Hans Christian Andersen Biography

Hans Christian Andersen is best known as Danish children’s book author, one of the most famous literary works of the author is the little mermaid and the ugly ducklings. He was a commercially successful author and produced about 156 stories in a total of nine volumes. His works have been translated into several languages, his works are available in 25 different languages. Hans Christian Anderson dominated the world of children’s literature, he is considered as one of the most widely consumed authors, his work was huge commercial success esp[ecially in western society.  Hans Christian Andersen stories and fairy tales are to date one of the most widely popular and successful story collections.

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Image of Hans Christian Andersen

Early Life And Family

Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805. Hans Christian Andersen birthplace is in Odense, Denmark. Hans was born in a modest family, he was raised as a Christian, his family was Christain and firmly believed in the ideologies. He was baptized at a young age merely days after his birth on 15 April 1805 in Saint Hans Church, which is located in Odense, Denmark. His parents were Hans Andresen and Anne Marie Andersdatter, his father was educated, not much is known about the occupation of his family specifically of his father. It was his father who introduced him to literature, according to Hans Christian Andersen autobiography book his father read him Arabian nights at a young age that created his interest in fairy tales and stories. His mother Anne Marie Andersdatter was illiterate and worked as a washerwoman.

Although Hans was born in a modest family he was educated in an elite school, it was because his father understood the importance of education and was a firm supporter of educating young binds as a way of the betterment of their lives and society. Apart from his parents, Hans Andresen has been documented to have six godparents, they were Madam Sille Marie Breineberg, Maiden Friederiche Pommer, shoemaker Peder Waltersdorff, journeyman carpenter Anders Jørgensen, Hospital portner Nicolas Gomard, and Royal Hatter Jens Henrichsen Dorch.

His father died when Hans Andresomn was rather young, his father died in year 1816, the cause of his father’s death is not known but as mentioned in some Hans Christian Andersen biography books that his father died of poor health conditions. Hans mother remarried in the year 1817, a year after the death of Hans’ father. They lived in the same town.

Early Education of Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen gained his primary education at the school in his hometown, he went to a municipal school. Although he belonged to a modest family his education was always prioritized by his family especially his father. While studying at school he worked as an apprentice for a tailor and a weaver.

After gaining the elementary education from his hometown Hans decided to move to  Copenhagen, at the age of 14. He decided to find some work as an actor in the city but he did not succeed in the endeavour. He was perhaps selected to attend the  Royal Danish Theatre. It was during his training in the theatre that he was inspired to be a writer. According to some of the Hans Christian Andersen biography books, it was his theatre director named Jonas Collin who persuaded Hans to follow his career as a writer.

The director of the Royal Danish Theater Jonas Collin had great affection towards the young author. It was his efforts that Hans was sent to the grammar school in Slagelse. His education was funded by the king of Danish, King Frederick VI upon persuasion and assurance that the kid had great potential.

He then attended school at  Elsinore until 1827, it was during this period that he published his first story called "The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave", the story was not a huge commercial success but was appreciated, it had its fair share of good reviews. The story was published in 1822.

It is evidently mentioned in Hans Christian Andersen autobiography book although he understood the importance of education his period during school were the most bitter part of his life. He was not favoured either encouraged by his teachers. Although young Hans was not considered academically excellent and did not have good terms with his teachers there are some teachers and associates that app[reciated and motivated the young writer, one such name was Jonas Collin.

Literary Career

Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales and stories are still some of the most commercially successful and loved works of literature across the globe. The first story of the author which was published is named "The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave", it was published in 1822 when Hans was very young and still a student. It was recently discovered in HC Andresen biography that one of his early works "The Tallow Candle" which was written in the 1820s was not published till late after his death. The premise of the story was the feeling and self-dialogue of a candle that felt unappreciated. During the 1820s he did not write many stories, this was the time that was defined as the starting of his literary career.

Hans got public recognition and his first commercial success towards the end of the 1820s in the year 1829. He published his story entitled "A Journey on Foot from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of Amager." which is based on the experience of the protagonist meeting several characters ranging from meeting saint Peter to meeting a talking cat.

After the success of the short story, Hans followed up his story by publishing a theatrical play entitled  Love on St. Nicholas Church Tower, he then almost simultaneously published a short volume of poems.it was during this time he was granted travel expenses by the king of Danish to travel and explore to encourage his writing.

Hans accepted the offer and went on a tour across Europe, during this time he wrote and came up with ideas for various stories. Some of th most prominent stories that he wrote during this time were  "Agnete and the Merman" and The Bay of Fables".

Andresen also wrote travelogues, he documented his journey of Italy in a fictional autobiographical book called  The Improvisatore, the book was published in 1835. The huge became instantly a huge success.

Although the author never specifically focused on writing only the books under the children fiction novels, he gained his name through it, it is important to note that although he is presently known for his work of children’s books his publications were not very popular during the time, rather he was known for the publication of novels like The Improvisatore, O.T. and Only a Fiddler, these books remained critical favourites.

Hans published his fairy tale stories along with the publication of adult novels. Fairy Tales Told for Children was the first collection of nine fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen. These were published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark between May 1835 and April 1837, the stories were published into three instalments. According to HC Andersen biography books, these were the first work of Hans in the fairy tale genre. The first collection contained stories like “The Tinderbox", "Little Claus and Big Claus", "The Princess and the Pea" and "Little Ida's Flowers".  The premise of these stories was based on the local Danish and Scandanavian folklores. The characters of Hans Christian Andersen stories were based on the people he met in his real life.

The second series of booklet contained stories like  "Thumbelina", "The Naughty Boy" and "The Traveling Companion". It was published on 16 December 1835. Some of the stories like  "The Naughty Boy" was based on a poem by Anacreon about Cupid, and "The Traveling Companion" was a ghost story Andersen had experimented with in the year 1830.

His third booklet was a huge commercial success, it consists of the stories that are known as the most prominent work of the author. The booklet was published on 7 April 1837.  The stories in this booklet consist of  "The Little Mermaid" and "The Emperor's New Clothes", although the stories were overlooked during that time, they gained attention in 1845 when English translations of Andersen's folktales and stories began to gain the attention of foreign audiences. It was during this time that Hans developed a friendship with another prominent English author named Charles Dickens. His stories became English-language classics and had a strong influence on subsequent British children's authors like A.A. Milne and Beatrix Potter. Slowly he gained popularity among the Scandanavian audience and the people of the United States of America. Gradually Hans Christian Andersen became the globally renowned author.

Family And Legacy

Andresen was not married, many biographers and historians mention that the author had a tragic love life. One of the prominent love interests of the author was a girl named Riborg Voigt, she was the unrequited love of Andersen's youth. Hans also proposed  Jenny Lind, a famous Opera singer of 9 th century, she was nicknamed the Swedish Nightingale. Andersen remained unmarried throughout his life.

The author died on August 4, 1875, in Copenhagen. Hans Christian Andersen cause of death is mentioned as a severe injury due to falling from his bed. He was also diagnosed with early-stage liver cancer. He was a celebrated author as a tribute to the author The Hans Christian Andersen Museum or H.C. Andersens Odense, was built in the Hans Christian Andersen birthplace in Denmark.