Princesses have been a part of every American girl’s youth ever since Disney gave life to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Since then, ten more Disney princesses have enchanted audiences and inspired children with glass slippers and magic carpet rides. Two of the more popular princess franchises include The Little Mermaid, which debuted in 1989, and Beauty and the Beast, which debuted in 1991. Although the two movies might seem vastly different, their stories are closely related because both involve two different species, a “happily ever after” theme, and a main character experiencing unhappiness in life situations. Though they are so similar, one is greater than the other. Essentially, Beauty and the Beast is a poor rendition of The Little Mermaid. Disney takes viewers under the sea in The Little Mermaid. The story revolves around a young mermaid, Ariel, who is the daughter of the esteemed King Triton. From the surface, Ariel’s life in the water appears to be perfect. However, she has a deep discontentment with her life in Atlantis. She dreams of being a part of the human world, and when she saves the handsome Prince Eric from drowning in a violent storm, her mind is set on ditching her …show more content…
Like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast’s plotline is created by two different species. However, the audience does not connect with the two main characters as well as they did in the original. The description of the male main character goes only as far as to what he is referred by, “beast.” Because there is not a definite description of what a beast is, it is hard for one to develop a relationship with the character. This ruins the chemistry between Belle and the beast where the chemistry between Ariel and Eric was strengthened. People enjoyed the star-crossed lovers aspect of The Little Mermaid but are confused by the element in Beauty and the