The Certainty of Mermaids: An Argument For centuries, people have wondered if there was human-like life within the ocean. Often represented as being beautiful female creatures, mermaids became a common subject of discussion. Mermaids most certainly exist due to their consistent reproduction throughout artwork, literature, and culture, and trustworthy accounts of sightings throughout history.
The manifestation of mer-people within art and other cultural productions has been consistent throughout history. One of the most archaic cases occurs within The Odyssey, where Odysseus is warned to avoid the “sirens” who “. . . bewitch every one who comes near them . . . the Sirens bewitch him with their melodious song” (Book XXI). From then on, mermaids became a common subject of painting, including the famous The Mermaid by Howard Pyle. These creatures have been the focus of countless works of literature, film,…show more content… Sea-farers have long since told the tales of being lured away into unintended directions by the entrancing voice of a beautiful sea creature. One could write off such tales as simply being a dugong or a manatee, but sailors stick to their stories. European explorer Christopher Columbus reportedly sighted “three mermaids who came quite high out of the water but were not as pretty as they are depicted, for somehow in the face they look like men ("American Journeys: Journal of the First Voyage of Columbus."). Even American Settler John Smith claims to have seen a mermaid off of the coast of Massachusetts, writing that “. . . she was swimming about with all possible grace near the shore. . . her long green hair imparted to her an original character by no means unattractive” ("Mermaids Are Real: Columbus, Shakespeare, and Pliny the Elder.”). John Smith reportedly even felt “pangs of love” for the mermaid, before noticing that she was half fish (Howell,