Tag Archives: Hans Andersen

Hans Andersen’ s Dark Musings From A Discarded Christmas Tree

Posted on 27th December 2019 by Sam George

I have been reading Hans Andersen’s unsettling account of a Christmas fir tree that feels pain. I was reminded of this story last year when I came across Lars Ostenfeld’s beautifully sad and poignant adaptation of  The Fir Tree (Danish: Grantræet) on the … Continue reading →

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Every Time A Bell Rings an Angel Gets His Wings

Posted on 20th December 2018 by Sam George

I am writing on Hans Andersen in my forthcoming book on shadow play and despite the discourse of suffering and redemption, the stories are full of imagination and sensibility, and are always heart-wrenchingly empathic. Many of the tales have a … Continue reading →

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Dark Musings From A Discarded Christmas Tree

Posted on 3rd January 2017 by Sam George

  There is something of an arboreal theme going on on the blog just now following the announcement of the Beasts of the Forest conference. If you are decorating your tree you might like to read Hans Andersen’s unsettling account of … Continue reading →

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Free Course: Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales

Posted on 25th April 2016 by William the Bloody

I came across this free on-line course on Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales, presented by The Hans Christian Andersen Centre at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, Denmark, via Future Learn (with whom I’m also doing a fascinating course … Continue reading →

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Talking Trees and Unsettling Sensibilities

Posted on 30th December 2015 by Sam George

I came across Lars Ostenfeld’s unsettling adaptation of Han’s Andersen’s The Fir Tree (Danish: Grantræet) on the BBC iPlayer today. The tale was first published with ‘The Snow Queen’ on 21st December 1844. The story is narrated by the tree … Continue reading →

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Tales for the Young by Hans Christian Andersen

Posted on 3rd April 2015 by William the Bloody

It was the birthday of the great Victorian fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen yesterday, so here’s a useful page at the British Library, allowing you to view his classic Tales for the Young.

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Maria Tatar, ’10 Lesser-Known Fairy Tales That Should Get More Love’

Posted on 10th March 2015 by William the Bloody

Some of these tales I had heard of; others not, and my curiosity has been strongly stirred. The expert on folklore Maria Tatar gives a precis here of a variety of vivid tales from Italy, Japan, West Africa, and elsewhere … Continue reading →

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