Hans Christian Andersen Biography
Brief Bio of Danish Writer, Famous for Children's Fairy Tale Books
Hans Christian Andersen is a 19th-century Danish writer famous worldwide for his fairy tales, which are among the most widely read works in literature.
Brief Biography of H.C. Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen or H.C. Andersen was born on April 2, 1805 in Odense, Denmark. He came from a poor family and attended the city's school for poor children. When he was 14, he left Odense, hoping to earn a living as an actor or singer in Copenhagen, the capital city. After three hard years of minor acting roles and barely enough to eat, he became friendly with a theatre director who raised money for him to continue his education.
At the age of 23, he went to the University of Copehagen and a year later produced his first important work, A Walk from Holman's Canal to the East Point of the Island of Amager This fantastic tale about a journey was an instant success.
Some of his tales are based on Danish folklore, while others, are from his own unhappy experiences at school. Many have a serious moral message. His use of dialogue in the stories makes them very direct and enjoyable to read. Charles Dickens greatly admired H.C. Anderson's tales.
Andersen fell deeply in love more than once but never married. He traveled throughout Europe and wrote plays, novels and travel books about his experiences. Following a long illness, he died at the age of 70, on August 4, 1875, in Copenhagen.
H.C. Andersen's Famous Fairy Tales and Legacy
Andersen wrote 168 fairy tales between 1835 and 1872. The first few were published in Tales Told for Children when he was 30. Stories such as "The Little Mermaid," "The Princess and the Pea," "The Ugly Duckling," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "Thumbelina" and "The Snow Queen" won him worldwide fame.
Hans Christian Andersen wrote prolifically, but his immortality derives from the numerous fairy tales he wrote for children. These have been translated into more than 100 languages. His works have been adapted in films and stage, as well as recorded in DVDs, audio books, tapes, and CDs.
Elias Lieberman, on the statue of H.C. Andersen's memorial in New York's Central Park wrote, "To bright-eyed children row on row / Enraptured by your fancies you / Are all the magic they need know / To make a story wonder-true." He is considered one of the most influential Scandinavian writers, along with Knut Hamsun, Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg and Karen Blixen.
Major Works by Hans Christian Andersen
- A Walk from Holman's Canal to the East Point of the Island of Amager, 1829
- Poems, 1830
- Agnet and the Merman, 1833
- The Improvisatore, 1835
- Fairy Tales Told for Children, 1835
- 72 Fairy Tales, 1835
- O.T., 1836
- Only a Fiddler, 1837
- Picture Book Without Pictures, 1847
- The True Story of My Life, 1847
- In Sweden, 1851
- The Fairy Tale of My Life, 1854
- Lucky Peer, 1879
Sources:
- Goring, Rosemary, Ed. Larousse Dictionary of Writers. New York: Larousse, 1994.
- McGovern, Una, Ed. Chambers Biographical Dictionary. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers, 2002.
- Payne, Tom. The A-Z of Great Writers. London: Carlton, 1997.
Hans Christian Andersen, Danish Writer
|
H.C. Andersen's The Snow Queen
|
Latest Articles