FA17-EH-CPH-Hans Christian Andersen · Jens Andersen: Hans Christian Andersen, p.215‐248 8) Sep. 25th The Quest The Little Mermaid is one of Andersen’s most complex stories. We

Final Syllabus

Hans Christian Andersen and the Danish Golden Age | DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Literature

Hans Christian Andersen and the Danish Golden Age Fall 2017, European Humanities 3 credit course

Major Discipline: Literature

Monday & Thursday 13.15‐14.35, F24 203

Instructor: Morten Egholm Ph. D., Film Studies, University of Copenhagen, 2009. Cand. mag., Scandinavian Studies, Film and Media Theory, University of Copenhagen, 1997. Associate professor, Danish Language, Literature and Culture, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 2002‐2006. Has written several articles in Danish, English and Dutch on Danish literature, Danish mentality, TV series and film history. Since January 2012 full time faculty at DIS. Tel. 60 81 40 71 [email protected] Office hours: Thursday, 1.15‐3.00 pm in Room 10 B‐15 DIS contacts: Sanne Rasmussen, Program Coordinator, European Humanities Department, [email protected]

Final Syllabus


Course Content: Hans Christian Andersen (1805‐1875) is internationally known as the writer of fairy tales. Children all over the world know The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea and other tales. But Andersen also wrote very important works in many other literary genres. As we will discover, Andersen’s writings are not just for children. Further, Andersen very often in his works gives insightful commentary that reflects social, philosophical and technological changes throughout the 19th Century. This course will be a study of 30 fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen as well as extracts from his novels, travelogues, poems, diaries and of his autobiography, The Fairy Tale of My Life. Andersen’s significance as an international storyteller will be emphasized by analyzing his tales using various theoretical and methodical approaches and by seeing different perceptions of him through the eyes of his contemporaries and his readers of today. In order to get a feel for Hans Christian Andersen’s world, we will familiarize ourselves with the thinking of European Romanticism and important figures of the Danish Golden Age (1800‐1850). Andersen’s fairytales will provide the backbone for this course that will emphasize his genuine inventiveness and the complexity of his texts. Learning Objectives: The course will provide students with an in‐depth understanding and knowledge of the literary art of Hans Christian Andersen from his fairytales to other forms of prose. Students will learn to analyze, critically evaluate and appreciate the works to reach an understanding of Hans Christian Andersen as a literary giant—and not just the writer of children’s fairy tales. At the end of the course, students will be able to:

Identify and distinguish the works of Hans Christian Andersen by themes, styles and influences

Understand and discuss the historical context of Denmark’s Golden Age and gain an understanding of Danish society

Understand the fairy tale/artistic tale genre as opposed to folktales

Appreciate Hans Christian Andersen as a literary and artistic genius – and not just a writer of tales for children

Disability and Resource Statement Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should immediately contact Office of Academic Support ([email protected]) to coordinate this. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations.

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Evaluation:

Engagement 25 %

Midterm 25 %

Short Paper 25 %

Final Written Research Paper 25 %

Engagement Attendance, active participation in class discussions, field studies, being prepared for class by doing the reading and preparing questions and observations. Written Assignments For the writing assignments, you will be assessed by how well you write. You don’t have to be an English major to write well. You just need to write clearly, and support your ideas and thesis with evidence from the texts – or from reference material being used. If you are unclear as to what I require – or what is rewarded – please ask. All written assignments should have a title, be double‐spaced, 12 font and approximately 300 words per page. Short Paper Due on October the 5th. An interpretation of a fairy tale by Andersen (choose between the two possibilities mentioned below). Your interpretation must include a discussion of how to approach the text by analyzing it by a close reading. 3‐4 pages in length. Analyze: Inchelina (Haugaard page 29) or a HCA tale of your choice (but not one we have read in class). Midterm Identification/Short Answer Test in class on October the 26th. This in‐class test will cover factual information about HCA, the Danish Golden Age, as well as some short essay type questions of all the tales we have read so far in class.

