Andersen's Fairy Tales Art and Culture Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Tale Title.Paragraph)

Quote #7

Here lived a young artist who was poor and unknown. But he had friends—other artists with the hopes and ideals of youth—who told him that he had great talent and skill and that he was a fool for doubting it. The young artist was never satisfied with his work. (Psyche.3)

This artist (like Andersen himself) feels like he has something to contribute to the world. And he does, in fact, end up making an awe-inspiring statue of Psyche. Do you think that every artist feels like he or she has a mission to make art that people will consume? Or do some artists create simply because they enjoy the process of making things?

Quote #8

It was as though his instrument were a human voice of such purity and beauty that all who heard it felt the ecstasy of art. His name flew from country to country, it spread like fire, the fire of enthusiasm! (The Golden Treasure.73)

This musician is apparently pretty hot stuff. If just listening to his music fills audiences with "the ecstasy of art," then yeah, we'd agree that he has a marketable skill.

Quote #9

Inside the farmhouse lived two young students: one was a poet, the other a scientist. One sang and wrote joyfully about everything God had created that mirrored itself in his heart. He sang about it in brief powerful verses. (The Toad.37)

Andersen loves these artist types whose work is all about the glory of God. It's almost as though he thinks that's the purpose of art: to praise God and all of creation. What do you think?