Hans Christian Andersen: Life Story and His Most Famous Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen rose from poverty to write The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and The Snow Queen. Read his life story and a guide to his best tales.
In this article
Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875) was a Danish writer who created many of the world's best-loved fairy tales, including The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Little Match Girl. Unlike the Brothers Grimm, who collected folk tales, Andersen invented most of his stories himself. He wrote more than 150 fairy tales, and his life, from a poor childhood in Odense to fame across Europe, reads like one of them.
Andersen's Early Life
Andersen was born on 2 April 1805 in Odense, Denmark. His father was a poor shoemaker who loved books and the theater and built his son a toy puppet theater. His mother was a washerwoman, uneducated and superstitious. The family lived in a single room.
His father died when Andersen was eleven. The boy was sent to a school for poor children and worked briefly in a factory, but he was dreamy, gangly and odd, mocked by other children. He loved to sing, recite and invent stories.
Running Away to Copenhagen
At fourteen, Andersen left for Copenhagen with a few coins, determined to become famous in the theater. He tried acting, singing and ballet, and failed at all of them. He was close to starving when influential people, especially Jonas Collin, a director of the Royal Theatre, noticed his talent and arranged for the king to fund his education.
He was sent to grammar school at seventeen, far older than his classmates. The headmaster treated him harshly, and Andersen later called these some of the darkest years of his life.
Becoming a Writer
Andersen's first success came with travel writing and the novel The Improvisatore (1835). That same year he published his first small booklet of fairy tales, including "The Tinderbox" and "The Princess and the Pea." Critics were unimpressed at first, but readers loved them. He went on publishing collections of fairy tales for the rest of his life.
He traveled widely across Europe, met Charles Dickens (and famously overstayed a visit to the Dickens household in 1857 by several weeks), and became a guest of royalty. He never married, though he fell in love several times, including with the Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind.
He died on 4 August 1875 in Copenhagen, celebrated as a national treasure.
Andersen's Most Famous Fairy Tales
| Tale | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| The Princess and the Pea | 1835 | A true princess feels a pea under twenty mattresses |
| Thumbelina | 1835 | A tiny girl's search for a home among animals |
| The Little Mermaid | 1837 | Love, sacrifice and the search for a soul |
| The Emperor's New Clothes | 1837 | Vanity, pride and a child who tells the truth |
| The Steadfast Tin Soldier | 1838 | A one-legged toy soldier's loyal love for a paper ballerina |
| The Nightingale | 1843 | A real bird vs. a mechanical one in the Chinese emperor's court |
| The Ugly Duckling | 1843 | Being different and finding where you belong |
| The Snow Queen | 1844 | Gerda's journey to rescue her friend Kai |
| The Red Shoes | 1845 | A girl whose vanity is punished by endlessly dancing shoes |
| The Little Match Girl | 1845 | A poor girl's visions on a freezing New Year's Eve |
Explore some in depth: The Little Mermaid's original ending, The Ugly Duckling's meaning, The Snow Queen summary and The Little Match Girl.
How Andersen's Tales Differ from the Grimms'
- Original stories. A few of Andersen's early tales were based on folk tales he heard as a child, but most were original creations.
- Everyday objects come alive. Darning needles, teapots, tin soldiers, fir trees and collars have thoughts and feelings in his stories.
- Melancholy endings. Many of his tales end sadly or with death, often softened by a Christian promise of heaven.
- Humor and satire. He mocked snobbery and pretension, often through vain animals or objects.
- Personal feeling. Outsiders, unrequited love and longing to belong appear again and again, reflecting his own life.
Andersen's Legacy
- International Children's Book Day is celebrated every year on 2 April, Andersen's birthday.
- The Hans Christian Andersen Award, given since 1956, is often called the "Little Nobel Prize" for children's literature.
- Disney's The Little Mermaid and Frozen (inspired by The Snow Queen) introduced his ideas to new generations.
- His tales have been translated into well over a hundred languages.
Lessons for Writers from Andersen
Andersen's tales are short but emotionally devastating. He achieves this through specific sensory details (the roast goose, the knives under the mermaid's feet), simple language and endings that refuse easy happiness. If you're writing your own fairy tales, our guide on how to write a short story applies many of these same techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fairy tales did Hans Christian Andersen write?
More than 150. The exact number varies depending on how scholars count shorter pieces.
Did Hans Christian Andersen write The Little Mermaid?
Yes. He published it in 1837.
Was Hans Christian Andersen rich?
He was born very poor but became famous and financially comfortable later in life, supported by royal grants and sales of his books.
Did Hans Christian Andersen ever marry?
No. He fell in love several times, including with singer Jenny Lind, but never married.
What is Hans Christian Andersen's most famous story?
The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and The Emperor's New Clothes are usually considered his best-known tales.