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Final Written Assignment Research paper due on December the 4th. Hand it in to me last day in class or e‐mail it directly to me on [email protected] DO NOT hand the paper in via Canvas or other online possibilities! For the last paper, you choose to do one of the following:

An academic paper (7‐8 pages) on a theme of your choice (for example, the portrait of women, Christian elements, role of the child in HCA’s tales; development of HCA’s style; HCA as a visual artist, etc.). Could include all kind of works by HCA – should at least include two outside sources.

A re‐writing of the short paper expanding on the original topic, taking into account comments given on the original paper. Must be 9 pages in length and include at least one more tale of HCA’s tales and at least two outside sources. If you choose this option, you may extend your original paper by revising your thesis, and broadening your comparisons.

Please follow this suggested structure for your paper: 1. Introduction: presentation of the topic to be investigated; a brief overview of what you will do and a brief comment about the methodology (comparison, application of a specific theory)

2. Short description/summary of text(s)

3. Analysis: comments, discussions, comparisons

4. Summary and conclusion

5. Notes and bibliography

Young Andersen (Rumle Hammerich, 2005, Denmark)

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Field Studies: Wednesday, October, 4, 9.15‐12.15: Walking in Hans Christian Andersen’s footsteps A walking tour of Hans Christian Andersen’s Copenhagen with highlights from the Danish Golden Age. Meet in the DIS Front Desk (Vestergade 7 at 9.15 am). We will be walking in Hans Christian Andersen’s footsteps around the old Copenhagen city center where he met, on his daily walks, the philosopher Kierkegaard and other cultural luminaries of this time. Many of the buildings, squares and sites of Copenhagen are the same as during the lifetime of Hans Christian Andersen. On this tour we will get a feel of how and where Hans Christian Andersen lived in Copenhagen, walk his daily promenades and relive, through our imagination, what life was like in the Danish capital in the mid‐19th century. Wednesday, November, 15, 1‐4 pm: Hans Christian Andersen’s life and fairy tales in film We will see clips from some of the most famous adaptations of HCA’s fairy tales, and clips from the Hollywood bio‐pic on the author from 1952 (Danny Kaye playing HCA). In total length we will watch the Danish film about HCA’s years at the Latin School in Slagelse, Young Andersen (2005, 115 minutes, directed by Rumle Hammerich).

The Ugly Duckling

Final Syllabus


Course Schedule:

1) Aug. 24th Hans Christian Andersen and The Ugly Duckling

Introduction to the course and to the early life of Hans Christian

Andersen (HCA); Analysis of The Ugly Duckling taking a biographical

approach.

Readings:

HCA: The Ugly Duckling, Haugaard p.216

HCA: The Fairy Tale of My Life – An Autobiography, Intro. & p.1‐44

2) Aug. 28th The Young Hans Christian Andersen + Famous tales about soldiers

Focus on the cultural life in the Copenhagen HCA arrives at in 1819.

Analysis of two of his most famous tales – both of them with a soldier

as the protagonist.

Readings:

HCA: The Tinderbox, Haugaard p.1

HCA: The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Haugaard p.112

Jens Andersen: Hans Christian Andersen, Chapter 1, p.17‐61

3) Aug. 31st Once upon a Time….

HCA and the folk tale; different sources of inspiration

Readings:

Grimm Brothers: The Six Swans, in course binder

HCA: The Wild Swans, Haugaard, p.117

W.H. Auden: Grimm and Andersen, in course binder

4) Sep. 4th The fairy tale and Structuralism

The structure of the fairy tale; structuralism as outlined by Vladimir

Propp; HCA’s use of the fairy tale and the creation of his own art tales

Readings:

HCA: The Travelling Companion, Haugaard p.40

HCA: Clod Hans, Haugaard p.479

Vladimir Propp: 31 plot elements, in course binder

5) Sep. 7th. Romantic thinking and Hans Christian Andersen

The Danish Golden Age; Pantheism and other key terms in Romantic

thinking

Readings:

HCA: The Bell, Haugaard p.275

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Sep. 12‐17th: CORE COURSE WEEK

6) Sep. 18th The satirical Hans Christian Andersen

Beneath the fairy tale surface you very often find satirical and (typical

Danish) sarcastic comments on Danish mentality and society in HCA’s

stories. We are going to look at what phenomena he’s making fun of

and how.

