Abstract
This chapter examines toxic ableism and Gothic nostalgia in three fanfictions featuring a Mermaid protagonist: “Mermaid in a Wheelchair” (2020) by Lilith Ravenwood, “The House of Mermaids” (2022) by Evangeline Blackwood and “Die stumme Meerjungfrau” [The Silent Mermaid] (2023) by Anna von Meeresgrund. Rooted in European storytelling traditions revolving around the mermaid from the Romantic movement up till the twenty-first century, these authors created new stories in which they weave identity markers of disability and difference. The fanfiction “Mermaid in a Wheelchair” provides a positive and empowering portrayal of disability through the character of Luna Hyde. In contrast, “The House of Mermaids” reinforces negative and ableist attitudes towards disability, while romanticising and exoticising it through the use of Gothic nostalgia. The portrayal of disability in “The Silent Mermaid” can also be seen as fitting the romanticised view of disability present in Gothic literature.
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Notes
- 1.
With the author’s permission, I have republished her writing on my website: http://martinemussies.nl/web/writing-fanfiction-to-cope-with-mental-health-issues/.
- 2.
With the author’s permission, I republished her story on http://martinemussies.nl/web/mermaid-in-a-wheelchair/.
- 3.
Republished at http://martinemussies.nl/web/the-house-of-mermaids/.
- 4.
Republished at http://martinemussies.nl/web/die-stumme-meerjungfrau/.
- 5.
Die Höhle der Seehexe war ein düsterer und unheimlicher Ort. Der Eingang war von kriechenden Schatten und zischenden Geräuschen umgeben, die von der schroffen Felswand widerhallten. Im Inneren der Höhle gab es keine Spur von Licht, außer den schwachen Glanz der phosphoreszierenden Algen, die an den Wänden und Felsen hafteten. Der Boden war mit unheimlichen Gegenständen übersät: Schädel von Seetieren, verrostete Ankertrossen, und gebrochene Schiffe. Das Echo von leisen Schritten hallte durch die kühlen Wände, und die Luft war erfüllt von dem Geruch von Salz, Verwesung und dunkler Magie. Die Höhle der Seehexe war ein Ort des Bösen und der Geheimnisse, der von den Bewohnern des Meeres gemieden wurde (all translations from German by this author).
- 6.
“Jahre vergingen, und die stumme Meerjungfrau schlief weiterhin in ihrer Muschel aus Meeresschalen, die sich sanft mit den Gezeiten bewegte. Jahre vergingen…”.
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Mussies, M. (2024). Toxic Ableism and Gothic Nostalgia in Fanfiction About Mermaids. In: Bacon, S., Bronk-Bacon, K. (eds) Gothic Nostalgia. Palgrave Gothic. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43852-3_15
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