Der Sandmann
Encyclopedia
The Sandman is a short story
written in German
by E.T.A. Hoffmann
. It was the first in an 1817 book of stories titled Die Nachtstücke (The Night Pieces).
1. A letter from Nathanael to Lothar, brother of his fiancée Clara. Nathanael recalls his childhood terror of the legendary Sandman, who it was said would steal the eyes of children who wouldn't go to bed and feed them to his own children who lived in the moon. Nathanael came to associate the Sandman with a mysterious nightly visitor to his father, and after discovering that the visitor was the obnoxious lawyer Coppelius coming to carry out alchemical experiments he comes to see Coppelius as the Sandman. One of these experiments caused his father's death in the presence of Coppelius, who then vanished without a trace. Nathanael believes that a barometer-seller who arrived recently at his rooms under the name Giuseppe Coppola is none other than the hated Coppelius, and he is determined to seek vengeance.
2. A letter from Clara to Nathanael, explaining that Nathanael had addressed the previous letter to her instead of to Lothar. She was touched at the account of Nathanael's childhood trauma, and discussed it with Lothar, but she is convinced that the terrors are of Nathanael's own imagining and urges him to put Coppelius/Coppola from his mind.
3. A letter from Nathanael to Lothar, in which Nathanael declares that Coppola is not, after all, Coppelius: Coppola is clearly Italian, while Coppelius was German, and Coppola is also vouched for by the new physics professor, Spalanzani, who is also Italian and has known Coppola for years. Nathanael adds that Spalanzani has a daughter, Olimpia, whose briefly glimpsed appearance has made a considerable impression on him.
Shortly after this third letter, Nathanael returns to his home town from his studies to see Clara and Lothar, and in the joy of their reunion Coppelius/Coppola is at first forgotten. Nevertheless, the encounter with Coppola has had a profound effect on Nathanael, driving him toward a gloomy mysticism which bores Clara and leads to a gradual estrangement. Indeed Nathanael's frustration leads him to call her an "inanimate, accursed automaton", which so enrages Lothar that he in turn insults Nathanael, and a duel is only narrowly averted by Clara's intervention. Nathanael pleads for Clara's forgiveness, and declares his true love for her, and a reconciliation is brought about.
Nathanael returns to complete the final year of his studies, after which he intends to return to his home town forever. He finds his student lodgings destroyed by fire, though his possessions were rescued by his friends and moved to a new house which is opposite that of Spalanzani. His window now looks directly into that of Olimpia, and he is again struck by her beauty. Coppola calls to sell his wares, and offers "pretty eyes, pretty eyes!" which reawakens Nathanael's childish fear of the Sandman. However, it turns out that Coppola has lenses and spectacles to sell, and also small telescopes, and Nathanael buys one of these from him to set matters right after his earlier outburst. As Coppola leaves, Nathanael becomes fixated on watching Olimpia through his telescope, although her fixed gaze and motionless stance disconcert him.
Spalanzani gives a grand party at which it is reported that his daughter will be presented in public for the first time. Nathanael is invited, and becomes enraptured by Olimpia who plays the harpsichord, sings and dances. Her stiffness of movement and coldness of touch appear strange to many of the company. Nathanael dances with her repeatedly, awed by her perfect rhythm, and eventually tells her of his passion for her, to which Olimpia replies only "Ah, ah!". In the days that follow he visits Olimpia repeatedly, reading her the poems and mysticism that had so bored Clara, and Olimpia listens to it all and replies only "Ah, ah!", which Nathanael interprets as understanding. Most other people consider her dull and stupid, although pretty, and with strangely mechanical actions.
Eventually Nathanael determines to propose to Olimpia, but when he arrives at her rooms he finds an argument in progress between Spalanzani and Coppola, who are fighting over the body of Olimpia and arguing over who made the eyes and who made the clockwork. Coppola, who is now revealed as Coppelius in truth, wins the struggle, and makes off with the lifeless and eyeless body, while the injured Spalanzani urges Nathanael to chase after him and recover the automaton to which he has devoted so many years of his life. The sight of Olimpia's eyes lying on the ground drives Nathanael to madness, however, and he flies at the professor to strangle him. He is pulled away by other people drawn by the noise of the struggle, and in a state of insanity is taken to an asylum.
