Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Danish author of fairy tales, born in Odense. His childhood was one of poverty and neglect, and when he was 14 years of age he ran away to Copenhagen. He worked for Jonas Collin, director of the Royal Theatre, for some time until Collin raised money to provide him with an education. Although Andersen had poetry and prose published and plays produced from 1822 on, his first success was A Walk from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of the Island of Amager in the Years 1828 and 1829, a fantastic tale imitative of the style of the German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann. His first novel, The Improvisor, or Life in Italy (1835; trans. 1845), was well received by the critics, and a collection of four of his fairy tales was published. He travelled through Europe, Asia, and Africa and wrote many plays, novels, and travel books. His more than 150 stories for children established him as one of the great authors of world literature. His work broke new ground in terms of both style and content, with its innovative use of idioms and everyday language and the expressions of feelings and ideas previously thought to be beyond a child's comprehension. Among his famous tales of fantasy are The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Snow Queen, The Red Shoes, and The Little Mermaid. His stories have been translated into more than 80 languages and have been the source of plays, ballets, films, and works of sculpture and painting.