| Hans Christian
Andersen |
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| Nationality - Danish |
Profession - Author |
| Date of birth - 02 Apr 1805
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Date of death - 1875 |
| Place of birth
- Odense : |
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Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark on April 2, 1805. His father was a shoemaker and literate. His mother, who worked as washerwoman, was uneducated and superstitious, which introduced her son to the world of folklore.
Andersen only went to school occasionally and instead of studying, he spent most of his time reciting plays and imitating ballet dancers, acrobats and pantomimes. His mother didn't approve of his interests and apprenticed him first to a weaver, then to a tobacconist and finally to a tailor. Andersen however, still had strong feelings about the theatre, books and stories.
In 1829, the poem, The Dying Child, was the first published writing of Andersen in Danish. In succeeding years, he wrote impressionistic prose arabesques, plays, and novels.
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After receiving money from the king of Denmark in 1831, he started to travel across Europe for the next 16 months. In Germany, he got his first idea to write one of his many travel sketches. Later he wrote sketches about Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Sweden and the Middle East. Between the years 1840 and 1857, Andersen made journeys throughout Europe, Asia and Africa, recording his impressions and adventures in a number of travel books.
In 1835 Andersen published Fairy Tales for Children - these were four short stories written for a little girl, Ida Thiele, who was the daughter of the secretary of the Academy of Art.
Adults and children who read the stories wanted more.
As a novelist, Andersen made his breakthrough with The Improvisatore (1835), using Italy as the setting. The story was autobiographical and depicted a poor boy's integration into society, an Ugly Duckling theme of self-discovery in which Andersen returned in several of his works. The book gained international success and during his life it remained the most widely read of all his works.
Among Andersen's best-known fairy tales are The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling, The Tinderbox, Princess and the Pea, Little Claus and Big Claus, The Snow Queen, The Nightingale, and The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
Andersen published 168 fairy tales in all and has been an inspiration for many writers such as Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, C.S. Lewis, Isak Dinesen and William Thackery.
Although he never married and had any children, Andersen's unfilled love was the singer Jenny Lind, who inspired him to write 'The Nightingale.'
Andersen died peacefully in his home, Rolighed, on August 4, 1875.
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Hans Christian Andersen
bibliography - 20
listed |
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Click
on one of the Hans Christian
Andersen books below
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