Hans Christian Andersen Archives - Cathrin Hagey

Tiny People

Cathrin Hagey — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:46:12 +0000

Andersen’s "Thumbelina" is an early representation of the heroine’s journey, which has emerged as a serious antidote to the hero's journey.

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Red Shoes

Cathrin Hagey — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 17:09:17 +0000

Karen’s punishment, for what has become her overwhelming obsession, is to dance without stopping, until she finally begs an executioner to chop off her feet. The red shoes, with Karen’s bloody feet trapped inside, dance on.

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Mermaids

Cathrin Hagey — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 19:03:21 +0000

Thousands of years since the first fish goddess emerged from the primordial human collective unconscious, countless women pine to be mermaids. Hans Christian Andersen and Disney merely exploited the contents of this particular Pandora’s box. It is thought that Andersen used the archetype in order to submerge unrequited desires. Disney turned Andersen’s tortured protagonist into […]

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Wee folk, not twee folk

Cathrin Hagey — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 03:23:15 +0000

From the wee folk of long ago (fairies, leprechauns, pixies…) to Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina, and to Mary Norton’s The Borrowers, sentient beings of very small size have fascinated, delighted, and horrified us, but they never fail to capture our attention. In writing this piece I discovered there are far more books about wee folk […]

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