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Submitted: April 16, 2012
Image Size: 255 KB
Resolution: 657×600
Submitted with: Sta.sh

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The Swan and The Eagleby *humon

Traditional Art / Drawings / Illustration / Conceptual

Nowadays people tend to get the message of H.C. Andersen's story "The Ugly Duckling" wrong (or at least not what Andersen intended. We know what his intentions were because he wrote about it and told others). It isn't "You can become what you want and put your past behind you" but actually "If it is your fate to become something great your upbringing doesn't matter"
So the meaning wasn't that just anyone could do great things, but that sometimes amazing people are born under unfortunate conditions but their talent will shine though sooner or later.
Or to say it in another way: You can't work your way up. It's your destiny and it can't be held back whether you work for it or not. "Not everyone can be great, but greatness can be found in strange places"
Remember, in the story the duckling does absolutely nothing to become a swan. It just happens because that's what he is.

Later a man named Henrik Pontoppidan wrote a story called "Eagle's Flight" as a sort of reply to "The Ugly Duckling" about an eagle that grows up in a chicken run and grows fat and cowardly from this pleasant and easy life, and can't even fly. But one day he is caught by a wind and flies off but is so scared by the huge world and confused by his meeting with a female eagle who won't just let him have her, that he gives up and returns home to the chicken run. Unfortunately he is shot because the people don't recognize him and thought he was going to kill the chickens (they didn't know he could fly).
So the moral of Pontoppidan's story was the opposite of Andersen's. "It doesn't matter what line of family you come from. Nothing is in the blood and there is no such things as destiny. It's your upbringing that will shape you and who you become"

Always wanted to put those two characters in a picture together.

~~mad 0 0~~

!Ouroborostudios May 28, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

ME GUSTA!

~Jiyu-Zippo May 6, 2012

when I first saw the pickture "is that HCA and Pontoppidans stories?" then took a look at the text and thought "hah that's funny and cool thought xD!"
how I love the faqt that HCA firt made a story that was about his belives in the human blood and destiny and then the other danish writer thought "nope that's not how it is!" and wrote his story about his believes of the influence of the human society on the individual xD

~Gatcha Apr 20, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

what a great comparison!

~veelafleur Apr 18, 2012

Hmm, to be it was never about "achieving" something. As you put it, the Ugly duckling did absolutely nothing to become who he was. I always thought it was something along the lines of : "Even if you feel the odd one out, just keep faith, be storng and keep going, because somewhere out there there are people who are just like you, you just have to find them". Never heard of the eagle story, that is very interesting indeed.

~Duskhaze Apr 17, 2012

Nature VS nurture theme then

*Auronyth Apr 16, 2012 Professional General Artist

Interesting information! I agree partial with both authors but mostly I dissagree with both. In the case of the swan people can be born with exceptional tallents that seem out of context with the rest of their family lineage or can also be raised by strangers to become just like their long lost twin regardless. To the point of the eagle, the pressures of upbringing and lessons learned repeatedly or very young can have a profound impact on the rest of our lives and character. Yet the new defenition of 'the ugly duckling' goes to show how people can interperate literature to apply to themselves or that it can be reinterperated from the perspective of a new time or audience. It would be interesting to read the stories to tribal audiences and ask them what they think it 'means' What a massai thinks would probubly differ from an australian aborigine and from someone from England! What I beleive is that although ofrces outside uorselves such as DNA and upbringing influence us it is our own choices and passions that truly decide who we are!

~Kishiyoto Apr 16, 2012

I like the Swan. He's pretty!

~Mi-chan785 Apr 16, 2012

*actually got answer and almost freaks out* 8D
That's cool

Wish we'd learn something like this in German school ^^ keep up the good work!!! >__<

~Insaneus Apr 16, 2012 Student General Artist

Thats so funny because last year in school we were to write about these who stories.
They are both good. I personally am a huge fan of H.C. Andersen,especially "The Ugly Duckling" but I think the most logical story is "Eagle flight", simply because it is my belive that your choices and experienceses is what will make you who you are.

Lovely picture Humon, as always

~MariCambero Apr 16, 2012 Student General Artist

lol that reminds me when I asked that to my mom:
Me- Mom Im I ugly?
Mom- well... marikita I got to tell you something now your like an ugly duck but when you´ll grow up, you will be a beautiful swan...
Me- And when its gonna be that?
Mom- well it can take a long time...but I love you no matter what.
And thats how my mom said to me that I was ugly u.u

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