Heidi is a story focusing on events in the life of the title character, a young orphan girl, in Switzerland. It was written as a children's book in 1880 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. Two sequels, Heidi Grows Up and Heidi's Children, were not written by Spyri but were written by her English translator, Charles Tritten. All three books are now in the public domain.
The Heidi books are loved by children all over the world, and are the best known works of Swiss literature. [1] The books portray a time in Swiss history which was considered to be innocent and pure.
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Contents
- 1 Plot summary
- 2 Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
- 3 Heidiland
- 4 The "Heidi Game"
- 5 "Heidi" Musical
- 6 See also
- 7 External links
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Plot summary
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Heidi is an orphaned girl initially raised by her aunt Dete. Dete brings 5 year-old Heidi to her grandfather, the Alm-Uncle (originally: Alm-Öhi; "Öhi" is derived from "Oheim", an old word for "Uncle"), in order to take a job in Frankfurt. Heidi has a delightful stay with her grandfather high on the mountain in his hut, and with young Peter the goat-herd.
Dete returns 3 years later to bring Heidi to Frankfurt as a companion to a 12-year-old invalid girl named Clara. Heidi spends a year with Clara, becoming more and more homesick. Her one diversion is learning to read and write, motivated by her desire to go home and read to Peter's blind grandmother. Heidi's increasingly failing health prompts Clara's doctor to send her home to her grandfather. Heidi and Clara write to each other. A healthful visit to Heidi and her grandfather by the doctor convinces him to recommend that Clara journey to visit Heidi. Meanwhile, Heidi teaches Peter to read and write.
Clara makes the journey the next season and spends a wonderful summer with Heidi. Clara becomes stronger on goat's milk and fresh mountain air. Peter is jealous of Clara and pushes her wheelchair down the mountain to its destruction. Without her wheelchair, Clara attempts to walk and is gradually successful.
Clara's Grandmother and Father are amazed and overcome with joy to see Clara walking. Clara's wealthy family promise to ensure that Heidi is never has to see her aunt Dete again.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
About 20 film or television productions of the original story have been made, including the very popular anime series Heidi, Girl of the Alps, made by the animation studio Zuiyo Eizo (which later became Nippon Animation) in 1974 and directed by Isao Takahata. The Heidi anime was extremely popular all over the world, but the only incarnation of the series to reach the English language was a dub of the 1979 feature-length movie adaptation of the TV series, released on video in the United States in 1985.
By far the most famous adaptation of the story in the United States is the one starring Shirley Temple as Heidi, made in 1937 by 20th Century Fox.
A 1999 BBC Radio 4 radio play of Heidi, with Hollyoaks actress Ciara Janson in the title role, is availible as a tape book.
Heidiland
Maienfeld, the main town in Heidiland
Heidiland, named after the Heidi books, is one of the main tourist areas in Switzerland, particular for the Japanese. Maienfeld is situated near the Liechtenstein border in Kanton Graubünden, it is home to around 40,000 people, and still has the spectacular alpine views of Heidi's day. [2]
The "Heidi Game"
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Main article: Heidi Game
On November 17, 1968, NBC cut off a broadcast of a minute and five seconds of a live American Football League game between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders in favor of a pre-scheduled airing of a new made-for-TV version of Heidi, omitting a stunning comeback by the Raiders and drawing the ire of millions of fans.
"Heidi" Musical
"Heidi" has been adapted as a musical drama by Shaun McKenna (Book/Lyrics), Stephen Keeling (Music), Stefan Mens (Idea and Orchestration) and John Havu (Creative Development). Anja Hauptmann created the German translation. The show was first produced as a large open-air production in Walensatdt, Switzerland in 2005, and is published by Felix-Bloch-Erben and Gallissas Theater und Mediaagentur, Berlin. The musical returned to Walenstadt in 2006 and a new theater production is scheduled in Dessau, Germany for 2006.
The plot is an intertwining of Johanna Spyri's first Heidi novel with the life of the author. In a commitment to her dying son Bernhard, Johanna promises to set down her childhood rememberances in a novel. Parallels of action occur between the real world of Johanna and the fictitious world of Heidi with moments where the two worlds collide. The work does not rely on the clichés normally associated with Heidi adaptations and is entertaining for adults as well as children. The result is a powerful and emotional interpretation of the original material with insights into the life and times of the author.
See also
- 2521 Heidi (an asteroid named for Heidi)
External links
- Heidi, available freely at Project Gutenberg
- Heidi, online at Ye Olde Library
- Oakland Raiders' website history of "the Heidi Game"
- IMDb: Heidi (1937)
- IMDb: Heidi (1968)
Categories: 1880 books | Children's books
