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THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
Many years ago, there was an Emperor, who was so excessively fond of new
clothes, that he spent all his money in dress. He did not trouble himself in
the least about his soldiers; nor did he care to go either to the theatre or
the chase, except for the opportunities then afforded him for displaying his
new clothes. He had a different suit for each hour of the day; and as of any
other king or emperor, one is accustomed to say, "he is sitting in council,"
it was always said of him, "The Emperor is sitting in his wardrobe."
Time passed merrily in the large town which was his capital; strangers arrived
every day at the court. One day, two rogues, calling themselves weavers, made
their appearance. They gave out that they knew how to weave stuffs of the most
beautiful colors and elaborate patterns, the clothes manufactured from which
should have the wonderful property of remaining invisible to everyone who was
unfit for the office he held, or who was extraordinarily simple in character.
"These must, indeed, be splendid clothes!" thought the Emperor. "Had I such a
suit, I might at once find out what men in my realms are unfit for their
office, and also be able to distinguish the wise from the foolish! This stuff
must be woven for me immediately." And he caused large sums of money to be
given to both the weavers in order that they might begin their work directly.
So the two pretended weavers set up two looms, and affected to work very
busily, though in reality they did nothing at all. They asked for the most
delicate silk and the purest gold thread; put both into their own knapsacks;
and then continued their pretended work at the empty looms until late at
night.
"I should like to know how the weavers are getting on with my cloth," said the
Emperor to himself, after some little time had elapsed; he was, however,
rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton, or one unfit for his
office, would be unable to see the manufacture. To be sure, he thought he had
nothing to risk in his own person; but yet, he would prefer sending somebody
else, to bring him intelligence about the weavers, and their work, before he
troubled himself in the affair. All the people throughout the city had heard
of the wonderful property the cloth was to possess; and all were anxious to
learn how wise, or how ignorant, their neighbors might prove to be.
"I will send my faithful old minister to the weavers," said the Emperor at
last, after some deliberation, "he will be best able to see how the cloth
looks; for he is a man of sense, and no one can be more suitable for his
office than he is."
So the faithful old minister went into the hall, where the knaves were working
with all their might, at their empty looms. "What can be the meaning of this?"
thought the old man, opening his eyes very wide. "I cannot discover the least
bit of thread on the looms." However, he did not express his thoughts aloud.
The impostors requested him very courteously to be so good as to come nearer
their looms; and then asked him whether the design pleased him, and whether
the colors were not very beautiful; at the same time pointing to the empty
frames. The poor old minister looked and looked, he could not discover
anything on the looms, for a very good reason, viz: there was nothing there.
"What!" thought he again. "Is it possible that I am a simpleton? I have never
thought so myself; and no one must know it now if I am so. Can it be, that I
am unfit for my office? No, that must not be said either. I will never confess
that I could not see the stuff."
"Well, Sir Minister!" said one of the knaves, still pretending to work. "You
do not say whether the stuff pleases you."
"Oh, it is excellent!" replied the old minister, looking at the loom through
his spectacles. "This pattern, and the colors, yes, I will tell the Emperor
without delay, how very beautiful I think them."
"We shall be much obliged to you," said the impostors, and then they named the
different colors and described the pattern of the pretended stuff. The old
minister listened attentively to their words, in order that he might repeat
them to the Emperor; and then the knaves asked for more silk and gold, saying
that it was necessary to complete what they had begun. However, they put all
that was given them into their knapsacks; and continued to work with as much
apparent diligence as before at their empty looms.
The Emperor now sent another officer of his court to see how the men were
getting on, and to ascertain whether the cloth would soon be ready. It was
just the same with this gentleman as with the minister; he surveyed the looms
on all sides, but could see nothing at all but the empty frames.
"Does not the stuff appear as beautiful to you, as it did to my lord the
minister?" asked the impostors of the Emperor's second ambassador; at the same
time making the same gestures as before, and talking of the design and colors
which were not there.
"I certainly am not stupid!" thought the messenger. "It must be, that I am not
fit for my good, profitable office! That is very odd; however, no one shall
know anything about it." And accordingly he praised the stuff he could not
see, and declared that he was delighted with both colors and patterns.
"Indeed, please your Imperial Majesty," said he to his sovereign when he
returned, "the cloth which the weavers are preparing is extraordinarily
magnificent."
