Dissonance and the Radical Politics of Hans Christian Andersen’s Early Fairy Tales

Dissonance and the Radical Politics of Hans Christian Andersen’s Early Fairy Tales explores Andersen’s role as a stylistic innovator who used his tales to critique capitalism, the bourgeoisie, and the establishment, while reflecting on the inequalities and power structures of his time. This critique emerges not through overt argument but through fractures, contradictions, and deliberate dissonance woven into the narratives. Through close readings of twelve of Andersen’s early and most famous tales, the book argues that these stories transcend children’s literature, offering sharp social and political insights that resonate both with Andersen’s era and contemporary debates about power and inequality. The concept of “dissonance,” central to the book’s metaphor, originates from an 1834 letter in which Andersen describes himself as a dissonance in response to criticism from physicist Hans Christian Ørsted. While not focused on biographical dissonance, the book examines how this quality permeates Andersen’s fairy tales, revealing a critique of Denmark’s emerging capitalist order in the 1830s. This dissonance manifests as parallel narratives that coexist uneasily, challenging traditional interpretations of Andersen’s “double articulation.” By foregrounding this tension, the book demonstrates why Andersen’s tales remain profoundly relevant nearly two centuries later.