Spalanzani recovers from the encounter, but is forced to leave the university because of the sensational revelation of the trick he had played in trying to pass off an automaton as a living person. Coppelius once more vanishes without trace. The narrator adds that the story of the automaton had a widespread effect on society, with many lovers taking steps to ensure they were not enamoured of puppets but of real flesh and blood.
Nathanael appears to recover from his madness and is reunited with Clara and Lothar. He resolves to marry Clara and move to a pleasant estate near his home town. On the way to visit the place, they pass through the town and climb the high steeple to look out at the view. The madness strikes Nathanael again, and he tries to hurl Clara from the steeple. She is saved by Lothar, but in the crowd that gathers below Coppelius appears, and on seeing him Nathanael cries "pretty eyes, pretty eyes!" and leaps over the railing to his death. Coppelius disappears into the crowd.
Many years afterward, the narrator concludes, it is said that Clara was seen with a kind-looking man sitting before a country house with two lively boys, and thus found the domestic happiness which Nathanael would never have given her.
, who is traditionally said to throw sand in the eyes of children to help them fall asleep. The following excerpt is from an English translation of the story:
, Nathanael, is represented, who is torn between hallucination
s and reality. Nathanael struggles his whole life against posttraumatic stress which comes from a traumatic episode with the sandman in his childhood experience. Until the end of the book it remains open whether this experience was real, or just a dream of the young Nathanael. The text clearly leaves the decision open in as much as it offers two understandings: that of Nathanael's belief that there is a dark power controlling him, and Clara's postulation (together with Lothar) against this that this is only a psychological element.
The story is partly a subjective
description of the proceedings from Nathanael's viewpoint which, due to enormous psychological problems, is hardly likely to be an objective view of reality, or possibly also partially objectively portrayed, in which case the decision is not so easy to reach. Hoffman consciously leaves the reader unsure of this. In this, the interpretation from an enlightenment perspective makes sense against the Romantic view, whereby Clara represents the enlightenment and Nathanael the Romantics.
Of central importance is the "eyes" theme (interpreted by Freud as fear of castration
), the "steps", the robot and laughing.
Hoffman, well known for not conforming to society, manages to give a satirical critique of society here, which offers a lesson to both Enlightened scientists and Romantic "hoverers and floaters".
The Coppelius/Coppola character can be considered not as a real physical character, but as a metaphor, like Nathanael does when he returns home. He represents the dark side within Nathanael. Note that the fight between Spalanzani and one or both of them for the “wooden doll”. where we hear Coppelius’ voice but see Coppola. There is also the motif
of fists, where Coppelius is always described as having fists, but never hands.
Der Sandmann is extensively interpreted by Freud in a famous 1919 essay, The Uncanny
("Das Unheimliche").
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
written in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
by E.T.A. Hoffmann
E.T.A. Hoffmann
Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann , better known by his pen name E.T.A. Hoffmann , was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist...
. It was the first in an 1817 book of stories titled Die Nachtstücke (The Night Pieces).
Plot summary
The story is told by a narrator who claims to have known Nathanael. It begins by quoting three letters:1. A letter from Nathanael to Lothar, brother of his fiancée Clara. Nathanael recalls his childhood terror of the legendary Sandman, who it was said would steal the eyes of children who wouldn't go to bed and feed them to his own children who lived in the moon. Nathanael came to associate the Sandman with a mysterious nightly visitor to his father, and after discovering that the visitor was the obnoxious lawyer Coppelius coming to carry out alchemical experiments he comes to see Coppelius as the Sandman. One of these experiments caused his father's death in the presence of Coppelius, who then vanished without a trace. Nathanael believes that a barometer-seller who arrived recently at his rooms under the name Giuseppe Coppola is none other than the hated Coppelius, and he is determined to seek vengeance.
2. A letter from Clara to Nathanael, explaining that Nathanael had addressed the previous letter to her instead of to Lothar. She was touched at the account of Nathanael's childhood trauma, and discussed it with Lothar, but she is convinced that the terrors are of Nathanael's own imagining and urges him to put Coppelius/Coppola from his mind.
3. A letter from Nathanael to Lothar, in which Nathanael declares that Coppola is not, after all, Coppelius: Coppola is clearly Italian, while Coppelius was German, and Coppola is also vouched for by the new physics professor, Spalanzani, who is also Italian and has known Coppola for years. Nathanael adds that Spalanzani has a daughter, Olimpia, whose briefly glimpsed appearance has made a considerable impression on him.
