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The Snowman
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling." During his lifetime he was acclaimed for having delighted children worldwide, and was feted by royalty. His poetry and stories have been translated into more than 150 languages. They have inspired motion pictures, plays, ballets, and animated films. -wikipedia
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1835
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About the author
Hans Christian Andersen
7,824 books3,545 followersHans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories — called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality.
Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.
Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 17, 2024
The Snowman or "Sneemanden" is a fairy tale by the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, which was first published in 1861. It is a lyrical tale, full of pathos, and thought by many to be based symbolically on his own life.
The story starts with the snowman rejoicing in his existence,
"It's so cold I'm creaking with it ... It's lovely. The sting in this wind really lets you know you're alive,"
he calls to the watchdog nearby. He is standing in the garden watching the sun set and the moon rise. He is young and brave, claiming that he has stared at the moon, outfacing her until she runs away. But the watchdog has a dire sardonic warning for the snowman, and threatens,
"You don't know anything ... they've only just put you up. The sun will be back tomorrow and she'll show you how to run - all the way to the pond."
The dog then senses a change in the weather, enters his kennel and goes to sleep for the night.
The next day there has been an overnight frost, and a young couple enter the garden, admiring both the beautiful scene and the snowman. They think it's "even lovelier than Summer." The snowman is intrigued by the couple, and asks the watchdog who they are. The watchdog is very grumpy. He can remember a time when he was not chained up outside to guard the farm. He used to live indoors, he tells the snowman, and he was petted and made much of by this young couple. He reminisces about the happier days long ago
The Snowman is full of symbolism, although opinions differ as to the exact allusions. The story's main theme concerns unrequited love, and Hans Christian Andersen's diaries show how complicated his love life was. He was clearly attracted to both sexes, sometimes longing for a physical relationship with a woman, and at others involved in homosexual liaisons. This story could refer to either - or could be deliberately ambiguous.
Because of when it was written The Snow Man is often taken to refer to a passion the author had for Harald Scharff, a handsome and highly regarded young male ballet dancer with Copenhagen's Royal Theatre.
The two had originally met in 1857 in Paris, when Hans Christian Andersen was on his way home from his (famously unsuccessful) visit to Charles Dickens. The author and Harald Scharff subsequently had a relationship in 1862, but Harald Scharff felt that Hans Christian Andersen was displaying his feelings much too openly, leading to others regarding them as ridiculous. The affair came to an end the next year. Harald Scharff later married a ballerina, and eventually died in the insane asylum.
Interpreting the story in this light, the author is mocking himself. The story has a poignant but lighthearted feel, borne out by the phallic symbolism of the stove rake. Neverthelesss, it is a bitter revelation to the reader, that Hans Christian Andersen viewed love as a burning unreciprocated pain, and also that he believed he would end his life alone, without a partner.
Others think the story merely to be a parable about different kinds of love, because of the inclusion of the young couple who are sharing their happiness in each other.
However it is understood, The Snow Man remains a beautifully touching and gentle story on its own merits. It is so very moving and sad; it is tinged with regret, yet it has none of the desolation and high tragedy of "The Fir Tree" to which it is often thought to be a companion piece. This lyrical story stays in the mind as a wistful piece; and an example of one which has a further inner truth at its core.
Some things are not permanent. However much you wish it, some things never happen, and some things do not last.
The story starts with the snowman rejoicing in his existence,
"It's so cold I'm creaking with it ... It's lovely. The sting in this wind really lets you know you're alive,"
he calls to the watchdog nearby. He is standing in the garden watching the sun set and the moon rise. He is young and brave, claiming that he has stared at the moon, outfacing her until she runs away. But the watchdog has a dire sardonic warning for the snowman, and threatens,
"You don't know anything ... they've only just put you up. The sun will be back tomorrow and she'll show you how to run - all the way to the pond."
The dog then senses a change in the weather, enters his kennel and goes to sleep for the night.
The next day there has been an overnight frost, and a young couple enter the garden, admiring both the beautiful scene and the snowman. They think it's "even lovelier than Summer." The snowman is intrigued by the couple, and asks the watchdog who they are. The watchdog is very grumpy. He can remember a time when he was not chained up outside to guard the farm. He used to live indoors, he tells the snowman, and he was petted and made much of by this young couple. He reminisces about the happier days long ago
The Snowman is full of symbolism, although opinions differ as to the exact allusions. The story's main theme concerns unrequited love, and Hans Christian Andersen's diaries show how complicated his love life was. He was clearly attracted to both sexes, sometimes longing for a physical relationship with a woman, and at others involved in homosexual liaisons. This story could refer to either - or could be deliberately ambiguous.
Because of when it was written The Snow Man is often taken to refer to a passion the author had for Harald Scharff, a handsome and highly regarded young male ballet dancer with Copenhagen's Royal Theatre.
