The Life of Hans Christian Andersen

(1805-1875)

Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish writer, famous for his fairy tales, which were not meant merely for children but for adults as well, was born on 2^nd  April 1805 in the slums of Odense. His father, Hans Andersen, was a poor shoemaker and literate, who believed he was of aristocratic origin. Andersen’s mother, Anne Marie Andersdatter, worked as a washerwoman. Although she was uneducated and superstitious, she opened for her son the world of folklore.

As a child he was highly emotional, suffering from all kinds of fears and humiliations because of his tallness and effeminate interests. Andersen’s hysterical attacks of cramps were falsely diagnosed as epileptic fits. Encouraged by his parents he composed his own fairy tales and arranged puppet theatre shows. His father loved literature and took Andersen often to the playhouse.

In 1816 his father died and Andersen was forced to go work. He was for a short time apprenticed to a weaver and a tailor, and he also worked at a tobacco factory. Once his trousers were pulled when other workers suspected that he was a girl. At the age of 14 Andersen moved to Copenhagen to start a career as a singer, dancer and actor – he had a beautiful soprano voice. Andersen succeeded in becoming associated with the Royal Theatre, but he had to leave it when his voice began to change. When he was casually referred as to a poet it changed his plans. He then began to write plays, all of which were rejected at the theatres.

In 1822 Jonas Collins, one of the directors of the Royal Theatre and an influential government official, gave Andersen a grant to enter the grammar school in Slagelse. Subsequently he gained admission to Copenhagen University, where he completed his education. His work began to be published and performed. He fell in love with Riborg Voigt, who was secretly engaged to the local chemist’s son. When she finally got married to her fiancé in 1831, Andersen said to his friends: “I do wish I was dead.” From 1831 onwards he traveled widely in Europe, and remained a passionate traveler all his life.

Andersen’s fame rests on his fairy tales and stories written between 1835 and 1872. With these Andersen became the father of modern fairy tales.