Ariel (The Little Mermaid)
Ariel is a fictional character in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film The Little Mermaid (1989). Ariel is voiced by Jodi Benson in all official animated appearances. Ariel is the youngest daughter of King Triton and Queen Athena of an underwater kingdom of merfolk called Atlantica.[4][5] She is often rebellious, and in the first film, she longs to be a part of the human world. She marries Prince Eric, whom she rescued from a shipwreck, and together they have a daughter, Melody.[6] She is the fourth Disney Princess and also the first Disney Princess to be developed during the Disney Renaissance.
"Princess Ariel" redirects here. For the character from Thundarr the Barbarian, see Thundarr the Barbarian.Ariel
The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Marietta DePrima (Little Mermaid's Island)
- Sierra Boggess (Broadway debut)
- Auliʻi Cravalho (The Little Mermaid Live!)
- Halle Bailey (live-action film)
The Little Mermaid
Human (via magical transformation)
Mermaid (originally)
Princess Consort of Eric's Kingdom
Princess of Atlantica
- King Triton (father)Queen Athena (mother, deceased)King Poseidon (paternal grandfather)King Neptune (paternal great-grandfather)
- Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista and Andrina (older sisters)Ursula (paternal aunt in some media)[1]
Atlantican
The character is based on the title character of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" but was developed into a different personality for the 1989 animated film adaptation. Ariel has received a mixed reception from critics; some publications such as Time criticize her for being too devoted to Eric whereas others, such as Empire, praise the character for her rebellious personality, a departure from previous Disney Princesses' roles. Halle Bailey portrays a live-action version of the character in the 2023 live-action adaptation of the original 1989 film.
Characteristics[edit]
Ariel is the youngest of King Triton and Queen Athena's seven daughters.[5] She is often seen in the company of Flounder, her best friend, and Sebastian, her father's advisor who is often assigned to keep an eye on her. In the television series and first film, Ariel has a fascination with the human world and often goes off to find human artifacts that she displays in a secret grotto.[4][16] Ariel, a free spirit, is often rebellious, wandering off on her own to explore her surroundings, and frequently disobeys the orders of her father or Sebastian, causing conflict between the characters. In The Little Mermaid, she is depicted as being willing to do anything to be with Prince Eric, even giving up her voice to become human.[4] Clements described her as a typical teenager, prone to errors of judgment.[13] She also is incredibly curious, and her curiosity often leads her into dangerous situations.
Ariel is kind and caring to others no matter what their circumstances, as depicted in the television series. In an early episode, Ariel helps an orphaned merboy who had fallen in with a bad crowd.[17] In another episode, Ariel befriends a supposed bad luck creature and protects it from Ursula and other merfolk who wish it harm.[18] Ariel appears as an adult in Return to the Sea and gives birth to a daughter named Melody, becoming the first, and currently, only, Disney princess to become a mother. Ariel is protective of her daughter, as Triton was of Ariel in the first film. After Morgana threatens Ariel and King Triton, Prince Eric and Ariel build a wall around the palace to protect Melody from Morgana and other terrors of the ocean. Although it protected her, it could not protect her curiosity.[6] Ariel's Beginning depicts her personality as it was in the original film after Jodi Benson had advocated returning the character to her roots.[15] Ariel is, once again, a rebellious free spirit, and after her father decrees music to be banned in Atlantica she runs away with Sebastian and his band.
In other media[edit]
Tie-in music albums[edit]
In addition to the film's official soundtrack, two original music albums were released by Walt Disney Records as part of the franchise: Sebastian from The Little Mermaid (1990) and The Little Mermaid: Songs from the Sea (1992). The former is a cover album mainly focusing on Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian, with Jodi Benson as Ariel providing supporting vocals, while the latter is a concept album of original songs that depict a day in Ariel's life under the sea.
