Invisible Clothes fool a vain Emperor in the story by Danish author Hans Christian Anderson (1805-1875). “The Emperor’s New Clothes” (published 1837) is a simple tale about crowds succumbing to false beliefs when fearful of social and political pressure. The tale about a deluded leader remains a popular allegory that has been woven into Western Collective Consciousness.
In “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, townspeople, officials and the leader himself all pretend to see the emperor’s costly new outfit. But the emperor is fooled into believing in the invisible clothes. Unaware that he wears only undergarments, he marches proudly in an elaborate and costly parade, demanding adulation from his subjects. Finally, a child yells out the truth about his invisible clothes and the crowd comes to its senses.
“The Emperor’s New Clothes” was first published in Denmark in a volume titled The Little Mermaid. It was the final of three installments of Anderson’s Fairy Tales Told For Children. While these stories are deceptively simple, they remain equally popular with adults who recognize the wisdom they offer.
The Innocent Child Brings Townspeople To Their Senses
Andersen’s original draft might not have included the crowd coming to its senses after the child’s revelation. Instead, the townspeople continued to keep up the pretence of admiring their leader’s Invisible Clothes.
Dr Oliver Tearle of Loughborough University writes in Interesting Literature that one possible explanation for Andersen’s final ending came from an incident that might have occurred in his own childhood. As a young child, his mother might have taken him to see King Frederic VI of Denmark. As the story goes, Andersen cried out in surprise that the king was merely a man.
“…the child’s shout at the end of the story transforms the tale into a satire with even more of a bite: it reveals how easily people can take up a pretence, but also, conversely, how easily they can be snapped out of such nonsense. It’s the psychology of the ‘mob’ or the majority: nobody wants to be the lone voice crying in the wilderness, puncturing the bubble.” (Interesting Literature)Read the Emperor’s New Clothes HERE.
The Power Of Hans Christian Andersen’s Pen
Along with this famous story about Invisible Clothes, Andersen wrote novels, plays, travelogues and poems. He is best known for a total of 156 folk tales published in nine volumes that have been translated into at least 125 languages.
Among his works are The Little Mermaid, The Red Shoes, The Ugly Duckling and The Princess and the Pea. Many of his stories have inspired both animated and live-action films, games, plays, ballets and more.
According to Britannica:
“…what makes some of the tales so compelling is Andersen’s identification with the unfortunate and the outcast. A strong autobiographical element runs through his sadder tales; throughout his life he perceived himself as an outsider, and, despite the international recognition he received, he never felt completely accepted.” (Britannica)
Fortunately, his voice continues to be heard as an inspiration for all of us.
Check your facts. Then speak up.
For stories about other Trailblazers:
Nellie Bly Provided Powerful Stories for Joseph Pulitzer
Mary Church Terrell Defined Social Activism
Surfing Princess Kaiulani Fought Annexation
Eunice Foote Defined Global Warming First
Racing Nellie Bly
Victorian Secrets From Footnotes In History
Know The Past To Invent The Future
