Tales from Hans Christian Andersen: A Master Selection - His Readings (Includes one CD-ROM)

Author: Hans Christian Andersen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Translation by renowned scholars, introduction by experts, and a free CD of story readings included with the book. Let us remember the 200-year-old Andersen! Two hundred years ago, in the small town of Odense in central Denmark, a frail boy was born into a poor cobbler's family. Two hundred years later, children of all colors from around the world, white, yellow, and black-skinned, continue to have his fairy tales passed down through generations. He is Hans Christian Andersen, an immortal monument and an ever-youthful legend in the history of children's literature.
Hans Christian Andersen was a famous Danish fairy tale writer of the 19th century and the founder of world literary fairy tales. He was born into a poor cobbler family in Odense City. In his early years, he attended a charitable school and worked as an apprentice. Influenced by his father and folk oral literature, he developed a passion for literature from a young age. At the age of 11, his father passed away, and his mother remarried. To pursue his artistic career, he came to the capital, Copenhagen, alone at the age of 14. After eight years of struggle, he finally showed his talent in the play "Alfons." As a result, the Royal Danish Theatre sent him to the Slagelse Grammar School and Helsing?r School for free education, which lasted for five years. In 1828, he enrolled at the University of Copenhagen. After graduation, he remained jobless and primarily relied on his earnings from writing. In 1838, he received a writer's stipend—the state granted him a non-official allowance of 200 Danish rigsdaler annually.
Hans Christian Andersen never married and passed away on August 4, 1875, at the home of his friend, the merchant Michael Pedersen. His literary career began in 1822. In his early years, he mainly wrote poetry and plays. After entering university, his writing matured. He published travelogues, operettas, poetry collections, and lyric dramas. In 1833, he published the novel "The Improvisatore," which earned him international acclaim and is considered a masterpiece of his adult literature. "For the sake of future generations," Andersen decided to write fairy tales for children and published "Stories Told to Children." For the following years, he released a collection of such fairy tales every Christmas. He continued to publish new works until 1872, when he gradually stopped writing due to cancer. Over nearly 40 years, he wrote a total of 168 fairy tales.
Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales possess a unique artistic style characterized by poetic beauty and comic humor. The former is the dominant style, often seen in celebratory tales, while the latter is more prominent in satirical stories. His literary works can be divided into three periods: early, middle, and late.
In his early period, fairy tales were filled with fantastical imagination and an optimistic spirit, reflecting a blend of realism and romanticism. Representative works include "The Tinderbox," "Little Tycho's Flowers," "Thumbelina," "The Little Mermaid," "The Wild Swans," and "The Ugly Duckling."
In his middle period, the fantastical elements diminished, while the realistic aspects increased. His tales criticized evil and praised kindness, expressing an unwavering pursuit of a better life while also revealing a sense of melancholy and lack of confidence. Notable works include "The Little Match Girl," "The Snow Queen," "The Shadow," "A Drop of Water," "The Mother's Tale," and "The Puppet Master."
In his late period, his fairy tales became even more grounded in reality, focusing on the suffering of the lower classes and exposing the coldness, darkness, and injustice of society. The tone of his works became somber. Representative works include "The Dream Under the Willow Tree," "She Is a Waste," "The Bachelor's Nightcap," and "Belle of All Nations."