The Emperor's New Clothes

“The Emperor’s New Clothes” is a tale about the social pressures that influence decision-making and the power of trusting one’s own perception. The nameless kingdom in which the story takes place revels in spectacular displays of finery, taking after its ruler. Though the emperor is characterized as a vain ruler with a passion for acquiring fine clothes, life in his kingdom appears happy, and the citizens seem to share his enthusiasm for his wardrobe. This image obsession leaves the emperor, and his kingdom, susceptible to the swindlers’ act of deception.

The fabric promised by the two swindlers is the perfect device to undermine the kingdom’s social structure. It is purported to look “uncommonly fine” in an appeal to the emperor’s fascination with spectacular garments. Just as importantly, the fabric is said to possess the magical property of being visible only to those who are worthy, which causes the emperor, his noblemen, and the citizens of the kingdom to lose trust in their own perception. When each individual is inevitably unable to see the fabric, they pretend to see it anyway. This point is pivotal to two of the story’s key themes: Conformity Versus Nonconformity and the Trappings of Power. The entire kingdom’s acquiescence to the illusion of the fabric’s splendid appearance is born out of the fear of humiliation and shame. This metaphor has innumerable real-world applications relating to commonly held ideas and pretensions. In the story, it highlights the dangers of a conformist society because it is inherently dangerous to challenge an emperor or king. Each individual accepts the lie about the fabric, uncritically rather than trusting their own perceptions or challenging the status quo, not only to preserve their pride but also to avoid any potential consequences in embarrassing the emperor. If not for the lone child pointing out the lie at the story’s climax, the emperor and his kingdom may have continued believing in the fabric indefinitely despite the lack of evidence. The child’s interjection emphasizes the way innocence leads to the truth, as children are usually not concerned with politics or social hierarchies.

Andersen establishes his themes and the lessons at the heart of the story by using a repetitive structure during the narrative’s rising action. A similar sequence of events repeats itself three times: a member of the emperor’s court is sent to inspect the weavers’ work, realizes they can’t see the fabric, and pretends it’s beautiful so they don’t become embarrassed. In the third instance, the emperor himself (accompanied by a group of noblemen) visits the weavers, who are pretending to work. In each episode during this sequence, the noblemen react by questioning whether they are “fools” or unfit for their stations. Through this repetition, Andersen highlights the social forces that can lead to the perpetuation of falsehoods. Each individual fears the consequences of being the only one to speak the truth, even though they each know they are lying. For the noblemen and the emperor, it is not only a fear of embarrassment that holds them back but also the risk of being stripped of their social rank for speaking out. By framing the narrative around high-ranking members of society, Andersen is also able to illustrate the corruptive nature of power. The noblemen act in self-preservation by acquiescing to the lie, despite the fact this act will inevitably undermine them, their kingdom, and its people. They would rather ignore something they know to be incorrect than risk losing their high status.

Another event that is repeated during each of these episodes is the increasing payment bestowed upon the swindlers. Each time a nobleman visits their workshop, they are given more gold and fine threads which go directly “into their pockets” (Paragraph 12). This culminates in their eventual induction into the upper echelon of the kingdom’s society, being awarded the title of “Sir.” This repetitive escalation of events illustrates how falsehoods can be strengthened over time with reinforcement. The swindlers become emboldened to ask for more riches each time their lie is believed, and the emperor becomes more committed to the lie with each payment, until eventually “all the town was talking of this splendid cloth” (Paragraph 16). With each successive payment, the lie and its perpetrators are further ingrained in the kingdom’s social fabric, such that it becomes an integral part of the climactic ceremony of the emperor’s grand procession.

The story’s omniscient third-person narration is another essential tool in conveying the message and themes at the heart of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Like repetition, third-person narration is a common convention of the fairy tale genre. However, Andersen again uses this convention as a device to make the story’s morals explicit. The omniscient narrator unambiguously reveals the thoughts and intentions of each character as they are confronted with internal and external conflicts. Most importantly, this narrative perspective assures the reader from the beginning that the weavers are dishonest men and that their looms are empty. In addition, much of the narration focuses on the internal monologues of each character as they grapple with their inability to see the fabric. This structural choice removes any ambiguity and highlights the social pressures that influence the motivations of the emperor and his noblemen.

Breaking from the conventions of the fairy tale genre, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” can also be read as a satirical short story. Structurally, the story features most of the components familiar to a fairy tale, but Andersen uses the motif of social station to deliver a critique of social influences that goes beyond the traditional morality lessons of most fairy tales. Framing the story around characters of nobility may be read as a critique of the ruling class, but Andersen’s satire is much more general than this. Andersen’s social critique may instead be read as a commentary on how pretension, or the fear of humiliation, can stop ambition and prevent individuals from pursuing the truth. The social station of the story’s main characters is primarily a symbol of the existing social order of any given time or place. The emperor begins the tale as a respected, regal figure in the eyes of his kingdom. However, he ends it as a humiliated, pompous fool. This downfall is not tragic but comic, as Andersen highlights the foolish motivations that brought about his humiliation. In doing so, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” celebrates the victory of those who speak out against strict adherence to conformity and mocks those who cling to it despite knowing they are wrong.