Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Literature, Film & TV
Like so many Danish forays onto the world stage, Denmark's contribution to
Western culture has been in inverse proportion to the country's size.
On Page
How to tackle Kierkegaard's works? Consider starting with
Kierkegaard
by Michael Watts,
which gives a short biography of the philosopher's life and family, plus tips and ideas on
how to read and analyse his complex work.
The Golden Age
Dubbed the 'Golden Age', the first half of the 19th century saw Denmark flourish both cul-
turally and economically. Among the writers of the period were two icons of the Danish lit-
erary legacy: Hans Christian Andersen (1805-75), whose fairy tales have been translated
into more languages than any other book except the Bible; and noted philosopher and theo-
logian Søren Kierkegaard (1813-55), considered the father of existentialism.
Once upon a Time…
As well as single-handedly revolutionising children's literature, Hans Christian Andersen
wrote novels, plays and several fascinating travel books. Stories such as
The Little Mer-
maid, The Emperor's New Clothes
and
The Ugly Duckling
have been translated into over
170 languages and are embedded in the global literary consciousness like few others.
Andersen infused his animals, plants and inanimate objects with a magical humanity. His
antagonists are not witches or trolls, but human foibles such as indifference and vanity, and
it's often his child characters who see the world most clearly. The result is a gentleness that
crosses borders and generations. His work is said to have influenced Charles Dickens, Os-
car Wilde and innumerable modern-day authors.
Andersen was born in Odense, the son of a cobbler and a washerwoman. In his autobio-
graphies he mythologised his childhood as poor but idyllic. His father died when Andersen
was 11, and Andersen left for Copenhagen soon after, an uneducated 14-year-old on a clas-
