Every day brings a new story. And each day contributes to the art of story telling -- in prose and poetry, in music, on the stage, on the screen, and, of course, in books.
Today is the story of April 2nd
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It is the 92nd day of the year, leaving 273 days remaining in 2022.
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| Hans Christian Andersen statue in Copenhagen |
Anderson was a poet, a playwright, and a novelist. But he is best known as a prolific writer of fairy tales that touched the hearts and minds of children.
His tales crossed through cultures, relating to children with an optimistic nature, but with elements of pessimism and adversity that was not always overcome. He introduced children to new concepts in their own language and through their own perceptions.
He often wrote about the outcasts of society, a concept imortalized in The Ugly Duckling.
He related to both boys and girls, with a young boy showing the flaws of adults in The Emperor's New Clothes, a young girl willing to give up her life in the sea to gain a human soul in The Little Mermaid, and a young boy and girl struggling with the concepts of good and evil in The Snow Queen.
His fairy tales invoked universal images from folk tales from many cultures. He wrote in the idioms and voice of the spoken language, making his stories accessible to many people. Critics objected to some of the tales because of the informal style, and because Andersen's themes went against the strong conviction at the time that children's stories should educate and teach virtures, rather than amuse.
Anderson started writing his fairy tales when he was in his mid-20s, and eventually published 156 stories in nine volumes. They have been adapted in many forms -- plays, ballets, animation, movies, television shows -- and are among the most frequently translated stories.
He died in 1875 after suffering injuries when he fell out of a bed.
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