Shortly after this third letter, Nathanael returns to his home town from his studies to see Clara and Lothar, and in the joy of their reunion Coppelius/Coppola is at first forgotten. Nevertheless, the encounter with Coppola has had a profound effect on Nathanael, driving him toward a gloomy mysticism which bores Clara and leads to a gradual estrangement. Indeed Nathanael's frustration leads him to call her an "inanimate, accursed automaton", which so enrages Lothar that he in turn insults Nathanael, and a duel is only narrowly averted by Clara's intervention. Nathanael pleads for Clara's forgiveness, and declares his true love for her, and a reconciliation is brought about.
Nathanael returns to complete the final year of his studies, after which he intends to return to his home town forever. He finds his student lodgings destroyed by fire, though his possessions were rescued by his friends and moved to a new house which is opposite that of Spalanzani. His window now looks directly into that of Olimpia, and he is again struck by her beauty. Coppola calls to sell his wares, and offers "pretty eyes, pretty eyes!" which reawakens Nathanael's childish fear of the Sandman. However, it turns out that Coppola has lenses and spectacles to sell, and also small telescopes, and Nathanael buys one of these from him to set matters right after his earlier outburst. As Coppola leaves, Nathanael becomes fixated on watching Olimpia through his telescope, although her fixed gaze and motionless stance disconcert him.
Spalanzani gives a grand party at which it is reported that his daughter will be presented in public for the first time. Nathanael is invited, and becomes enraptured by Olimpia who plays the harpsichord, sings and dances. Her stiffness of movement and coldness of touch appear strange to many of the company. Nathanael dances with her repeatedly, awed by her perfect rhythm, and eventually tells her of his passion for her, to which Olimpia replies only "Ah, ah!". In the days that follow he visits Olimpia repeatedly, reading her the poems and mysticism that had so bored Clara, and Olimpia listens to it all and replies only "Ah, ah!", which Nathanael interprets as understanding. Most other people consider her dull and stupid, although pretty, and with strangely mechanical actions.
Eventually Nathanael determines to propose to Olimpia, but when he arrives at her rooms he finds an argument in progress between Spalanzani and Coppola, who are fighting over the body of Olimpia and arguing over who made the eyes and who made the clockwork. Coppola, who is now revealed as Coppelius in truth, wins the struggle, and makes off with the lifeless and eyeless body, while the injured Spalanzani urges Nathanael to chase after him and recover the automaton to which he has devoted so many years of his life. The sight of Olimpia's eyes lying on the ground drives Nathanael to madness, however, and he flies at the professor to strangle him. He is pulled away by other people drawn by the noise of the struggle, and in a state of insanity is taken to an asylum.
Spalanzani recovers from the encounter, but is forced to leave the university because of the sensational revelation of the trick he had played in trying to pass off an automaton as a living person. Coppelius once more vanishes without trace. The narrator adds that the story of the automaton had a widespread effect on society, with many lovers taking steps to ensure they were not enamoured of puppets but of real flesh and blood.
Nathanael appears to recover from his madness and is reunited with Clara and Lothar. He resolves to marry Clara and move to a pleasant estate near his home town. On the way to visit the place, they pass through the town and climb the high steeple to look out at the view. The madness strikes Nathanael again, and he tries to hurl Clara from the steeple. She is saved by Lothar, but in the crowd that gathers below Coppelius appears, and on seeing him Nathanael cries "pretty eyes, pretty eyes!" and leaps over the railing to his death. Coppelius disappears into the crowd.
Many years afterward, the narrator concludes, it is said that Clara was seen with a kind-looking man sitting before a country house with two lively boys, and thus found the domestic happiness which Nathanael would never have given her.
Characters in "Der Sandmann"
- Nathanael (the gift of GodNathanielNathaniel is a male name and surname. It comes from the Hebrew name נְתַנְאֵל/Nethan'el meaning "God has given"...
): narcissistic protagonist with a manic sense of mission. - Clara (the lightBlack-and-white dualismThe colors White and Black are widely used to depict opposites. Visually, white and black offer the highest possible contrast. In western culture, white and black traditionally symbolize the dichotomy of good and evil, metaphorically related to light and darkness and day and night.The dichotomy of...
one): Nathanael's fiancée with a peaceful, judicious, yet determined temperament. - Lothar: Clara's brother and Nathanael's friend
- Nathanael's father: alchemical experimentalist whose dealings with Coppelius during Nathanael's childhood lead to his death.
