Triton has strict rules prohibiting contact with humans due to past trauma and fear of the dangers of the terrestrial world. However, Ariel, Triton's 16-year-old youngest daughter, has a great curiosity for the human world. He often collects human objects he finds in shipwrecks and stores them in his secret cave.

Early Conflicts

Ariel, with her fiery red hair and melodious voice, feels constrained by life under the sea. He often breaks his father's rules to explore the surface with his best friend, Flounder, a timid coverfish. Ariel is also accompanied by Sebastian, a red crab whom Triton has assigned to watch over his daughter. Ariel's interest in the human world grows stronger after she rescues Prince Eric, a handsome human, from a shipwrecked by a storm. Ariel falls in love with Eric and often peeks at him from a distance, dreaming of life on land with him.

King Triton, knowing Ariel's behavior, was furious and forbade her to approach the human world. This conflict between father and son makes Ariel even more determined to follow her heart. In the midst of her despair, Ariel is persuaded by two cunning Eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, to visit Ursula, the evil sea witch exiled from Atlantica.

Deal with Ursula

Ursula, who has a grudge against Triton, sees an opportunity to take advantage of Ariel. He offers her a deal: Ursula will turn Ariel into a human for three days. In return, Ariel must give her beautiful voice, which is stored in the magic shell of Ursula. To remain human forever, Ariel must get Eric's” kiss of true love " before the sun sets on the third day. In case of failure, Ariel will again become a mermaid and belong to Ursula forever. Although Flounder and Sebastian warn of the danger, Ariel, blinded by love, signs the contract and loses her voice.

Life in the human world

With Ursula's help, Ariel is transformed into a human and is found on the beach by Eric. Despite not being able to speak, Ariel captivates Eric with her beauty and innocence. Eric, who is obsessed with finding the mysterious girl with the melodious voice who saved him (without him knowing it was Ariel), begins to take an interest in Ariel. However, he hesitated because Ariel did not make a sound. With the help of Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle, an eccentric but less intelligent seagull, Ariel attempts to win Eric's heart. Romantic moments, such as a boat trip in the lagoon to the song “Kiss The Girl,” bring them closer and closer, but time goes on.

Ursula's Evil Plan

Ursula, not wanting Ariel to succeed, transforms herself into Vanessa, a beautiful woman, and uses Ariel's voice to charm Eric. Vanessa hypnotizes Eric and makes him agree to marry her as soon as possible. Ariel is heartbroken when she finds out Eric is going to marry another woman. Scuttle, who discovers that Vanessa is Ursula in disguise, teams up with Flounder and Sebastian to thwart the wedding. With the help of marine animals, they managed to mess with her, and Ursula's shell broke, returning Ariel's voice to her body.

Eric, the Ascendancy, realizing that Vanessa is Ursula, frees Ariel from the curse. Ariel and Eric rush to Ursula's ship, where a climactic battle ensues.

Climax and resolution

In her anger, Ursula turns into a giant and creates a sea storm to destroy Ariel and Eric. However, Eric manages to take control of the damaged ship and stabs Ursula with a fragment of the mast, killing her. With Ursula's death, the curse on Ariel and all of Ursula's other victims is lifted.

King Triton, who witnessed Ariel's sacrifice for Love, finally realized how important his daughter's happiness is. With the help of his flute stick, Triton transforms Ariel into a human permanently. Ariel and Eric get married in a grand celebration attended by humans and sea creatures, signifying the union between the two worlds. The Film ends with Ariel and Eric sailing into a new life together, with the blessing of Ariel's family.

Theme and message

The Little Mermaid explore themes such as the search for identity, sacrifice for love, and the conflict between family obligations and personal desires. Ariel represents a young spirit that dares to pursue dreams despite great obstacles. The story also highlights the importance of acceptance and understanding, as demonstrated by Triton's change of heart towards the human world.

Main Characters

• Ariel: A brave and curious mermaid who yearns for life on land.
• Prince Eric: Kind and brave human Prince, Ariel's true love.
• King Triton: The protective but ultimately supportive King of Atlantica for Ariel's happiness.
• Ursula: A cunning Sea Witch driven by vengeance and power.
• Sebastian: A loyal crab trying to keep Ariel safe.
• Flounder: A loyal but timid cover fish, Ariel's best friend.
• Scuttle: A hilarious yet often misunderstood seagull about the human world.

Cultural Impact

Film ini memulai era Renaissance Disney, dikenal karena animasinya yang memukau, lagu-lagu ikonik seperti “Part of Your World” dan “Under the Sea” (diciptakan oleh Alan Menken dan Howard Ashman), serta cerita yang menyentuh hati. The Little Mermaid it remains one of Disney's most beloved works, inspiring stage adaptations, sequels, and live-action remakes in 2023.