Readings:

HCA: The Emperor’s New Clothes, Haugaard p.77

HCA: The Shepherdness and the Chimney Sweep, Haugaard p.297

HCA: It’s Perfectly True, Haugaard p.405

7) Sep. 21st Breakthrough as a fairy tale writer and view on children

HCA published his first collection of fairy tales in 1835. We are going to

read two of the four stories of the collection and pay special attention

to how he depicted the nobility and children. We are also going to read

his breakthrough poem The Dying Child.

Readings:

HCA: The Princess and the Pea, Haugaard p.20

HCA: Little Ida’s Flower, Haugaard p.22

HCA: The Dying Child, in course binder

Jens Andersen: Hans Christian Andersen, p.215‐248

8) Sep. 25th The Quest

The Little Mermaid is one of Andersen’s most complex stories. We will –

among other things – use a psychoanalytical approach analyzing it. We

will also discuss Disney’s animated adaptation from 1989.

Readings:

HCA: The Little Mermaid, Haugaard p.57

Roberta Trites: Disney’s Sub/Version of Andersen’s TLM in course binder

Final Syllabus


9) Sep. 28th Mothers & Children

How does HCA portray love between mother and child? How does he

write about his own mother?

Readings:

HCA: The Story of a Mother, Haugaard p.360

HCA: She was No Good, Haugaard p.452

HCA: Anne Lisbeth, Haugaard p.620

HCA: The Diaries of Hans Christian Andersen, in course binder

She Was No Good

10) Oct. 2nd The Snow Queen

A close analysis of one of HCA’s most recognized artistic tales.

Readings:

The Snow Queen, Haugaard p.234

Wed., Oct., 4, 9.15‐12.15: FIELD STUDY: HCA’s Copenhagen, walking tour and museum visit

Meet at DIS front desk in Vestergade 7 at 9.15 am

11) Oct. 5th The Snow Queen continued

We will continue our discussion of this tale

HAND IN SHORT PAPER. SEE GUIDELINES ON PAGE 3

Long Study Tour/ Travel Break, Oct, 7–15th

Final Syllabus


The Snow Queen

12) Oct. 16th Love Story

In many of HCA’s stories he explores the idea of love and obsession. We

will look at HCA’s view on women, love and marriage

Readings:

HCA: The Snowman, Haugaard p.718

HCA: The Butterfly, Haugaard p.782

Lise Sørensen: Give me a Bride, in course compendium

13) Oct. 19th The Social Critic

Even though HCA rose to fame and wealth, he never forgot his humble

beginnings and showed sympathy for the poor and sometimes also the

criminals.

Readings:

HCA: From the Ramparts of the Citadel, Haugaard p.309

HCA: A Drop of Water, Haugaard p.354

HCA: The Little Match Girl, Haugaard p.306

14) Oct. 23rd The Dark Side

HCA delves into the darker side of man’s nature and gives uncanny

psychological portraits as well as exploring the theme of the innocent

vs. the intellectual.

Readings:

HCA: The Shadow, Haugaard p.334

Sigmund Freud: The Uncanny, in course binder

Final Syllabus


The Shadow

15) Oct. 26th MIDTERM EXAM IN CLASS, 80 minutes

Long Study Tour/ Travel Break, Oct, 28 – November, 5th

16) Nov. 6th Art vs. Nature

Vote to be taken as to what you want to do for Your Class on Nov., 21!

HCA’s stories of the artist take up the themes of the romantic over the

rationalist; culture vs. nature, the genuine vs. the artificial.

Readings:

HCA: The Swineherd, Haugaard p.193

HCA: The Nightingale, Haugaard p.203

17) Nov. 9th HCA as a novelist I

HCA’s seven novels are lesser known than his fairy tales. But often

these can be the key to a real understanding of HCA’s character, his

ideas, and the mentality of the times he lived in. Especially O.T. (1836),

Only a Fiddler (1837), and To be or not to be (1858). In this class, we will

discuss his first four novels, their themes, structure and main ideas.

