One of the most popular questions I get asked by visitors to the site is this: What’s the difference between the Brothers Grimm’s stories and Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales. Well, once you start looking at the lives and history of both the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen you start to realize that they have a lot more differences than similarities. It just so happens that today we feel a strong influence from their stories in our literature and popular culture. For most of us, the stories they shared influence stories we heard about, read about, or saw popularized in film as we grew up. So we know the stories they told have an immense influence in our lives today. That’s something they have in common. But what about the differences?

Compilation v. Creation

First of all, it’s important to realize that the Brothers Grimm weren’t inventing stories of their own. They were actually collecting them. The Grimm brothers were academics and are famous for more than just their collection of fairy tales. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are credited with discovering and verbalizing the concept of Germanic Sound Shift–what some now know as Grimm’s law. They probably discovered the stories by accident, a mere byproduct of their linguistic research. The circumstances surrounding their compilation of fairy tales is fascinating.

Hans Christian Andersen on the other hand wrote his stories. They are all original tales.

Once Upon a Time v. Here and Now

This distinction may not seem as drastic to readers in the U.S. nearly 200 years after the stories were published, but while the Grimm brothers were publishing stories that happened in far away fantasy lands, Andersen set his tales in his own place and time. He is contemporary to the fantastical events of his stories. Here in the U.S. 200 years later we don’t really catch that distinction because now we are separated from the tales by both space and time.

We’ve seen this difference in modern literature as well. Back in the 70s and 80s science fiction literature was booming. Now not so much. But back then the world was heading to the moon and off to discover new places, and so the literature followed suit. “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away” is how every story used to start.

Today we don’t focus so much on discovery in new places, but we tend to hope something new and exciting will come visit us in our own home town. Maybe that’s why a fantasy adventure like Harry Potter was so successful. Harry Potter could be a real person. He’s our contemporary. We know he’s over there somewhere in England, right?

Hobby v. Career

As I mentioned before, the Grimm brothers were academics and lawyers. But Hans Christian Andersen was an entertainer, thespian, and storyteller. All Hans knew was the theater and the entertainment industry of his day. Young Hans started his career as a singer when he was only 13 years old. After a stint of singing, dancing and acting, Hans finally emerged with a successful career as an author.

In contrast to Andersen’s entertainment background, the Grimm brothers both excelled in college and went on to study law. While compiling their fairy tales they continued in careers as librarians and college professors.

Why I Know About the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen

When I first decided to write a book I wanted to write a fairy tale that was as authentic as possible. So I read all I could get my hands on about the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen as well as Aesop’s fables and a few others. Wishes is my first attempt at writing a novel, and it combines several aspects and plot lines from the Grimm’s Fairy Tales, as well as other traditional folk tale elements. I encourage you to read the sample chapters and stories here on this website and tell me what you think. Portions of my stories are also available for download.

I’m considering making a time line comparison of the Grimm Brothers and Andersen. Would you be interested in seeing more comparisons of these literary giants? Do you want to know more about their similarities and their differences? If so, leave a comment for me below.