The Fredonia Shakespeare Club recent meeting was called to order by President Sharon Klug at the home of Nicki Schoenl in November. Judi Lutz Woods presented her paper on “Hans Christian Anderson.”

Although best known for his fairy tales, Andersen was a “critical journalist with great enthusiasm for science and existential thinker, an observant travel book writer, a passionate novelist, a deft paper cut out artist, an neurotic hypochondriac and a man with intense but frustrated sexual desires.”

Andersen, Father of Fairy Tales, was born in Odense, Denmark on April 2, 1805. His mother was an uneducated religious, pious but superstitious woman who could neither read nor write. His father, a shoemaker, could read and write; he loved poetry and often would read the stories in Arabian Nights to young Hans. They were extremely poor.

At age of 14, following the death of his father he set off for fame in Copenhagen. After three years of barely surviving, Hans befriended Edvard Collin, whose father Jonas was the director of the Royal Danish Theater. Jonas developed a great affection for Andersen, and saw real promise in Hans’ writings. Jonas sent him to school to improve his academic skills. Following school, Anderson decided he would be a writer. His first three novels made him famous. The promising young author won a grant from the king, allowing him to travel across Europe and further to develop his body of work.

In spite of his awkward manner and far from handsome appearance, Hans was able to enchant people with his great charisma. He hob-nobbed with noted intellectuals of the time, including Goethe, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Charles Dickens.The boy who had practically been a street urchin following his father’s death “came to be a regular guest at Danish and foreign manor houses and at the residences of kings and princes in Denmark and abroad.” Andersen is the eighth most-translated writer in the world, trailing right behind Vladimir Lenin. His works have been translated in more than 125 languages

Anderson began to write fairy tales partly to make money as they were very much in vogue at the time. “Fairy Tales Told for Children. First Collection” is a collection of nine fairy tales by Andersen published in a series of three installments. A friend who read the fairy tales told Hans the novels made him famous but his fairy tales will make him immortal. Andersen wrote 156 fairy tales, presented in nine volumes published between May 1835 and April 1837. The stories have inspired movies, plays and ballets. He is one of the most popular and famous of fairy tale authors. Most of us grew up hearing his tales from “The Princess and the Pea” to “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

Anderson contributed much to the development of children’s literature, some might even call it revolutionary. Instead of proper grammar and formal words, Hans used simple words that the child could easily understand.

In addition to all of his writings of novels, poems, travel logs and fairy tales, Hans created art in the form of papercutings. He began to make paper cuttings as a child playing with his dolls and making clothes for them. He perfected this unusual art form as an adult.

Anderson also had some odd, peculiar, habits. He carried a long rope with him wherever he went, just in case he needed to escape. He placed a note beside his bed which read “I only appear dead.” He greatly lacked social skills and common etiquette. He would often show up at the homes of wealthy friends uninvited, and stayed long after he was welcome. Still, he had great charisma, and would delight folks with his tales of his childhood and overcoming poverty.

This socially illiterate man became one of the world’s leading authors of stories for children. His tales inspired countless productions of plays, movies, songs and ballets. We still read his stories to our children and grandchildren as their meaning remains so relevant. His legacy lives on as we retell his timeless stories of fantasy and imagination to our own children and grandchildren. In this way Andersen truly is immortal.

After Lutz-Woods’ presentation, Hostess Nicki Schoenl invited the group to enjoy tea poured by Gail Crowe, and many delightful seasonal treats and tea sandwiches.