Printed media[edit]
Ariel appears in a number of printed media that have been released as part of the franchise. A series of twelve prequel novels were published in 1994 by Disney Press, following young Ariel's adventures living under the sea with her sisters and father. The titles are: Green-Eyed Pearl and Nefazia Visits the Palace by Suzanne Weyn; Reflections of Arsulu and The Same Old Song by Marilyn Kaye; Arista's New Boyfriend and Ariel the Spy by M. J. Carr; King Triton, Beware!, The Haunted Palace and The Boyfriend Mix-Up by Katherine Applegate; The Practical-Joke War by Stephanie St. Pierre; The Dolphins of Coral Cove by K. S. Rodriguez; and Alana's Secret Friend by Jess Christopher.[23]
In 1992, Disney Comics released a four-issue The Little Mermaid Limited Series comic book series.[24] In 1994 Marvel Comics released its own title, Disney's The Little Mermaid, which ran for twelve issues.[25]
Ariel appears as a minor character in the 2016 young adult novel Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch by Serena Valentino, which is part of a Disney Villains series and is mainly about Ursula the Sea Witch.[26] She is also a main character in the 2018 young adult novel Part of Your World by Liz Braswell, which is part of a Disney Twisted Tales series and is set in an alternate universe where Ariel was unable to stop Ursula's wedding to Eric.[27]
Disney Princess[edit]
In 2000, Ariel became an official member of the newly launched Disney Princess line, an umbrella franchise that includes various Disney princesses under its banner. Ariel is one of the original 8 characters that were included at the franchise's launch. The franchise is directed at young girls and covers a wide variety of merchandise, including but not limited to magazines, music albums, toys, video games, clothes, and stationery.[28]
This franchise includes illustrated novels starring the various princesses, two of which are about Ariel: The Birthday Surprise and The Shimmering Star Necklace. Both novels are written by Gail Herman, and contain original stories about Ariel's life as a human and Eric's wife, but still maintaining close relationships with her father and sisters under the sea.[29][30] The franchise also includes illustrated short stories about Ariel's life as a human, such as Ariel and the Aquamarine Jewel,[31] Ariel's Dolphin Adventure,[32] and Ariel's Royal Wedding.[33]
Jodi Benson provides Ariel's voice for her appearances in the Disney Princess music albums, DVDs, and video games. The first original song released for this franchise is "If You Can Dream", which featured Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Pocahontas, Jasmine and Mulan singing together. Other original songs that feature Ariel are "I Just Love Getting Dressed for Tea", "Manners and Etiquette", "The Princess Dance" and "Happy Birthday, Princess" from Disney Princess Tea Party (2005); "Christmas Is Coming!", "Christmas in the Ocean", "Ariel's Christmas Island" and "The Twelve Days of Christmas" from Disney Princess Christmas Album (2009);[34] and "Ariel's Sing-Along Sea Song: the Crab Song" from Disney Princess Party (2010).[35]
Reception and legacy[edit]
Ariel has received mixed reception from critics. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised the character, writing that "Ariel is a fully realized female character who thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously, instead of hanging around passively while the fates decide her destiny."[61] James Bernardelli of Reelviews wrote that Ariel can be viewed as a template for future Disney heroes and heroines. He also praised Jodi Benson's vocal performance for the character.[62] In an article for Empire, Levi Buchanan stated that Ariel is "powerful and self-reliant."[63] Janet Maslin of The New York Times complimented Ariel, stating that "teenagers will appreciate the story's rebellious heroine" and went on to praise Ariel's wit.[64] Josh Tyler of Cinema Blend wrote favorably about Ariel, although he believed that the character was eroticized, stating "The scene where Ursula rips out her throat and gives her extremely naked parts below the waist is almost titillating, though I'm sure to little kids it seems entirely innocent."[65] Similarly, reviewer John Puccio said that "Ariel is perhaps the sexiest-looking animated character the Disney artists have ever drawn."[66] In his review of Ariel's Beginning, James Plath of DVD Town wrote, "For little girls, Ariel is one of the most beloved of Disney princesses, and she holds a warm place in the hearts of parents as well."[67] Rory Aronsky of Film Threat praised Jodi Benson's vocal performance in Ariel's Beginning, writing that "Benson adds more to the appeal of Ariel for older fans, and younger girls just learning about her, as well as generations not born yet who will undoubtedly become attached to her, ensuring the continued existence of the franchise."[68]
