Journal Entry Of Andersen's Life

Telling journal entries and history bring light to Andersen’s well-known love life, or lack there of. There were multiple women with whom he hoped to spend his life with, but all were short ended, usually the decision of his chosen lover. Andersen had a tendency to fall in love with women, who were during that time considered to be “out of his league”. These unattainable women would claim that they looked at him only as a friend. His whole life was numerous cases of unrequited love and uncertainty. “Almighty God, thee only have I; thou steerest my fate, I must give myself up to thee! Give me a livelihood! Give me a bride! My blood wants love, as my heart does!" (literary travler/Sørensen). This entry taken from Andersen’s diary demonstrates how sincerely he longed for a life companion, but never found one. Rigborg Viogt was the first unrequited love of Andersen’s, when he fell for her in his adolescence. The quote above was written for her once he found out she was engaged to another man. He even died with her letter on his chest in a very symbolic end. Andersen’s bad luck only continued with Sophie Ørsted, the daughter of a physicist and Lousie Collins, Jonas Collins’ daughter. …show more content…
Lind was a very well known Swedish opera singer whom Andersen was infatuated by. With little surprise and to Andersen’s dismay, Lind felt platonically about their relationship as demonstrated in this letter she wrote him, “Farewell. God bless and protect my brother is the sincere wish of his affectionate sister, Jenny” (dean). Lind was trying to make it clear to Andersen that she viewed him solely as a brother and nothing more. The frail thoughts of love only grew smaller in Andersen’s mind. Beyond the two women who truly broke his heart, Viogt and Lind, there was also another factor in Andersen’s tragic love