“Once upon a time there lived in Denmark a great storyteller named Hans Christian Andersen” – so starts the 1952 movie about Hans Christian Andersen.
Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), born in Odense in Denmark, is internationally famous for his much-loved fairy tales. There are a number of statues commemorating him around the world, including this one in Copenhagen.
In recent times, as we have learned more about his personal life, his reputation has been questioned. He was an ambitious, driven person and something of a social misfit, with ambivalent sexual preferences.
If you would like to learn more about the man and his writings, this section of the British Library website explores a number of aspects of his life and works, including the darker side of his personal life.
Part of the April A to Z Challenge
Copyright Debbie Smyth, 17 April 2015![aDSC_0636_pp]()
