Mermaids and sirens are both fictitious creatures. They possess the upper part of the body and faces like that of a woman and the lower part of the bodies like fish or birds. Mermaids are generally discovered and mentioned in the folklore of so many cultures and civilizations as attractive aquatic beasts, half woman and half fish. Hence, several kinds of names are given to such creatures, such as water nymphs, mermaids, sirens, undines, nixies, and more, which are adequate to confuse people. Individuals remain mostly confused between siren and mermaid. This is due to their resemblances. This article tends to take an observable view of mermaids and sirens, two of the odd examining imaginary and fictional natures.
What is a Mermaid?
Water in every culture is acknowledged to be full of life. Every culture, tale, and mythology makes the declaration of aquatic creatures that are part woman and part fish. These gentle creatures have always been portrayed as attractive and gorgeous, gentle and assisting sailors and others journeying through the seas. Even though these creatures do not live not to exist and are only discovered in folklore, films, and books, they stay to be alluring and enduring as ever, and we find out artefacts and descriptions in every culture around the world. The first mermaid to exist is assumed to be Atargatis. She flinched into the sea and converted herself into a mermaid for mistakenly compelling the death of her betrothed. In a lot of tales, these creatures are depicted as harmless and benevolent beings assisting people in one form or the other. In most tales, a mermaid is described as having fallen in love with a human. Some people have reported sighting creatures that look like a mermaid for decades. Although there is no substantial evidence that they exist, they still maintain being a factor in our arts and culture in the patterns of books, films, cartoons, and most articles used for decoration.
What is a Siren?
A siren is an imaginary personality or creature discovered in Greek folklore. The impression of the siren has been complicated since, in some tales, they are portrayed as birds with human heads, and in other tales, they are portrayed as half woman and half fish, which causes them to resemble mermaids. Another confusion is that mermaids are described as sirens in the French world. They were highlighted as nymphs who existed on islands encircled by cliffs and fascinated approaching sailors with their voices and singing. Hence, in most tales, sirens have been indicated singing songs to entice sailors. When this occurs, the sailors will lose control of themselves and direction, resulting in shipwreck and drowning.
Difference Between Mermaid and Siren
- Sirens use music to entice sailors and trigger their drowning. They are viewed as human devourers in some tales. On the contrary, mermaids are always portrayed as harmless, benevolent, and willing to assist human beings. In some tales, they are said to fall in love with humans.
- Mermaids are described as half woman and half fish, while sirens are assumed to be birds with female heads.
- Mermaids are described as gentle and harmless, while sirens are assumed to have evil purposes.
- Mermaids are often mentioned in the mythology and tales of every culture and civilization, while sirens are often in Greek folklore.
- Sirens are not aquatic, whereas mermaids are.