Hans Christian Andersen His Life and His Fairy Tales

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Hans Christian AndersenHis Life andHis
Fairy Tales
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His Life

• Born in 1808 in Odense, Denmark
• Father was a shoemaker
• Spent time with his grandmother who worked at the
  local insane asylum
• He was always different from the other boys. He
  made up stories, created paper dolls and puppets.
  He didnt have the temperament to work.

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His Life

• Hans never fit in as a child, or an adult
• Although he appeared to be fragile and weak, he
  continually persevered the harshest environments.
• In Copenhagen, he was taken under the wing of a
  local patron of the arts.
• At an early age, Hans believed he was going to be
  famous, and their was a spark about him.

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Some examples of his Paper Cuts
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The Fairy Tales

• The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen are
  closely linked with his life experiences.
• The more you learn about Hans Andersen the
  person, the clearer his world of Fairy Tales
  becomes.
• Some of the following themes can be found
  throughout the Fairy Tales of Hans Christian
  Andersen

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THEMES

• Shoes - his dad was a cobbler
• The odd-man out - Always beware of the unique
  character in the fairy tales. Many describe
  Andersen as stork-like, and he was very aware of
  how people perceived him.
• Two distinct worldviews 1. The simple peasant
  view of the world held by his mom vs. 2. The
  progressive worldview held by his father. These
  are two strong and opposing forces that pervade
  many of the tales.
• A longing for his grandmother, whom Hans was very
  close to as a child.

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Recommended Tales

• The Steadfast Tin Soldier
• The Dung Beetle
• Grandmother
• The Ugly Duckling
• The Red Shoes
• The Toad

• The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf
• The Drop of Water
• The Philosophers Stone
• The Little Mermaid
• The Flea and the Professor

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• The Fairy Tales of Hans Andersen are as popular
  today as they were during his lifetime, over 150
  years ago.Hans Andersen didnt just put his own
  experiences in the tales he wrote, but the
  experiences of all of us.Which tales do you
  most identify with?Do you see yourself in any of
  the tales?Why do you think these stories are so
  timeless?