Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen, (April 2 1805 - August 4 1875) was a Danish author and poet most famous for his fairy tales.

Life as an author

In 1829, Andersen enjoyed a considerable success with a fantastic story entitled A Journey on Foot from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of Amager, and during the same season, he published both a farce and a collection of poems. His first success happened at a time when his friends had ultimately given up hope for him, deciding that his early eccentricity and vivacity would never lead to anything good. He had little further progress, however, until 1833, when he received a small travelling grant from the King, making the first of his long European journeys. At Le Locle, in the Jura, he wrote Agnete and the Merman; and in October 1834 he arrived in Rome.

Related Topics:
1829 - A Journey on Foot from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of Amager - 1833 - European - Agnete and the Merman - 1834 - Rome

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Andersen's first novel, The Improvisatore, was in the beginning of 1835, and became an instant success. His humble beginnings as a poet had finally come to an end. During the same year, Andersen published the first instalment of his immortal Fairy Tales (Danish: Eventyr). More stories, completing the first volume, were published in 1836 and 1837. The quality of these stories was not immediately recognised and they sold poorly. At the same time, Andersen enjoyed more success with two novels: O.T. (1836) and Only a Fiddler (1837).

Related Topics:
The Improvisatore - 1835 - 1836 - 1837 - Only a Fiddler

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In 1851, he published to wide acclaim In Sweden, a volume of travel sketches. A keen traveller, Andersen published several other long travelogues: Shadow Pictures of a Journey to the Harz, Swiss Saxony, etc. etc. in the Summer of 1831 (1831), A Poet's Bazaar (1842), In Spain (1863), and A Visit to Portugal in 1866 (1868). In his travelogues Andersen took heed of some of the contemporary conventions about travel writing, but always developing the genre to suit his own purposes. Each of his travelogues combines documentary and descriptive accounts of the sights he saw with more philosophical excurses on topics such as being an author, immortality, and the nature of fiction in the literary travel report. Some of the travelogues, such as In Sweden, even contain fairy-tales.

Related Topics:
In Sweden - Sketches - Shadow Pictures of a Journey to the Harz, Swiss Saxony, etc. etc. in the Summer of 1831 - 1831 - A Poet's Bazaar - 1842 - In Spain - 1863 - A Visit to Portugal in 1866 - 1868

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In the 1840s Andersen's attention returned to the stage, however with no great success. His true genius was however proven in the charming miscellany the Picture-Book without Pictures (1840). The fame of his Fairy Tales had grown steadily; a second series began in 1838 and a third in 1845.

Related Topics:
Miscellany - Picture-Book without Pictures - 1840 - 1838 - 1845

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Andersen was now celebrated throughout Europe, although his native Denmark still showed some resistance to his pretensions. In June 1847, he paid his first visit to England and enjoyed a triumphal social success. Charles Dickens invited him to stay at his place for a fortnight, but Andersen stayed for 6 weeks, not understanding Dickens increasing hints for Anderson to leave. When he left, Dickens saw him off from Ramsgate pier. Shortly thereafter Dickens published David Copperfield, in which the character Uriah Heep is said to have been modelled on Andersen—a left-handed compliment, to say the least.

Related Topics:
Europe - Denmark - 1847 - England - Charles Dickens - Ramsgate

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Andersen continued to publish many works, although still hoping to excel as both novelist and dramatist, but was unsuccesful in the attempt. He disdained the enchanting Fairy Tales, the composition of which, had proved his unique genius. He did, however, continue to write them, and two more collections appeared in 1847 and 1848. After a long silence, Andersen published a new novel To be or not to be in 1857. He continued publishing his Fairy Tales in instalments, until 1872. He published his last stories at Christmas this year.

Related Topics:
Novelist - Dramatist - 1847 - 1848 - To be or not to be - 1857 - 1872 - Christmas

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In the English-speaking world, the stories of The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, and The Princess and the Pea are cultural universals; everyone knows them, though few can name the author. They have become part of our common heritage, and, like the tales of Charles Perrault, are no longer distinguished from actual folk-tales such as those of the Brothers Grimm. Andersen himself was highly inspired by the Arabian Nights. A few of his stories such as "The Wild Swans" and The Rose-Elf are adaptations of older folktales (for example, "The Wild Swans" might be a retelling of The Six Swans as recorded by the Brothers Grimm.)

Related Topics:
Charles Perrault - Brothers Grimm - Arabian Nights

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Andersen is often categorised as an author writing for children. However, he did not like to be stereotyped. The overall character of Andersen's stories is dark, sometimes even cruel, and redemption often comes at a high price.

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