The two had originally met in 1857 in Paris, when Hans Christian Andersen was on his way home from his (famously unsuccessful) visit to Charles Dickens. The author and Harald Scharff subsequently had a relationship in 1862, but Harald Scharff felt that Hans Christian Andersen was displaying his feelings much too openly, leading to others regarding them as ridiculous. The affair came to an end the next year. Harald Scharff later married a ballerina, and eventually died in the insane asylum.
Interpreting the story in this light, the author is mocking himself. The story has a poignant but lighthearted feel, borne out by the phallic symbolism of the stove rake. Neverthelesss, it is a bitter revelation to the reader, that Hans Christian Andersen viewed love as a burning unreciprocated pain, and also that he believed he would end his life alone, without a partner.
Others think the story merely to be a parable about different kinds of love, because of the inclusion of the young couple who are sharing their happiness in each other.
However it is understood, The Snow Man remains a beautifully touching and gentle story on its own merits. It is so very moving and sad; it is tinged with regret, yet it has none of the desolation and high tragedy of "The Fir Tree" to which it is often thought to be a companion piece. This lyrical story stays in the mind as a wistful piece; and an example of one which has a further inner truth at its core.
Some things are not permanent. However much you wish it, some things never happen, and some things do not last.
January 3, 2022
According to Goodreads this was published in 1835, but Wikipedia indicates 1861 which I will use as it seems more accurate based on the information provided. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sno...
A very short tale about a snow man who falls in love with a wood-burning stove. The romance is unfulfilled as the thaw sets in the the snow man melts. Beautifully written.
A very short tale about a snow man who falls in love with a wood-burning stove. The romance is unfulfilled as the thaw sets in the the snow man melts. Beautifully written.
August 2, 2014
something tells me that this story inspired Olaf
December 25, 2016
4.5 stars.
Interestingly enough, Olaf is based off of this story apparently. I liked the way Andersen wrote this.
Interestingly enough, Olaf is based off of this story apparently. I liked the way Andersen wrote this.
Read
May 13, 2020I feel so sad for both the dog and the snow man. This one puzzled me at first, but I think it shows how love or desires can be harmful to us, yet we might seek them anyway.
November 21, 2024
حكاية حلوة 💜
December 3, 2023
I felt really bad for the dog in this one.
March 11, 2025
Unfortunately, only Olaf would enjoy this. ⛄
March 4, 2019
I have arranged my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:
"Simply made one way;
Love may strike an unwise cord
Regardless of what’s safe."
"Simply made one way;
Love may strike an unwise cord
Regardless of what’s safe."
December 18, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
Reading these short Christmas classics in the week leading up to Christmas is a JOY. But this one suffered a bit from it’s predecessor, which to me had a lot more in it than The Snowman.
⛄️
Reading these short Christmas classics in the week leading up to Christmas is a JOY. But this one suffered a bit from it’s predecessor, which to me had a lot more in it than The Snowman.
⛄️
July 14, 2024
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
This one was really not for me. Maybe reading children stories as an adult isn’t the best thing to do for some people.
I personally found this story to be very boring and uninteresting. I really had hard time reading it because I just couldn’t get into the story.
The story is pretty quick read, but that’s the only good thing about this story for me personally.
The writing style in this one was very generic which every fairytale has.
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
This one was really not for me. Maybe reading children stories as an adult isn’t the best thing to do for some people.
I personally found this story to be very boring and uninteresting. I really had hard time reading it because I just couldn’t get into the story.
The story is pretty quick read, but that’s the only good thing about this story for me personally.
The writing style in this one was very generic which every fairytale has.
December 30, 2023
for a 9 page story, i didn't really get into this that much. i couldn't, frankly, due to its length. but it was a nice quick read. i feel really bad for the dog.
and why is this one also so nihilistic???
and why is this one also so nihilistic???
December 26, 2024
Leí por primera vez este libro este año y muy rápidamente, porque es de fácil lectura, tiene muchos dibujos bonitos y las morales que deja son preciosas.
Es un libro perfecto para esta época del año.
Es un libro perfecto para esta época del año.
January 1, 2026
I can see why this is one of the lesser known stories. It doesn’t really have a point to it or a moral. It’s almost like the infancy of the Snowman story that is shown on TV every year. Maybe it is?! Not one I’ll revisit
August 16, 2018
انجذابك لشيء وحبك له ممكن يرجع عليك بخساره
قيمة بيرسخها اندرسن في الأطفال
في قصة سريعة وسلسة
عجبني جدا أسلوب الراجل ده في كتابته القصيرة
April 11, 2021
Strange, quirky read of a snow man's love to a wooden stove.
December 21, 2023
The Snow Man was longing for the opposite of his needs...? and the old dog warned him.
April 12, 2025
Not great. A Snowman inexplicably has a death drive fantasy for a burning hot stove.
June 21, 2025
A watchdog has a conversation with a snowman. The snow melts at the end.
December 7, 2025
That was pretty weird.
December 23, 2015
Læs min anmeldelse
https://pipalukbooks.wordpress.com/sn...
https://pipalukbooks.wordpress.com/sn...
December 19, 2015
This fairy tale is so so. I didn't particularly liked it, though i don't hate it either.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews