The Norse Goddess’s Images in Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” and “The Ice Maiden”

• Main Authors: Yen-Lei Kuan, 管燕蕾
• Other Authors: Patricia Haseltine
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/82001277838272793791

碩士 === 靜宜大學 === 英國語文學系研究所 === 94 === Hans Christian Andersen’s stories have been an object of many studies. However, little research has dealt with how they have been influenced by Norse mythology. While many romantic writers use Greek and Roman mythologies, the Norse treasure-house of myths is less often used. In this thesis, I analyze the use of Norse goddess myths in two of Andersen’s stories: “The Snow Queen” and “The Ice Maiden.” The first chapter inquires into neglected Norse goddesses’ legends, introducing a literary review of the study of northern gods and goddesses. I also compare the Brothers Grimm and Andersen’s fairy tales and introduce Andersen’s background. The second chapter attempts to illustrate the attributes of Norse goddesses in Andersen’s works. Chapter Three analyses the struggles between protagonists and the goddesses. Chapter Four concludes that Andersen has in these two tales combined elements from traditional tales with elements from Norse mythology and that the combination provides an insight into the intellectual conflicts of romanticism in Andersen’s works.