Boring, empty and unpretentious life without fairy tales. Hans Christian Andersen understood this perfectly. Let his character not be easy, but opening the door to another magical story, people did not pay attention to it, but with pleasure plunged into a new, previously unheard of story.
A family
Hans Christian Andersen is a world famous Danish poet and prose writer. On his account more than 400 fairy tales that even today do not lose their popularity. The famous storyteller was born in Odnes (Danish-Norwegian Union, Funen Island) on April 2, 1805. He comes from a poor family. His father was a simple shoemaker, and his mother was a laundress. All her childhood she was in poverty and asked for alms on the street, and when she died, she was buried in a cemetery for the poor.
Hans's grandfather was a woodcarver, but in the city where he lived, he was considered slightly out of his mind. Being a creative person by nature, he carved figures of half-humans, half-animals with wings from wood, and for many such art was completely incomprehensible. Christian Andersen did not study well at school and until the end of his life wrote with errors, but from childhood he was attracted to writing.
Fantasy world
In Denmark, there is a legend that Andersen was a native of the royal family. These rumors are related to the fact that the storyteller himself in an early autobiography wrote that he played as a child with Prince Frits, who years later became King Frederick VII. And among the yard boys he had no friends. But since Christian Andersen loved to compose, it is likely that this friendship was a figment of his imagination. Based on the fantasies of the storyteller, his friendship with the prince continued, even when they became adults. In addition to relatives, Hans was the only person from the side who was admitted to the tomb of the late monarch.
The source of these fantasies was the stories of Father Andersen that he was a distant relative of the royal family. From early childhood, the future writer was a big dreamer, and his imagination was truly wild. More than once or twice, he staged improvised performances at home, played various scenes and made adults laugh. Peers openly disliked him and often scoffed at him.
Difficulties
When Christian Andersen was 11 years old, his father died (1816). The boy had to earn his own food. He began to work in apprenticeships with a weaver, and later worked as an assistant tailor. Then his career continued at a cigarette factory.
The boy had amazing big blue eyes and a reserved character. He liked to sit alone somewhere in the corner and play a puppet show - his favorite game. He did not lose this love for puppet shows in adulthood, having carried in his soul until the end of his days.
Christian Andersen was different from his peers. Sometimes it seemed as if a hot-tempered "uncle" lives in the body of a little boy, who doesn’t put a finger in his mouth - he will bite off his elbow. He was too emotional and took everything too close to his heart, because of which he was often subjected to physical punishment in schools. For these reasons, the mother had to send her son to a Jewish school, where various executions of the students were not practiced. Thanks to this act, the writer was well aware of the traditions of the Jewish people and forever kept in touch with him. He even wrote several stories on Jewish subjects, unfortunately, they were not translated into Russian.
Years of youth
When Christian Andersen turned 14, he headed to Copenhagen. Mother suggested that her son would return soon. In fact, he was still a child, and in such a big city he had little chance of "catching on." But, leaving his father's house, the future writer confidently declared that he would become famous. First of all, he wanted to find a job that would appeal to him. For example, in the theater, which he loved so much. He received money for the trip from a man in whose house he often arranged for impromptu performances.
The first year of life in the capital did not bring the storyteller closer to the fulfillment of his dreams. Once he came to the house of a famous singer and began to beg her to help him with his work in the theater. To get rid of the strange teenager, the lady made a promise that would help him, but she did not keep her word. Only many years later, she confesses to him that, having first seen, she thought that he was deprived of reason.
At that time, the writer was a lanky, thin and stooped teenager, with an alarming and nasty character. He was afraid of everything: a possible robbery, dogs, fire, loss of a passport. All his life he suffered from toothache and for some reason believed that the number of teeth affects his writing. And he was afraid to death of poisoning. When the Scandinavian children sent sweets to their beloved storyteller, he in horror sent a gift to his nieces.
We can say that in adolescence, Hans Christian Andersen himself was an analogue of the Ugly Duckling. But he had a surprisingly pleasant voice, either thanks to him, or out of pity, but he still got a seat in the Royal Theater. True, he never achieved success. He constantly got the roles of the second plan, and when the age breaking of his voice began, he was completely kicked out of the troupe.
First works
But in short, Hans Christian Andersen did not greatly upset the dismissal. At that time, he was already writing a play on five acts and sent a letter to the king asking him for financial assistance in publishing his work. In addition to the play, poetry was included in the book of Hans Christian Andersen. The writer did everything so that his work sold. But neither announcements nor promotions in newspapers led to the expected level of sales. The storyteller did not give up. He carried the book to the theater in the hope that a play would be staged in his play. But here he was disappointed.
Study
At the theater they said that the writer lacked professional experience, and invited him to study. People who sympathized with the unfortunate teenager sent a request to the King of Denmark himself, so that he would allow him to fill the gaps in knowledge. His Majesty heeded the requests and gave the storyteller the opportunity to get an education at the expense of the state treasury. As the biography of Hans Christian Andersen says, in his life there was a sharp turn: he got a place as a student in a school in the city of Slagels, and later in Elsinore. Now the talented teenager did not need to think about how to earn a living. True, school science was given to him hard. He was criticized all the time by the rector of the educational institution, in addition, Hans felt uncomfortable due to the fact that he was older than his classmates. The study ended in 1827, but the writer was not able to master the grammar, so until the end of his life he wrote with errors.
