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| Andersen's version | Disney's version | |
| Status | Beautiful and youngest daughter of the sea king. | Beautiful and youngest daughter of King Triton |
| Parentage | Has a father but he has no real bearing on story. Grandmother significant person that the Little mermaid can turn to. | Father more dominant and powerful. Ariel turns to fish, crab and bird for help. |
| Quest | Quest for an Immortal soul. Comes with much cost, pain and suffering. | Quest for a marriage partner. Achieved with no cost to Ariel at all. |
| Seawitch | Yes there is a sea witch. The only power she has is to take away the mermaids voice. She then plays no further part in the story.The Little Mermaid seeks her out. | Yes seawitch called Ursula who becomes an important character in the story representing the evil side in the typical good and evil binaries.Ursula seeks out Ariel as part of a larger plot to gain control over King Triton. |
| Positive female characters | Yes The Little Mermaid who initiates and takes responsibility for own actions and destiny. The grandmother who is wise and loving.The sisters who give up their hair to try and help their sister and the daughters of the air who are also working on their own destinies All strong and supportive to mermaid. | No. The sisters appear absent. The sea witch is strong but evil. She is portrayed as overweight and manipulative, definitely not a positive role model |
| Loses her voice | Yes has her tongue cut out and will never sing or talk again. |
Yes has voice taken by Ursula and kept in a shell. Ariel gets her voice back in the end |
| Conflict between good and evil | No | Yes in keeping with Disney formula. |
| Prince marries The Little mermaid | No Prince never sees the mermaid in a sexual way that he would marry her. Rather he treats her like a child. |
Prince marries Ariel and they live Happily ever After. |