The whole city was talking of the splendid cloth which the Emperor had ordered
to be woven at his own expense.
And now the Emperor himself wished to see the costly manufacture, while it was
still in the loom. Accompanied by a select number of officers of the court,
among whom were the two honest men who had already admired the cloth, he went
to the crafty impostors, who, as soon as they were aware of the Emperor's
approach, went on working more diligently than ever; although they still did
not pass a single thread through the looms.
"Is not the work absolutely magnificent?" said the two officers of the crown,
already mentioned. "If your Majesty will only be pleased to look at it! What a
splendid design! What glorious colors!" and at the same time they pointed to
the empty frames; for they imagined that everyone else could see this
exquisite piece of workmanship.
"How is this?" said the Emperor to himself. "I can see nothing! This is indeed
a terrible affair! Am I a simpleton, or am I unfit to be an Emperor? That
would be the worst thing that could happen--Oh! the cloth is charming," said
he, aloud. "It has my complete approbation." And he smiled most graciously,
and looked closely at the empty looms; for on no account would he say that he
could not see what two of the officers of his court had praised so much. All
his retinue now strained their eyes, hoping to discover something on the
looms, but they could see no more than the others; nevertheless, they all
exclaimed, "Oh, how beautiful!" and advised his majesty to have some new
clothes made from this splendid material, for the approaching procession.
"Magnificent! Charming! Excellent!" resounded on all sides; and everyone was
uncommonly gay. The Emperor shared in the general satisfaction; and presented
the impostors with the riband of an order of knighthood, to be worn in their
button-holes, and the title of "Gentlemen Weavers."
The rogues sat up the whole of the night before the day on which the
procession was to take place, and had sixteen lights burning, so that everyone
might see how anxious they were to finish the Emperor's new suit. They
pretended to roll the cloth off the looms; cut the air with their scissors;
and sewed with needles without any thread in them. "See!" cried they, at last.
"The Emperor's new clothes are ready!"
And now the Emperor, with all the grandees of his court, came to the weavers;
and the rogues raised their arms, as if in the act of holding something up,
saying, "Here are your Majesty's trousers! Here is the scarf! Here is the
mantle! The whole suit is as light as a cobweb; one might fancy one has
nothing at all on, when dressed in it; that, however, is the great virtue of
this delicate cloth."
"Yes indeed!" said all the courtiers, although not one of them could see
anything of this exquisite manufacture.
"If your Imperial Majesty will be graciously pleased to take off your clothes,
we will fit on the new suit, in front of the looking glass."
The Emperor was accordingly undressed, and the rogues pretended to array him
in his new suit; the Emperor turning round, from side to side, before the
looking glass.
"How splendid his Majesty looks in his new clothes, and how well they fit!"
everyone cried out. "What a design! What colors! These are indeed royal
robes!"
"The canopy which is to be borne over your Majesty, in the procession, is
waiting," announced the chief master of the ceremonies.
"I am quite ready," answered the Emperor. "Do my new clothes fit well?" asked
he, turning himself round again before the looking glass, in order that he
might appear to be examining his handsome suit.
The lords of the bedchamber, who were to carry his Majesty's train felt about
on the ground, as if they were lifting up the ends of the mantle; and
pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no means betray anything
like simplicity, or unfitness for their office.
So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the midst of the
procession, through the streets of his capital; and all the people standing
by, and those at the windows, cried out, "Oh! How beautiful are our Emperor's
new clothes! What a magnificent train there is to the mantle; and how
gracefully the scarf hangs!" in short, no one would allow that he could not
see these much-admired clothes; because, in doing so, he would have declared
himself either a simpleton or unfit for his office. Certainly, none of the
Emperor's various suits, had ever made so great an impression, as these
invisible ones.
"But the Emperor has nothing at all on!" said a little child.
"Listen to the voice of innocence!" exclaimed his father; and what the child
had said was whispered from one to another.
"But he has nothing at all on!" at last cried out all the people. The Emperor
was vexed, for he knew that the people were right; but he thought the
procession must go on now! And the lords of the bedchamber took greater pains
than ever, to appear holding up a train, although, in reality, there was no
train to hold.
作品鉴赏
作品主题
人性弱点
故事中有奢侈而昏庸的皇帝，虚伪而愚蠢的大臣，巧舌如簧的骗子和人云亦云的看客。对于他们的诸种表演，作者有浓墨重彩、绘声绘色的描述，却不见声嘶力竭、痛心疾首的诅咒；他的讽刺，并不是揭露性、批判性、带有明显痛感的讽刺，而是诙谐、幽默意义上轻松的讽刺。他嘲笑皇帝的愚蠢、大臣的馅媚、看客的人云亦云，但是，这种嘲笑不含敌意和轻蔑，却饱含善意和温情。对于所有出场的人和发生的事，他似乎是在欣赏，而不是在愤恨。其中的坏人、小人，甚至包括骗子，自始至终，谁也不曾受到任何惩罚。其讽刺意味幽默却并不辛辣，富有温情而绝非“无情”，更找不到充满道德优越感的训诫。 《皇帝的新装》表达了对于“成年人的印象”，是对“虚荣”背后的“自我深度的迷失”这一人类固有和共有的人性弱点的再现，是安徒生为我们提供的一面生活的镜子。
诚然，这样的人性弱点具有普遍性，超越地位，超越阶级。安徒生真是深谙人性的弱点，他让皇帝、大臣、百姓共同促成这个骗局的安全着陆。他“以戏剧性的轻松活泼，以对话体的形式，说出一个爱慕虚荣的故事”，并不是单纯在于“讽刺了封建统治者的丑恶本质”，而是在坦陈人性的弱点、温情地给成年人上了一课。
权利意识
在安徒生的故事中，皇帝之所以要购买这件神奇的新衣，最主要的目的在于用更简便的方式来更加有效地治理国家，这与意识形态的功能极其类似。意识形态以一种扭曲的形式被创制出来，旨在维护统治阶级的利益。同样，当皇帝听到达件神奇的外衣时，第一个涌上心头的想法是利用它更好地治理国家。“穿上它，我就可以明确判断文武百官是否称职；更可轻易辨别智慧圣贤和愚人腐才。”虽然皇帝热恋新衣，但是他渴求这件衣服的最根本驱动力是用更简单的方式治理人民：轻而易举地享有最高权威却不必过度地为国操劳。意识形态的运转方式与之有着惊人的相似：“公民认为自己遵照上帝旨意而行事，实际上，他们遵从的是牧师和暴君。”换言之，就像安徒生童话里的骗子们一样，通过制造出一些“美丽的谎言”，国王可以牢牢控制他的臣民。正因如此皇帝才理所当然地决定：“我应该预订，让他们开始纺织布料”。
其次，统治阶级把选定的意义当作真理，进行公开发布和流通运行，其中存在着一系列极其复杂的步骤和过程。为了检查那块神奇布料的生产进度和验证骗子言语（谎言）的可信度，皇帝派出了忠心耿耿的阁老大臣，因为“他才能出众，最有可能看见那块布料；身居高位，游刃有余，合格称职，无人能及”。为了掩盖自己的“力不从心”位高权重的大臣不得不承认布料美丽非凡、无与伦比。这意味着谎言布料首次得到了以钦差大臣为代表的官方的认可。意识形态由一套复杂观念和成，旨在控制人们的思想，更有繁复细节使之看来其实可信，这与新衣布料如出一辙：“他们（骗子）详细列举出五颜六色的布料色彩，仔细描述着别具一格的特别样式。年迈的大臣聚精会神地听着，以便回到皇帝那儿可以照样背出”。
第二位高官的再次造访进一步证实了谎言的确实可信。在两次调查研究的基础上，皇帝“选定—群官员”，“陪同自己前去访问两个狡猾的骗子”，，皇帝评论道：“很漂亮。我极其满意”。至高权威表达了无上赞赏，随同大臣自然是赞美有加。同样，欺骗的思想新衣如同意识形态，被制造出炉而且得到了官方认可。“全体随从们仔细地看了又看，可是他们并没有比别人看到更多的东西。然而，他们与皇帝一起惊呼着：“哎呀，真是美极了。”统治阶级内部就这个虚假的谎言达成了共识，随后，这种官方认可的真理将在百姓之间进行流通循环，并且以此来塑造公民。“他们建议皇帝用这种美妙绝伦的布料做一套衣服，然后穿着它去参加即将到来的游行大典。”故事中的游行是核心策划、用以展示官方意志的仪式。“典礼官说：‘陛下，华盖已经准备完毕，您可以在游行大典中使用了。’然后皇上在庄严漂亮的华盖下，昂首阔步地行走在游行队伍中间。街道两旁的公众及屋里的人们都高声欢呼着。”具体可见的华盖也为新衣所代表的无形的理念（蠢材无法看见）增加了可信度和权威性，因为“二者（新衣和华盖）都是伪造之物，只有‘懂行之人’才明白它们的价值”。[5]
最后，国王意识到了新装不存在，而且从公众那里得到了证实，“因为他知道事实就是如此”。那么皇上会宣布撤回对新装的溢美之词吗？会公开承认自己对这件事的错误判断吗？从更广的范围来讲，阁老大臣和其他内阁高官会为他们所犯的荒唐错误而集体向民众公开道歉吗？换言之，统治阶级会承认他们奉为真理并使之流传的意识形态外衣所具有的欺骗性吗？一个不得不强调的因素就是，。：真理并不是取决于陈述的内容，而取决于何人所说，在何种情景下所说。因此，在盛大庄严的游行中面对街道两旁热情高呼的民众，作为“社会意义的捍卫者和保证人，皇帝所说的话无论内容是什么都是真理。正因如此，皇帝想：“游行必须要继续下去。”。因此他摆出一副更为骄傲的神气，而内饰们手中托着那条并不存在的后裙。”
艺术特色
文章一开始，就写了皇帝酷爱穿着打扮，竞然到了每一天、每一点钟都要换一套衣服的地步；几乎每时每刻都消磨在更衣室里，为了穿得漂亮不惜花掉所有的钱；他甚至从不关心他的军队，只关心自己的新衣服。作者运用夸张的手法介绍了主人公皇帝爱慕虚荣，试新衣成癖，突出强调他把全部时间和精力浪费在穿衣上而不顾国计民生，这对故事的展开埋下了很好的伏笔。正因为骗子掌握了皇帝懒惰异常，虚荣心十足的致命弱点，他们才能利用皇帝爱穿新衣的癖好，设下骗局，编出关于布料有“奇怪的特性”的鬼话，诱皇帝上钩。他们的骗术虽不高明，但抓住皇帝的弱点精心布置，巧妙设计，不仅一开始就让读者对这个不称职的皇帝的骄奢淫逸和爱慕虚荣有所认识，而且使得故事情节的发展天衣无缝，无懈可击，顺理成章，成功的推出了整个骗局。
极度的夸张是借助于作者丰富的想象力完成的。两个骗子所设下的骗局，想象就非常奇特。骗子就怕戳穿他们的骗局，而这两个骗子对皇帝的心思和臣民的心理都琢磨透了，他俩的骗局非常露骨，而且非常毒辣。他们不是搞伪劣产品，而是根本就没有织布，根本就没有衣服。他们有一种“钳口术”，谁要说一句真话，说看不见衣服，就借用专制的皇权，说你“不称职或者愚蠢得不可救药”。于是，大臣随员为了保护自己只得说假话，皇帝为了自己的“尊严”也要说假话，高贵的骑士们、街上和窗口里的老百姓、成百上千的人都在异口同声、自欺欺人地称赞皇帝的“新装”，这是一个强烈的讽刺。
《皇帝的新装》自“五四”时期开始被译介到中国，后经叶君健先生直接从丹麦文译成中文，其译本得到广泛的接受，这部作品被认为是表现孩子们天真可爱的天性和反映安徒生对孩子的热爱的杰作。
幽默诙谐与他自己的非凡想象力结合起来的丹麦作家，他创作的童话故事不仅对儿童而且对成年人同样具有重要意义。他出生在Odense城的贫民窟。他的父亲是一名鞋匠，但受过良好的教育。
1837年印刷的第三卷童话故事包括了《美人鱼》（The Little Mermaid）和《皇帝的新装》（The Emperor's New Clothes）。安徒生其它著名的童话故事有《丑小鸭》、《打火匣》（The Tinderbox）、《小克劳斯和大克劳斯》（Little Clausand Big Claus）、《豌豆公主》、《白雪公主》（The Snow Queen）、《夜莺》（The Nightingale）、《坚定的锡兵》（The Steadfast TinSoldier）。
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