Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

Hans Christian Andersen and the Danish Golden Age

 DIS Logo
Semester & Location:

Spring 2018 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:

Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:

Literature
Faculty Members:

Janis Granger
Program Coordinator:

Sanne Rasmussen - sra@dis.dk
Time & Place:

Mondays & Thursdays 13.15-14.35 in classroom N7-A21

Instructor: Janis Granger

Ph. D., Scandinavian Languages and Literatures, University of California – Berkeley, 1981; M.A., Scandinavian Studies, University of California – Los Angeles, 1976; B.A., History, University of California – Berkeley. Lecturer in Danish Language, Literature and Culture, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1981-1984. Written articles and reviews on Danish literature and Scandinavian Crime Fiction. With DIS since 1984 as faculty, Academic Counselor and Registrar; as of 2011 as full time faculty. Visiting Faculty at DIS Stockholm for Fall Semester 2016 and Fall Semester 2017.

Tel. 28 19 66 92

jg@dis.dk

Office hours: by appointment, available before and after class.

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 plays, novels, poems, travelogues and songs.

The course will start with an introduction to the life and times of Hans Christian Andersen and the reading of his early tales. We will begin looking at the tales from a biographical and historical approach. We will also look at the influence of folk tales and other literary influences on his writing.

As we will discover, Andersen’s tales are not just for children. Andersen gives insightful commentary in his later tales, which reflect social and technological changes. The course will give us an understanding of the Romantic Age and the Danish Golden Age as well as of the social and economic changes that dramatically affected life in mid-19th Century Europe. And we will discover how Hans Christian Andersen’s literary art is still pertinent in the 21st century.

This course will be a study of approximately 30 fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen (1805-75) as well as extracts from his travelogues, poems, diaries and his autobiography, The Fairy Tale of My Life. Andersen’s significance as an international storyteller will be emphasized by analyzing his tales using various 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 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 his complexity.

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.

 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

Evaluation

Assignment

Percent
Engagement

20%

Midterm 

25%

Short Analysis

20%

Final Paper or Final Exam

35%

Engagement is your responsibility, so it is up to you what grade you receive in this area. Consider how often you discuss, comment or ask questions in class; how many absences you have during the semester, how often you complete all the readings for class; how often you check your phone or Facebook or other non-class related media during a single class meeting.

Students must complete all course work in order to receive a passing grade.

Expectations

Students are expected to have read the materials for each class and actively participate in discussions. Students should come to class prepared with questions and points for discussion. When posing questions or participating in discussions, students should, as much as possible, refer to the readings to support the points they are making. If you are shy about speaking up in class, you are welcome to email me your questions or ideas for class discussions.

Approach to Teaching

I am enthusiastic about Hans Christian Andersen: the man; his tales and his times. I bring this enthusiasm to my teaching.  I will start out with some background lectures. Since I take a cultural/historical approach to Hans Christian Andersen’s tales, there will be some lectures about mid-19th Century Denmark and the Danish Golden Age. But for the most part, the class will be based on analysis of the tales, in-class group discussions and class discussions.

We will start by learning or refreshing our techniques as to how to closely read a piece of literature so we can discuss the tales in depth. I like to give you different academic options, whether it is with presentations, writing assignments, discussion techniques, since everyone learns differently – and I like to learn from you, too. You will decide what we do in class on April 12 – it will be your class.

Practical Matters/Classroom Policies

Students are expected to be on time to class. If students miss multiple classes, it will affect their engagement grade. Allowances, of course, will be made in case of illness but missing too many classes without cause may result in the student being referred to Director of Academic Affairs and/or Director of Student Affairs.

Laptops may be used for note-taking. Please wait until the break or time before and after class, to check email, Facebook and check and send text messages. If surfing the internet or text messaging becomes a problem, laptops and cell phones will be banned from the classroom.

No eating in the classroom. Students are, of course, allowed to bring water, coffee or tea but eating of meals during class is not allowed. Students may consume lunch or a snack at the break. Also bathroom visits should also be limited to before or after class – or during the break.

Due Dates

Short Analysis 20%

Due on Thursday February 22. An interpretation of a fairy tale by Andersen. You may choose one of the tales we have read or a new tale. Your interpretation must include a discussion of how to approach the text by analyzing it by a close reading. 3-4 pages in length.

Midterm 25%

Take-home midterm due in class on Thursday, March 15. This take-home midterm will be available right after class on Monday, March 12. The exam cover factual information about HCA and the Danish Golden Age. There will multiple choice questions, short answer questions and one essay type question (you will have your choice of questions).

Final Paper or Final Exam 30%

Due in class on Thursday, May 3.

For the paper, choose to do one of the following:

  • An academic paper (6-7 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.). Should at least include two outside, academic sources. 
  • A re-writing of your short analysis expanding on the original topic, taking into account comments given on the original paper. Must be 7-8 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, broadening your comparisons and further qualifying your arguments.
  • Choose to take a take-home final exam. The final exam will be available after class on Monday, April 30. Several essay questions will be posed. You pick two. Each essay must consist of approx. 600 words or two double-spaced pages, 12 font.

Field Studies

Wednesday, February 14, 7:30pm – 10:00pm

Ballet performance at the Royal Theater. The Royal Theater and the Danish ballet company were important to the Danish Golden Age – and to Hans Christian Andersen. Details and tickets to be given out in class.

Wednesday, April 25, 10:00am – approx. 12 noon

A visit to Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli opened in August 1848 and Hans Christian Andersen was there. The Chinese Pavilion was an inspiration for “The Nightingale.”

Literature

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

Articles and Selections 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

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.

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due