The Little Mermaid~ The main character for this tale type is usually sweet, young, and innocent. It is given that she has a musical voice and a protective father. She tends to be willing to give up everything about herself in order to capture the love of a human prince.
King~ The main character's father tends to be overprotective and powerful. He understands his duty to his kingdom but also shows great love and affection towards his daughter.
The Prince~ The character of the prince doesn't play much of a role in any tale of "The Little Mermaid." His character is more of a draw for the mermaid rather than a character included to better the story. Without the prince, the story would have no moral. And that is his main position, to entice the mermaid out of the sea.
The Sisters~ The sisters of the main character tend to stay in the background of the tale. They don't really have much say in the story and never take any important action. Once their sister, the main character, has made her mistake, they show their affection through their desire for her to come back and their persistence in trying to make her return to the undersea kingdom.
The Evil Sea Witch- known in the Disney film as Ursula, the evil sea monster is the one who offers the main character her desires in exchange for the mermaid's voice. This character is always sly and manipulative, getting what she wants in exchange fir something she knows the little mermaid will need later on. She takes what she wants with no regards to how the main character will be affected.