Hans Christian Andersen, Translation, and World Literature in Victorian British Periodicals

Abstract

This article examines Mary Howitt’s pivotal role in shaping the reception of Hans Christian Andersen’s works in Victorian Britain through translation and periodical publication. As both a translator and co-editor of Howitt’s Journal, Howitt actively cultivated a professional relationship with Andersen, facilitating his entry into the British literary market. While Andersen is often remembered as a writer of children’s fairy tales, this article argues that his early reception in Britain – particularly through periodicals – positioned him as a cosmopolitan author of serious literature. By reassessing Howitt’s contributions beyond the book market, the article challenges reductive narratives of translation and world literature that overlook the complexity of such cultural mediations. It highlights how Andersen’s multifaceted literary identity was shaped by the dynamics of Victorian publishing, translation networks, and the expanding reach of periodicals. Ultimately, the article contends that the “worlding” of Andersen in Britain was not a singular process but a layered phenomenon, reflecting broader tensions between literary prestige, market demands, and transnational authorship in the mid-nineteenth century.