Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen was born on 2 April 1805, in Odense, Denmark. His father, Hans Andersen Sr, was a struggling shoemaker, while his mother, Anne Marie Anders, was a washerwoman. His father introduced young Hans Christian to literature and theatre. In 1829, Andersen published his first narrative, A Journey on Foot from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of Amager. It was an immediate success. He followed this up with a play, a collection of poetry and a travel narrative. Based on his travel experiences in Italy, his first novel, The Improvisatore, was published in 1835. He wrote five other novels later which are mostly autobiographical in nature. In the same year, he also published the first part of a volume of fairy tales, Eventyr, fortalte for børn (Tales, Told for Children) which included the much-loved ‘Thumbalina’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’. His colloquial writing style, clear morals and satirical humour gave the stories a unique flavour. More volumes followed every few years till 1872. Gradually, the stories gained popularity and were widely translated. By 1845, Andersen was feted as a famous personality in Europe and England. Andersen spent most of his life travelling extensively, recording his experiences in highly acclaimed travelogues. In 1872, he fell and seriously injured himself, never to fully recover. He also started showing signs of liver cancer. On 4 August 1875, he passed away at the house of his close friends.