Creation
Considering a brief biography of Christian Andersen, it is worth paying attention to his work. The first ray of fame brought the writer a fantastic story "A Hiking Journey from the Holmen Canal to the Eastern End of Amager." This work was published in 1833, and for him the writer received an award from the king himself. The cash reward enabled Andersen to travel abroad, which he always dreamed of.
This was the start, the runway, the beginning of a new phase of life. Hans Christian realized that he could prove himself in another field, and not just in the theater. He began to write, and wrote a lot. Various literary works, including the famous "Tales" by Hans Christian Andersen, flew out from under his pen, like hot cakes. In 1840, he once again tried to conquer the theatrical stage, but the second attempt, like the first, did not bring the desired result. But in the craft of writing, he was a success.
Success and hate
The collection “A book with pictures without pictures” is entering the world, 1838 was marked by the release of the second issue of “Tales”, and in 1845 the world saw the best-selling book “Tales-3”. Step by step, Andersen became a famous writer, he was talked about not only in Denmark, but also in Europe. In the summer of 1847 he visited England, where he was greeted with honors and triumph.
The writer continues to write novels and plays. He wants to become famous as a novelist and playwright, only fairy tales brought him true glory, which he quietly begins to hate. Andersen no longer wants to write in this genre, but fairy tales come from his pen again and again. In 1872, on Christmas Eve, Andersen wrote his last tale. In the same year, he inadvertently fell out of bed and received serious injuries. He still could not recover from injuries, although after the fall he lived for another three years. The writer died on August 4, 1875 in Copenhagen.
The very first tale
Not so long ago, in Denmark, researchers discovered the hitherto unknown tale "The Candlelight" by Hans Christian Andersen. The summary of this find is simple: a tallow candle cannot find its place in this world and will become discouraged. But one day she meets a flint, which kindles a fire in her, to the delight of those around her.
In terms of its literary merits, this work is significantly inferior to fairy tales of the late period of creativity. It was written when Andersen was still in school. He dedicated the work to the widow of the priest, Ms. Bunkeflod. Thus, the young man tried to appease her and thank her for the fact that she paid for his bad science. Researchers agree that this work is filled with too much moralizing, there isn’t that soft humor, but only morality and “spiritual feelings of a candle”.
Personal life
Hans Christian Andersen was never married and had no children. In general, he was not successful in women, and did not strive for this. However, he still had love. In 1840, in Copenhagen, he met a girl named Jenny Lind. Three years later, he will write in his diary the coveted words: “I love!” For her, he wrote fairy tales and dedicated poetry to her. But Jenny, speaking to him, said "brother" or "child." Although he was almost 40 years old, and she was only 26. In 1852, Lind married a young and promising pianist.
In his declining years, Andersen became even more extravagant: he often visited brothels and stayed there for a long time, but never touched the girls who worked there, but only talked to them.
What was hidden from the Soviet reader?
As you know, in Soviet times, foreign writers were often released in an abridged or revised version. This did not pass over the works of the Danish storyteller: instead of thick collections, thin collections were issued in the USSR. Soviet writers had to remove any mention of God or religion (if it doesn’t work out, soften it). Andersen has no non-religious works, it’s just that in some works this is immediately noticeable, while in others theological subtext is hidden between the lines. For example, in one of his works there is a phrase:
Everything was in this house: both prosperity and swaggering gentlemen, but there was no master in the house.
But in the original it is written that in the house there is no master, but the Lord.
Or take Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen for comparison: the Soviet reader does not even suspect that when Gerda is scared, she begins to pray. It’s a little annoying that the words of the great writer were misinterpreted, and even completely thrown out. Indeed, the real value and depth of the work can be understood by studying it from the first word to the last point set by the author. And in the retelling, something fake, unspiritual and fake is already felt.
Some facts
Finally, I would like to mention a few little-known facts from the author's life. The storyteller had an autograph of Pushkin. The Elegy, signed by a Russian poet, is now in the Danish Royal Library. Andersen did not part with this work until the end of his days.
Every year on April 2 around the world celebrate Children's Book Day. In 1956, the International Council on the Children's Book awarded the storyteller the Gold Medal - the highest international award that can be obtained in modern literature.
During his lifetime, Andersen was erected a monument, the project of which he personally approved. At first, the project portrayed a writer sitting surrounded by children, but the storyteller was indignant: "I would not be able to say a word in such an environment." Therefore, the children had to be removed. Now on the square in Copenhagen sits a storyteller with a book in his hand, all alone. Which, however, is not so far from the truth.
Andersen can not be called the soul of the company, he could be alone for a long time, reluctantly converged with people and seemed to live in a world that existed only in his head. No matter how cynical it may sound, but his soul was like a coffin - designed only for one person, for him. Studying the biography of the storyteller, only one conclusion can be drawn: writing is a lonely profession. If you open this world to someone else, then a fairy tale will turn into a normal, dry and mean story.
“The Ugly Duckling”, “The Little Mermaid”, “The Snow Queen”, “Thumbelina”, “The New Dress of the King”, “The Princess and the Pea” and more than a dozen fairy tales gave the author a feather. But in each of them there is a lone hero (main or secondary - it does not matter), in which you can recognize Andersen. And this is right, because only the storyteller can open the door to that reality where the impossible becomes possible. If he deleted himself from a fairy tale, it would become a simple story without a right to exist.