The Little Match Girl Explained

The Little Match Girl
Title Orig:Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne
Author:Hans Christian Andersen
Country:Denmark
Language:Danish
Genre:Literary fairy tale
Published In:Dansk Folkekalender for 1846
Pub Date:December 1845

"The Little Match Girl" (Danish: Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne, meaning "The little girl with the matchsticks") is a literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen. The story, about a dying child's dreams and hope, was first published in 1845. It has been adapted to various media, including animated, live-action, and VR films as well as television musicals and opera.[1]

Summary

On a freezing New Year's Eve, a poor young girl, frozen, shivering, bareheaded and barefoot, unsuccessfully tries to sell matches in the street. Afraid to go home because her father would beat her for failing to sell any matches and not earning even a single penny, she huddles in the alley between two houses and lights matches, one by one, to warm herself.

In the flame of the matches, she sees a series of comforting visions: a warm iron stove, a lovely roasted goose, and a great glorious Christmas tree. Each vision disappears as its match burns out. In the sky, she sees a shooting star, which her late grandmother had told her meant that someone is on their way to Heaven. In the flame of the next match she sees her late grandmother, the only person that ever treated her with love and kindness. To keep the vision of her grandmother alive as long as possible, the girl lights the entire bundle of matches she had.

When the matches are gone, the girl freezes to death in the cold weather, as her grandmother carries her soul to Heaven. The next morning, passers-by find the girl's body with a smile on her face, and express pity. They do not know about the wonderful visions she had seen or how happy she is with her grandmother in Heaven.[2]

Publication

"The Little Match Girl" was first published in December 1845, in Dansk Folkekalender for 1846. The work was re-published as a part of New Fairy Tales (4 March 1848), Second Volume, Second Collection (Nye Eventyr (1848), Andet Bind, Anden Samling), and again 18 December 1849 as a part of Fairy Tales (1850; Eventyr). The work was also published 30 March 1863 as a part of Fairy Tales and Stories (1863), Second Volume (Eventyr og Historier (1863), Andet Bind).[3]

Adaptations

Amusement park attractions

Anime and manga

Audio recordings

Comics

Films

16mm short subject films

Animated films

Live-action films

Games

Literature

Music

Television

See also

External links

The Annotated Little Match Girl

Notes and References

  1. Web site: VR Review: 'Allumette' . Janko . Roettgers. 13 October 2016 . Variety.
  2. Book: Tatar, Maria . The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen . W.W. Norton . 2008 . 978-0-393-06081-2.
  3. Web site: Hans Christian Andersen: The Little Match Girl . Hans Christian Andersen Center.
  4. Web site: Efteling – 'The Little Match Girl' in Fairy tale forest (Het meisje met de zwavelstokjes). . 3 March 2011 .
  5. Web site: SKE48 Idol Sumire Satō, Kensho Ono Star in Film of The Little Match Girl Manga. Anime News Network. 11 August 2021.
  6. Web site: 'Frozen Fever' (and Easter Eggs!) Coming Soon on Disney Shorts Blu-ray (Exclusive) . Doty . Meriah . 4 June 2015 . Yahoo! Movies . 8 October 2015.
  7. Web site: Emily the Little Match Girl (2021) - IMDb. IMDb.
  8. Web site: Official Selection 1954: All the Selection . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131226221940/http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/archives/1954/allSelections.html . 26 December 2013.
  9. Web site: SKE48 Idol Sumire Satō, Kensho Ono Star in Film of The Little Match Girl Manga . Anime News Network. 5 September 2023 .
  10. News: Ryu Ga Gotoku 5 / Yakuza 5 SUBSTORY - The Little Match Girl . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/BAFYtb9UWsY. 2021-12-12 . live. . 12 December 2015.
  11. News: Matchless: A Christmas Story . VanDerWerff . Emily . 19 November 2009 . . 7 January 2020.
  12. Web site: McGonagall. William. The Little Match Girl. Poetry Foundation. 2010. 26 February 2010.
  13. Web site: The Song is a Fairytale . magle.dk . 6 July 2012.
  14. Web site: A VHS Christmas Carol .
  15. Web site: VHS Christmas Carol: Live! .
  16. Web site: VHS Christmas Carols 2023 .
  17. News: Million pound notes – Keith Strachan . Nick . Smurthwaite . 21 March 2005 . The Stage . 23 March 2010.
  18. News: INTERVIEW: West End director Keith Strachan takes Dancing In The Streets on tour . 20 October 2009 . This is London . 23 March 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604231522/http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/leisure/onstage/4692029.INTERVIEW__West_End_director_Keith_Strachan_takes_Dancing_In_The_Streets_on_tour/ . 4 June 2011.
  19. News: TELEVISION; SUGAR FOR YOUNGSTERS. Eden Ross. Lipson. The New York Times. December 6, 1987.
  20. Web site: Where are the POC in Holiday Films? – Michigan Quarterly Review. Sites.lsa.umich.edu. 8 March 2022.
  21. News: TV REVIEW : 'Match Girl' Doesn't Succeed in Setting the World on Fire. December 21, 1987. Los Angeles Times.
  22. News: 'THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL' IS UTTERLY EXTINGUISHING. Chicago Tribune. Clifford. Terry. December 21, 1987.
  23. Web site: Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern. 25 December 2013. 28 November 2020. IMDb.