Fun Facts About Famed Writer Hans Christian Andersen
By November 21, 2022
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805 just outside of Copenhagen, Denmark. His family was deeply impoverished, but a mentor he met through his dalliance with theater paid for his education. Though he suffered significant abuse at the hands of his headmasters, he went on to become one of the most acclaimed children's writers of all time, creating timeless stories like The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Princess And The Pea, and many more.
His Stories Were Based On His Own Life
Given the struggles of his young life, it's no wonder that Andersen often drew on his own woe to fill his many fables. For instance, The Ugly Duckling was inspired by his own experiences with bullying growing up. He wanted to give other children struggling with low self-esteem the hope of turning into beautiful swans.
He Was Celibate
Andersen was perhaps himself in a state of arrested development, as he not only never married or fathered children but may have never gotten around to doing the deed at all despite visiting the occasional brothel. Throughout his life, evidence suggests he had romantic feelings toward many women and some men but rarely acted on them, choosing instead to keep a surprisingly thorough diary of his own, um, self-exploration, marking every occasion with a little cross and an entry of who he desired at the time.
He Was Scared Of Lots Of Things
Andersen had many phobias and neuroses. He was so afraid of fires that he carried an escape rope with him when he entered tall buildings, refused to eat ham out of fear of parasites, and even avoided dogs. His greatest fear, though, was being buried alive, the idea of which disturbed him so deeply that he made a note every night before bed to alert anyone who found him that he was merely sleeping and not dead.