- Coppelius: Fear-instilling, large and malformed man who spoiled the happiness of Nathanael and his siblings in their childhood and may be implicated in the death of Nathanael's father.
- Coppola (ital.: eye cavities): Italian trader in barometers and lenses, in whom Nathanael recognizes Coppelius.
- Spalanzani: physics professor with whom Nathanael is studying, and collaborator with Coppelius on building the lifelike automaton Olimpia.
- Olimpia ("she who comes from Olympus" in the Classical context): "Daughter" of Nathanael's professor, Spalanzani, who is later revealed to be an automaton, or robot; this revelation is one of the elements that incites Nathanael's madness.
- Siegmund (protectionSigmund (given name)Sigmund and Siegmund are variants of Sigismund, a German given name meaning "protection through victory", from Old High German sigu "victory" + munt "hand, protection".-People with this name:* Sigmund Freud, the Austrian psychologist...
): Attempts to save his friend Nathanael from unhappiness and insanity.
Folklore references
The story contains an example of a horrific depiction of the folklore character, the SandmanSandman (folklore)
The Sandman is a mythical character in Western folklore who brings good dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto the eyes of children while they sleep at night.-Representation in traditional folklore:...
, who is traditionally said to throw sand in the eyes of children to help them fall asleep. The following excerpt is from an English translation of the story:
Most curious to know more of this Sandman and his particular connection with children, I at last asked the old woman who looked after my youngest sister what sort of man he was.
'Eh, Natty,' said she, 'don't you know that yet? He is a wicked man, who comes to children when they won't go to bed, and throws a handful of sand into their eyes, so that they start out bleeding from their heads. He puts their eyes in a bag and carries them to the crescent moon to feed his own children, who sit in the nest up there. They have crooked beaks like owls so that they can pick up the eyes of naughty human children.'
Interpretations
In the three opening letters that clarify the situation in this book, the characters and the conflict are first defined. Furthermore the psychic conflict of the protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, Nathanael, is represented, who is torn between hallucination
Hallucination
A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
s and reality. Nathanael struggles his whole life against posttraumatic stress which comes from a traumatic episode with the sandman in his childhood experience. Until the end of the book it remains open whether this experience was real, or just a dream of the young Nathanael. The text clearly leaves the decision open in as much as it offers two understandings: that of Nathanael's belief that there is a dark power controlling him, and Clara's postulation (together with Lothar) against this that this is only a psychological element.
The story is partly a subjective
Subjectivity
Subjectivity refers to the subject and his or her perspective, feelings, beliefs, and desires. In philosophy, the term is usually contrasted with objectivity.-Qualia:...
description of the proceedings from Nathanael's viewpoint which, due to enormous psychological problems, is hardly likely to be an objective view of reality, or possibly also partially objectively portrayed, in which case the decision is not so easy to reach. Hoffman consciously leaves the reader unsure of this. In this, the interpretation from an enlightenment perspective makes sense against the Romantic view, whereby Clara represents the enlightenment and Nathanael the Romantics.
Of central importance is the "eyes" theme (interpreted by Freud as fear of castration
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
), the "steps", the robot and laughing.
Hoffman, well known for not conforming to society, manages to give a satirical critique of society here, which offers a lesson to both Enlightened scientists and Romantic "hoverers and floaters".
The Coppelius/Coppola character can be considered not as a real physical character, but as a metaphor, like Nathanael does when he returns home. He represents the dark side within Nathanael. Note that the fight between Spalanzani and one or both of them for the “wooden doll”. where we hear Coppelius’ voice but see Coppola. There is also the motif
Motif (narrative)
In narrative, a motif is any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story. Through its repetition, a motif can help produce other narrative aspects such as theme or mood....
of fists, where Coppelius is always described as having fists, but never hands.
Der Sandmann is extensively interpreted by Freud in a famous 1919 essay, The Uncanny
The Uncanny
The Uncanny is a Freudian concept of an instance where something can be familiar, yet foreign at the same time, resulting in a feeling of it being uncomfortably strange or uncomfortably familiar...
