Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen
Born	April 2, 1805(1805-04-02) Odense, Denmark
Died	August 4, 1875 (aged 70) Copenhagen, Denmark
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	Danish
Genres	Romanticism Fairy tales
Influences Ludvig Holberg, William Shakespeare

Hans Christian Andersen (April 2, 1805 – August 4, 1875) was a Danish writer. He was born into poverty. At 14, he left his mother and home in Odense to seek his fortune in Copenhagen. The king was impressed with his determination to better himself, and made it possible for Andersen to finish his education. Andersen began to write novels, plays, poems, short stories, and travel books. In 1835, he published four fairy tales that were well received. He was encouraged to continue writing fairy tales.

Andersen's tales were wildly popular throughout Europe. He was invited into the homes of aristocrats. He fell in love with several men and women, notably the singer Jenny Lind and the ballet dancer Harald Scharff. Andersen was a melancholy man and travelled widely throughout Europe as a sightseer to relieve his unhappiness. He was a world class writer and a world famous celebrity. He died in Copenhagen in 1875 after falling from his bed.

Works

• The Princess and the Pea (1835)
• The Tinderbox (1835)
• Thumbelina (1836)
• The Little Mermaid (1836)
• The Emperor's New Clothes (1837)
• The Steadfast Tin Soldier (1838)
• The Wild Swans (1838)
• Ole Lukøje (1841)
• The Swineherd (1841)
• The Angel (1843)
• The Nightingale (1843)
• The Ugly Duckling (1843)
• The Little Match Girl (1845)
• The Red Shoes (1845)
• The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep (1845)
• The Snow Queen (1845)
• The Fir Tree (1845)
• The Shadow (1847)
• The Story of a Mother (1847)

References

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Hans Christian Andersen