Symbols and allegories are used to promote a deeper engagement with morality, discuss this statement in light of The Snow Queen and Thumbelina and by Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen promotes a resounding meaning of morality throughout his fairy-tales, (1), as eighteenth century author Schiller stated “deeper meaning resides in fairy tales told to me in my childhood than the truth that is taught in life.” (2) He is able to present various morals specifically targeted towards children by using an intricate web of symbols throughout his tales. The underlying roots of Andersen’s tales could be ascribed to Christian ideology and teachings which are depicted in the Bible. The symbols are used individually in order to implant Christian ideas subtly in the mind of the child reader which otherwise may be concepts which are too large for the young reader to grasp. Andersen also uses his tales as allegories for Bible teachings. They stand as “metaphorical representation(s)” (3) of various Christian teachings, mirrored as they are written in the Bible. The symbols and allegories used allow a deeper engagement of the text and explore morality issues in hopes of educating young children in terms of Christian morality. Critic Ruth Eshbaugh remarked upon Andersen’s work that “there is no real evidence he is trying to teach spiritual lessons in any of his works.” (4) However in disagreement with this statement I have explored the symbols and allegories that Andersen uses to indorse Christian morals in two of his popular tales.
In the tale ‘Thumbelina’, Andersen utilises a number of symbols in order to introduce Christian ideas to the young reader. According to Cooper’s Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols, a tulip is “the Persian symbol of perfect love.” (5) In this case being a mother’s love, as it is the mother’s kiss that opens the flower “but just as she kissed it the flower suddenly burst open.” Andersen uses the symbol of the tulip to demonstrate the perfect love of a mother bringing a child into the world. (6) In parallel to a Bible teaching upon the mother figure “blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.” (7) Andersen uses the tulip as a symbol to subtly represent this Bible teaching to his young reader base. ‘Thumbelina’ was the first tale in which Andersen used his reoccurring symbol of a swallow. The meaning of the swallow in Andersen’s tales has been debated as “symbols employed by writers can sometimes be private…this can pose problems for the reader in interpretation.” (3) Some believe the swallow to be a representation of his own “poetic soul,” (8) while others believe “the swallow represents hope and good fortune.” (6) Conversely regarding Christian teachings the swallow has its own symbolic significance, representing “incarnation; because of its return in the spring: resurrection.” (8) In fitting when Andersen introduces the character of the Swallow he appears to be dead or at least very near death “quite lifeless to the ground.” Nursed by Thumbelina the swallow is able to regain its life and “as soon as spring came…the swallow said goodbye to Thumbelina and…flew out into the sunshine.” Here Andersen uses a lexical field of bliss with an almost melancholy feeling, this emphasises the theme of hope within the possibility of resurrection. Through the use of lexis and plot Andersen is able to implant ideas of resurrection similar to that of Jesus Christ in the Bible into a child’s mind subconsciously. Folklorist Maria Tatar (10) also commented on the reoccurrence of the theme of resurrection in ‘Thumbelina’ suggesting Andersen was enforcing this key Christian belief throughout the tale. The symbols in ‘Thumbelina’ imperceptibly implement Christian ideas into a child’s mind without directly confronting the notions. It could be said Andersen, by basing his tales on religious text, was employing common convention of the zeitgeist. As equally it could be argued that Lewis Carroll used symbols to represent religion, as the basis for his stories. “The garden may symbolize the Garden of Eden, an idyllic space of beauty and innocence that Alice is not permitted to access.” (11) Both authors use the Bible as the underlying roots of their morals and themes in their work.
‘The Snow Queen’ is another tale by Andersen in which he uses symbolism to convey Christian ideas. The presentation of ice and snow can be “symbolically linked to rationality and the aims of reason.” (12) When looking at a snowflake Kay compares it to a flower, “how beautifully formed they are…much more interesting than real flowers…there isn’t a single blemish on them…they’re quite perfect.” However although Kay tries to obtain ‘eternity’ from with use of the snow, it is only with Gerda’s love he is able to reach this state. Symbolically, the snow represents reason that cannot be obtained without love, God’s love in particular. This idea of eternity being achieved through God’s love is somewhat parallel to the Bible passage; “and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (7) The snowflake’s cold icy form on comparison the soft warm form of a flower serves as a metaphorical barrier between reason and love. By means of metaphorical symbolism Andersen is able to explore this complex idea imperceptibly to a child audience.