("Das Unheimliche").
Opera and ballet adaptations
- 1852: La poupée de NurembergLa poupée de NurembergLa poupée de Nuremberg is a one-act opéra comique by Adolphe Adam to a libretto by Adolphe de Leuven and Victor Arthur Rousseau de Beauplan. The story is based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s short story Der Sandmann...
, an opéra comiqueOpéra comiqueOpéra comique is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged out of the popular opéra comiques en vaudevilles of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent , which combined existing popular tunes with spoken sections...
, by Adolphe Adam - 1870: Elements of the story were later adapted (very loosely) as the ballet CoppéliaCoppéliaCoppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
. - 1881: It was also adapted as Act I of Offenbach's opera Les contes d'HoffmannLes contes d'HoffmannLes contes d'Hoffmann is an opéra by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on short stories by E. T. A...
. - 1896: La poupéeLa poupéeLa poupée is an opéra comique in a prelude and three acts composed by Edmond Audran with a libretto by Maurice Ordonneau. It opened at the Théâtre de la Gaîté, Montparnasse, Paris on 31 October 1896. Along with Miss Helyett La poupée was one of Audran's late successes. The libretto was based on...
, an opéra comique, by Edmond AudranEdmond AudranAchille Edmond Audran was a French composer best known for several internationally successful operettas, including Les noces d'Olivette , La mascotte , Gillette de Narbonne , La cigale et la fourmi , Miss Helyett , and La poupée .After Audran's initial success in Paris, his works also became a... - 2002: "Der Sandmann" is the basis of the chamber opera, "The Sandman" produced by Target Margin Theater in NYC; text by David Herskovits and Douglas Langworthy; music by Thomas Cabaniss.
The Sandman in popular culture
- 1991: Der Sandmann is the basis of the stop-motion animation film, The SandmanThe Sandman (1991 film)The Sandman is a 1991 stop-motion animation film, animated and directed by Paul Berry and nominated for an “Oscar” for Best Animated Short Film in 1992. The storyline is inspired by the E.T.A...
, created by Paul BerryPaul Berry (animator)Paul Thomas Berry was a stop-motion animator and director of the 1991 "Oscar" nominated short horror stop-motion animation film The Sandman. In 1992 the film was awarded the Craft Prize for Best Animation at Ottawa International Animation Festival...
, and nominated for an Oscar. - 2007: The ResidentsThe ResidentsThe Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
' album, The Voice of MidnightThe Voice of MidnightThe Voice of Midnight is a concept album by The Residents, released in 2007. It was adapted from a short story, "Der Sandmann," by Prussian writer E. T. A. Hoffmann....
is an updated re-telling of Der Sandmann. - The character of Olimpia appears in Kim NewmanKim NewmanKim Newman is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's Dracula at the age of eleven—and alternate fictional versions of history...
's novel Dracula Cha Cha Cha. - Olimpia - spelt as 'Olympia' - is The Queen of ToylandToylandToyland is a German 2007 short film directed, co-written and co-produced by Jochen Alexander Freydank. It won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.-Cast:* Julia Jäger * Cedric Eich...
and married to the First FrankensteinFrankensteinFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
Creature in The League of Extraordinary GentlemenThe League of Extraordinary GentlemenThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill, publication of which began in 1999. The series spans two six-issue limited series and a graphic novel from the America's Best Comics imprint of Wildstorm/DC, and a third miniseries...
by Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Kevin O'NeillKevin O'Neill (comics)Kevin O'Neill is an English comic book illustrator best known as the co-creator of Nemesis the Warlock, Marshal Law , and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen .-Early career:...
. - The Sandman will be one of three Hoffman tales featured in the upcoming Russian animated feature, GofmaniadaGofmaniadaHoffmaniada is a stop motion-animated feature film from Russian studio Soyuzmultfilm. The concept and all of the art design was done by Mikhail Shemyakin and it is being directed by Stanislav Sokolov....
. - Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's SandmanSandmanThe Sandman is a figure in folklore who brings good sleep and dreams.Sandman may also refer to:-People:*Mark Sandman, singer and co-founder of the band Morphine*Charles W...
series of graphic novels feature a character created by Morpheus ("the Sandman") called the Corinthian, who steals the eyes of his victims, similarly to Hoffman's Sandman.