UNDINE

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An Undine, or Ondine, was a water nymph. The German legend goes that she married a man to gain a soul, but he
was unfaithful, and she cursed him to stay alive only as long as he stayed awake; when he fell asleep next, he would
die. Friedrich de la Motte Fouque turned it into a novel in the nineteenth century which became very popular.

Undine-Flute Sonata
The first movement depicts Undine as a water nymph. Eventually she comes to land, and is raised by human
parents, who don't understand her.

The fast, chase-like notes of the second movement describe her relationship with her foster parents., who perceive
her as impulsive and naughty.

The slow third movement is when Undine finds love. Yet her naivete leads her to bring her husband's former fiancee
into their home. He is drawn back to his former love, and Undine is unwillingly forced to give him the curse of death,
yet comes secretly to attend the funeral-all this is portrayed in the fourth movement.

I find it interesting-traditional fairy bride tales such as this usually consist of human men kidnapping supernatural
female characters, who escape as soon as they find a chance. These fairy creatures are other than human, and
cannot be happy when confined to human life. Yet in two very popular water spirit tales written by men-Fouque's
Undine and Andersen's Little Mermaid-the supernatural female will do anything for the love of the man. This Undine
still mourns for her unfaithful husband, unlike the folkloric Undine who curses her husband of her own will.

Posted by Kristin at 2:04 PM

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The Undine Myth
The Undine myth by Friedrich de la Motte Fouque was written in 1811 and served as the basis for Hans Christian
Anderson's "The Little Mermaid". Later, that became the basis for the Disney movie of the same name. "Undine" is
another word for mermaid, water spirit or water elemental.

Here is a brief synopsis of the story:

Undine is a mermaid who was exchanged for a human child by her uncle, a river god. She gets a soul by
marrying a human and is an excellent wife. However, her husband is not comfortable with her. Although she has
a soul she retains the powers she had as a water spirit. The husband's ex-girlfriend is jealous of Undine and uses
the husband's fears to breaks up the marriage. Undine, rejected by her husband, returns to her underwater
world, but warns her husband that he must stay true to her or she will be honor-bound to kill him. The husband,
not believing this, marries the girl friend and is murdered by Undine.