Similarly to C.S Lewis who used “allegory in his re-telling,” (3) Andersen’s ‘Thumbelina’ can be seen as an allegory for journey from purgatory to Heaven. The tale is more than a physical journey but a metaphorical one too as it signifies the pathway between former life and the afterlife. Each character Thumbelina meets furthers her journey to her ultimate destination in which she becomes the Queen of the flower sprites. The toad tries to coerce Thumbelina away from her path to find the Prince. Symbolically, this could be seen as the toad distracting Thumbelina from finding her ultimate solace. Upon the end of her journey she gains a new identity “beautiful wings …were fastened upon Thumbelina’s shoulders.” The creation of a new identity could be seen metaphorically as Thumbelina’s previous soul being set free as she becomes ‘an angel’ of Heaven. The Bible references this journey of change a person must go on before reaching Heaven: “The spirits of just men who died in godliness are "made" perfect…they are made perfect after their death. But those in heaven are already perfect, and those in hell can no longer be made perfect. These spirits are in purgatory.” (7) Andersen seems to present Thumbelina’s height as an imperfection perhaps preventing her from reaching Heaven, amplified through the name ‘Thumbelina’ itself. Upon Thumbelina’s transformation into Heaven her name is changed “you cannot be called Thumbelina… it is an ugly name…we shall call you Maia.” In terms of lexis her flaw is observably removed to the reader. The name Maia in Hebrew means, ‘close to God’ further illustrating her transformation to perfection found in Heaven. (13)
The Snow Queen could be seen as an allegory to the Bible teachings routed in selflessness. Gerda represents love without reason in the tale, as she is able to thaw Kay’s frozen heart with her “hot tears.” Here Andersen displays love conquers all previous evil, as mirrored in Peter 4:8 of the Bible “love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins”.(7) Gerda’s gallant journey to find Kay “then she could drive out into the wide world again and find Kay” represents her selfless love. This love is directly addressed in the Bible “You love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone who lay down his life for his friends.” (7) Andersen uses the tale to educate the young receptive audience of the Bible teachings on loving one another in a perfect way. According to Lederer Gerda’s red shoes symbolise her decision to remain pure and give up her sexuality in order to find Kay. Gerda "makes the crucial and Christian decision to remain pure…She hopes to find favour with Life, and to find Kay, precisely because she is renouncing sexuality and choosing the path of virtue." (14) This further instructs Christian teachings to children in regards to staying pure until marriage, “Flee sexual immorality” (7) (Corinthians 6:18). Andersen demonstrates through an allegory of the story, the benefits you will reap if you choose to remain ‘pure’ and demonstrate only ‘pure love.’ The reward of following the word of God is proven at the end of the tale, when the children can finally understand the hymn they had sung describing Heaven. “The rose in the valley is blooming so sweet, And angels descend there the children to greet.” Andersen illustrates that Kay and Gerda are now able to reap the rewards, as their pure love melted the ice that was in the way of them experiencing God.
Andersen’s fairy tales are crafted with an array of symbols throughout them in order to carefully graft Christian ideas into the young mind of the reader. Upon a deeper reading of the tales it is clear to see a parallel to Christian motives and stories running through the tales. As critic Rumer Godden stated “Andersen utilized the simple premise and structure of the fairy tale to transform his ideas about human nature into allegories that are written in a conversational language, children can understand and enjoy.” (15) The structure and language used by Andersen contributes his Christian allegories to the young audience his tales are targeted at. Regardless of Eshbaugh statement it is clear that Andersen does portray Christian ideas in his tales. However they are in cryptically weaved into the texts through symbols and allegory; this is in order so the young audience can access these messages of Christianity.
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Bibliography
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7.- (1996). The Bible: New International Version. Hodder & Stoughton: London
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13.www.babynology.com/meaning-maia-f29.html
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