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The Last Pearl

From Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875) was a Danish author whose fairy tales—among them 'The Ugly Duckling,' 'The Little Mermaid,' and 'The Emperor's New Clothes'—are read in every language and have shaped childhood for generations. 'The Last Pearl' was published in the mid-nineteenth century and is less widely known than his famous tales, but it is one of his most explicitly philosophical works. Unlike the stories written for children, this allegory addresses adults directly, arguing that sorrow is not the enemy of happiness but its completion. The text reflects the Christian worldview of Andersen's era, in which suffering and death were understood as preparatory and redemptive. It is included here because it makes a serious claim about the structure of a good life—one that runs counter to much contemporary thought—and because it does so with clarity, beauty, and emotional force. A few period terms have been modernised. Whether Andersen is right is a question worth a seminar.

Band

Silver · First-year university levelTypical starting range: adult

Length

long · about 1381 words in 4 sections · 1 picture

Source

Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen, H. C. Andersen

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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