History Literature / TheUglyDuckling

Not to be confused with ''Literature/TheUglyBarnacle''.

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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Ugly_Duckling_1491.jpg]]

* AbusiveParents: The duckling's adoptive mother--she half-heartedly defends him from bullies at best, ignores him at worst and her last moment of screentime consists of the duckling overhearing her stating that she [[IHaveNoSon "wishes he was miles away"]].
* AllIsWellThatEndsWell
* AnAesop: Usually presumed to be about self-image or bullying or something. Another could be "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", which makes sense as cygnets are actually quite adorable...they just don't make very good ducklings.
* AuthorAppeal: Andersen was gangly, unattractive as a child and was bullied when young. The whole "becoming a beautiful swan" thing was probably wish fulfillment on his own part.
* AuthorAvatar: The ugly duckling is said to based on Hans Christian Andersen himself.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Probably one of the most notable examples. The poor duckling goes through so much torture throughout the years. When the swans find him, he's finally accepted and has a truly happy life.

* RoyalBlood: Hans Christian Andersen believed he was actually the illegitimate son of Christian Frederick, the Crown Prince of Denmark. The ugly duckling's acceptance by the swan-bevy was symbolic of Andersen's desire to be accepted by the royal family.
* TheRuntAtTheEnd: The title character.

* AbusiveParents: The ducklings adoptive mother--she half-heartedly defends him from bullies at best, ignores him at worst and her last moment of screentime consists of the duckling overhearing her stating that she [[IHaveNoSon "wishes he was miles away"]].

* InterspeciesAdoption: He is adopted first as a duck before finding out that he's actually a swan. Though it's implied that this wasn't intentional and that instead his egg just happened to find its way in a duck's nest.

There is also a [[Film/TheUglyDuckling 1997 animated movie]] based on The Ugly Duckling but with its own original plot.

* AnAesop: Usually presumed to be about self-image or bullying or something.

* InterspeciesAdoption: He is adopted first as a duck before finding out that he's actually a swan.

* InterspeciesAdoption: He is adopted first as a

* AuthorAppeal: Andersen was gangly, unattractive as a child and was bullied when young. The whole "becoming a beautiful swan" thing was probably wish fulfillment on his own part. Also see RoyalBlood.

* BeautifulAllAlong
* BeautyEqualsGoodness

* IJustWantToBeBeautiful
* InterspeciesAdoption

* NeverAcceptedInHisHometown: Only once he leaves does the Ugly Duckling find acceptance. Possibly a BrokenAesop in that respect...
** Of course, given the author's intentions (see below), this is deliberate, and for people with AbusiveParents and the like, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped love and acceptance really have to be found elsewhere.]]

* TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside

There is also a [[Film/TheUglyDuckling 1997 animated movie]] based on The Ugly Duckling but with it's own original plot.

* KidsAreCruel

* MorallyAmbiguousDucktorate: Played with. The ducklings aren't ''cruel'' as such, they just don't really consider the feelings of others.

When the spring comes, he sees a bevy of swans on a pond and is drawn to their beauty, feeling compelled to approach them even though he fears they will abuse or even kill him for his ugliness. To his amazement, they receive him as one of their own. The "duckling" catches sight of his own reflection and sees that he too is a beautiful swan.

* AuthorAppeal: Andersen was gangly, unattractive as a child and was bullied when young. The whole becomming a beautiful swan thing was probably wish fulfillment on his own part. Also see RoyalBlood.

"The Ugly Duckling" is a literary FairyTale written by Danish poet Creator/HansChristianAndersen. It has been adapted by {{Disney}} twice and the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote a score for a {{ballet}} of the story in 1914. It is one of the few Hans Christian Andersen stories where [[EverybodyLives nobody dies]].

* '''EarnYourHappyEnding''': Probably one of the most notable examples. The poor duckling goes through so much torture throughout the years. When the swans find him, he's finally accepted and has a truly happy life.
* FeatheredFiend: '''[[AlwaysChaoticEvil EVERY DAMN BIRD]]''' aside from the title character, a few geese and the swans at the end are evil, being the main factors in the duckling's suffering.

* ThrowTheDogABone: For all the story's emotional intensity of the cygnet feeling rejected in the Disney version, he only has to endure it for a few minutes before a mother swan takes him in.
** In the original story, the poor duckling suffered a lot, but an old woman took pity on him and showed him love. And then her other pets got jealous...

** Of course, given the author's intentions (see blow), this is deliberate, and for people with AbusiveParents and the like, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped love and acceptance really have to be found elsewhere.]]

** In the original story, the poor duckling suffered a lot, but an old woman took pity on him and showed him love. [[ItGotWorse And then her other pets got jealous...]]

* CatsAreMean: In the original story, the ugly duckling, after being taken in by a kind old woman, is promptly bullied by her cat. Subverted in that said cat was also accompanied by a chicken, so it's really Both Cats and Domestic Birds [[{{Jerkass}} Are Awful]], [[CompleteMonster Awful People]].

* FeatheredFiend: '''[[AlwaysChaoticEvil EVERY DAMN BIRD]]''' aside from the titular character, a few geese and the swans at the end are evil, being the main factors in the duckling's suffering.

* TheRuntAtTheEnd: The titular character.

* SweetAndSourGrapes: The titular "duckling" is "ugly" by duck standards, but by accepting this, he realizes that he is a fine example of something else.

A swan egg rolls from its nest into a duck nest. When it hatches, it is clear that the baby swan is different from all his adoptive siblings and gets [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer teased and picked on]] as a result; they call him names such as ugly duckling. The "ugly duckling" goes off on his own and spots a swan-bevy a short distance off. Wishing he could be as beautiful as they, he catches sight of his own reflection and sees that he is indeed a beautiful swan.

* AuthorAppeal: Andersen was gangly, unattractive as a child and was bullied when young. The whole becomming a beautiful swan thing was probably author appeal. Also see RoyalBlood.

* CatsAreMean: Inthe original story, the ugly duckling, after being taken in by a kind old woman, is promptly bullied by her cat. Subverted in that said cat was also accompanied by a chicken, so it's really Both Cats and Domestic Birds [[{{Jerkass}} Are Awful]], [[CompleteMonster Awful People]].

** In the original story, the poor duclkling suffered a lot, but an old woman took pity on him and showed him love. [[ItGotWorse And then her other pets got jealous...]]

"The Ugly Duckling" is a literary {{fairy tale}} written by Danish poet HansChristianAndersen. It has been adapted by {{Disney}} twice and the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote a score for a {{ballet}} of the story in 1914. It is one of the few Hans Christian Andersen stories where [[EverybodyLives nobody dies]].

* RoyalBlood: Hans Christian Andersen believed he was actually the illegitimate son of Christian Frederick, the Crown Prince of Denmark. The ugly duckling's acceptance by the swan-bevy was symbolic of Andersen's want to be accepted by the royal family.