The Fisherman and His Soul Themes

Love drives the titular protagonist’s actions throughout Oscar Wilde’s “The Fisherman and His Soul,” the story of a young Fisherman who falls in love with a Mermaid. Upon asking her to marry him, the Mermaid replies that if the Fisherman is to live with her in the sea he must first rid himself of his Soul, as the Sea-folk are themselves soulless. Notably, then, romantic love is immediately depicted as something that requires…

After the Fisherman separates himself from his Soul so that he can live with the Mermaid, once a year for three years the Soul returns from traveling the world to try and tempt him to leave his love. The first two times, the Soul does this with very long and highly detailed stories of wisdom and riches, and each time the Fisherman is unmoved and happily returns to the Mermaid. It doesn’t take long…

Upon falling in love with the Mermaid and learning that he must give up his Soul in order to be with her, the Fisherman visits the Priest to seek his advice. The Priest, however, is completely appalled by his decision and responds aggressively to his suggestion that he give up his soul. Furthermore, he is disgusted by the fact that the Fisherman has fallen in love with the Mermaid because she is an “ungodly” creature…