Readings:

HCA: Only a Fiddler, Part I: Chapter I‐IV & XII, on Canvas, under Files

18) Nov. 13th HCA as a novelist II

This time, we will focus on HCA’s later novels where he preferred

praising harmony and peace with God and human existence.

Readings:

HCA: To be or not to be, Chapter I, II, X, & XVIII, on Canvas, under Files

Final Syllabus


Wed., Nov, 15, 1‐4 pm: FIELD STUDY: HCA’s life and stories in film: Different clips + the film

Young Andersen (Rumle Hammerich, 2005, 115 min.) in full length.

19) Nov. 16nd Wrap up on the film watching

Info about Research Paper

For this date you should have a general idea about your topic!

Introduction to the structure of and expectations for the final research

paper. Info about relevant literature.

20) Nov. 20th This is your class!

Depending on the outcome of the class vote on November, 7

Travel Break/Optional Tours, Nov., 22‐26

21) Nov. 27th HCA and Christmas

In many of HCA’s stories Christmas and Christmas elements play an

important role – most often in a complex and symbolic way.

HCA: The Pine Tree, Haugaard p.225

HCA: The Pixy and The Grocer, Haugaard p.424

22) Nov. 30th Death and the Storyteller

What was HCA’s view of life in his final years? And how did it all end?

How does he look at death and the meaning of life? We will read two of

his very last stories

Readings:

HCA: The Gardener and his Master, Haugaard p.1015

HCA: Auntie Toothache, Haugaard p.1058

Jens Andersen: Hans Christian Andersen, last chapter

23) Dec. 4th Summation of course + Danish ‘hygge’

Hand in your research paper. E‐mailing it to [email protected] also possible.

Final Syllabus


Literature In the DIS Library, there is a shelf of books and articles on reserve for this class! Required Reading: Hans Christian Andersen. The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories, translated from Danish by Erik Christian Haugaard, New York, 1974 Jens Andersen. Hans Christian Andersen, Overlook Duckworth, New York, 2003, translated from Danish by Tiina Nunnally Hans Christian Andersen. The Fairy Tale of My Life – An Autobiography, translated from the Danish by Naomi Lewis, First Cooper Square Press, New York, 2000 Hans Christian Andersen. Only a Fiddler, first edition 1837, translated by Mary Howitt, Harper, New York, on Canvas Hans Christian Andersen. To be or not to be, first edition 1858, translated by Mary Howitt, Harper, New York, on Canvas

Recommended Reading (on reserve in the DIS Library): The DIS Library has an excellent selection of the fairy tales, biographies and others works relevant to the class. The Royal Library also has an extensive collection of works on Hans Christian Andersen and his writings in English. Bruno Bettelheim. The Uses of Enchantment, London, 1978 Elias Bredsdorff. Hans Christian Andersen. The Story of his Life and Work 1805‐1875, London, 1975 Kjeld Heltoft, Hans Christian Andersen as an Artist, translated by David Hohnen, Christian Ejlers’ Forlag, 2005 Wolfgang Lederer. The Kiss of the Snow Queen. Hans Christian Andersen and Man’s Redemption by Women,‖ Berkeley, 1986 Johan de Mylius. The Voice of Nature in Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales, Odense, 1989 Bente Scavenius. The Golden Age Revisited: Art and Culture in Denmark 1800‐1850, Copenhagen, 1996 Jackie Wullschlager: Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller, Penguin, London, 2001 Websites: The Hans Christian Andersen Center, website: http://www.andersen.sdu.dk The City Museums of Odense, website: http://www.museum.odense.dk/H_C_Andersen.aspx Golden Days, website: http://www.goldendays.dk Articles in English about Hans Christian Andersen can been found in the journal Scandinavian Studies‖

which can be accessed online.

Documents

FA17-EH-CPH-Hans Christian Andersen · Jens Andersen: Hans Christian Andersen, p.215‐248 8) Sep. 25th The Quest The Little Mermaid is one of Andersen’s most complex stories. We