The Little Mermaid: A Fairytale as a Story of the Self

This thesis explores the connection between mythology, fairytales, and the human psyche and demonstrates how archetypal stories may help people find meaning, direction, and fulfillment in their lives. Grounded in a depth psychological perspective and utilizing a hermeneutic approach, this thesis maps the human psyche, explains the process of ideal psychological development, and illustrates how archetypal stories relate to the human journey. With this hermeneutic analysis as a foundation, the author focuses on a fairytale that has had personal significance to her, Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid . Providing an in-depth psychological interpretation of the fairytale and utilizing a heuristic approach that incorporates the author's personal experiences, this research indicates how fairytales can help one on the path toward self-realization. As a contribution to the fields of counseling and depth psychology, the author also describes how mythology, fairytales, and other archetypal stories may be used in the psychotherapeutic setting.