In their review of The Little Mermaid, the staff of TV Guide wrote that Ariel resembled "a big-haired, denatured Barbie doll, despite her hourglass figure and skimpy seashell brassiere."[69]
Tamara Weston of Time wrote that while Ariel is less passive and more strong-willed than her predecessors, she still "gives up her voice to be with a man" who comes to her rescue at the film's climax.[70] Hal Hinson of The Washington Post wrote that it would be difficult for children to relate to Ariel's "feelings of disenchantment and longing for another world" and that she "doesn't have much personality." However, he also wrote a positive statement about Ariel, saying it was "refreshing ... to see a heroine who has some sense of what she wants and the resources to go after it."[71] Nell Minow of Common Sense Media had a mixed view of Ariel, praising her for being "adventuresome, rebellious, and brave," but also criticizing that she "gives up everything – her family, her home, her voice – for love, even though her trust in the sea witch puts everyone she loves in danger."[72] Daphne Lee of The Star called Ariel "annoying" and went on to state that she "is a silly girl who gives up her voice and her family for a man she knows next to nothing about."[73]
It was largely the results of these initial negative reviews regarding Ariel, that resulted in then-Disney Animation chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg deciding to add in a "feminist twist" to the next Disney fairy tale adaptation, Beauty and the Beast, and by extension make the film's female protagonist, Belle, into a feminist, as well as hire Linda Woolverton to act as the main screenwriter for the film.[74] Despite her mixed critical reception, Ariel remains popular with audiences and is considered one of Disney's most iconic and beloved animated characters, with her specific color combination of red hair, lavender seashells, and green tail making her distinctly identifiable.[9] A poll in the Internet Movie Database showed Ariel to be the second most alluring animated character after Jessica Rabbit.[75] In August 2011, Jodi Benson was honored as a Disney Legend for her work as Ariel and her other projects at Disney.[76] Although Belle is still often regarded and praised as Disney's first true feminist princess, fans and critics state that Ariel is because of her desire for independence, as well as being the first Disney princess to save her prince's life in her film.[77][78][79][80][81]
Halle Bailey's portrayal as Ariel in the 2023 film was generally well-received by critics. Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly described Bailey's performance as "breathtaking" while also saying that "her altogether human performance that makes it impossible not to fall in love with her. Her Ariel is less a tempestuous teenager with a crush than she is a blossoming and curious young woman." When describing Bailey's rendition of "Part of Your World", Lee Lenker wrote that Bailey, "transmogrifies the already classic tune into something as otherworldly as undiscovered sea life."[82] Peter Debruge of Variety said, "Halle Bailey is all the reason that any audience should need to justify Disney revisiting this classic."[83] Brian Truitt of USA Today wrote that "Halle Bailey splendidly buoys this "Mermaid" as the naive underwater youngster with dreams of exploring the surface."[84] In her review for Total Film, Molly Edwards wrote that Bailey gave a "pitch-perfect performance" while adding that she "shines as Ariel."[85] The Seattle Times' Moira MacDonald gave a rave review of Bailey's performance, saying that "her singing voice has both sweetness and power, and her smile is the sort on which dreams dance."[86] For her performance, Bailey was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor, the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, the People's Choice Award for Female Movie Star of 2023, and the Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress.[87][88][89][90]
A bi-annual convention called ArielCon is dedicated to the character.[91] Ariel is an official "ambassador" for the "Keep Our Oceans Clean" campaign by Environmental Defense, The National Maritime Sanctuary, and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.[92][93] From 2007 onwards, Disney launched an advertising campaign called Disney Dreams Portraits featuring celebrities dressed up as various Disney characters and photographed Annie Leibovitz; Julianne Moore was photographed as Ariel for this campaign.[94]
"Hipster Ariel" has become a popular internet meme, utilizing a screenshot of Ariel with photoshopped glasses accompanied by a humorous caption.[95][96] The popularity of the Hipster Ariel meme also led Funko to produce a line of Funko Pop figures based on the Hipster Disney Princess meme.[97] Ariel's distinct appearance makes her the subject of "look-alike" events and competitions.[98]