The figure of the mermaid offers a fertile lens through which to explore the uncanny and the symbolic, material, and imaginative potentials of water. The main argument this article develops through its three sections is that the fictional figure of the mermaid exemplifies how the uncanny in arts and literature can generate new imaginaries that help us confront contemporary societal and environmental challenges. In particular, the article focuses on a case study to make the argument more concrete, providing an analysis of Laura Pugno’s novel Sirene. The first section outlines the conceptual framework, defining uncanny hybrid characters and linking them to notions of fluidity and water-focused theoretical discourses, often marked by feminist and posthuman orientations. The second section examines the fictional figure of the mermaid and its subversive potential, showing how contemporary artists and writers use it to address disability, posthumanism, and the crisis of the Anthropocene. The final section turns to the literary case study, demonstrating how Sirene engages with complex issues of posthumanism and feminism through its powerful reimagining of the mermaid figure.
Francesca Arnavas (Mon,) studied this question.