Der Sandmann

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Der Sandmann (The Sandman) is a short story written in German by E.T.A. Hoffmann. It was the first in a book of stories titled Die Nachtstücke (The Night Pieces).

The story tells of a student who carries from childhood a fear of the terrible Sandman who steals eyes. He has come to associate the Sandman in his mind with the unpleasant Coppelius who became implicated in the death of his father, and later in life he again encounters Coppelius who haunts his thoughts. Despite being engaged, he becomes enamoured of an automaton built by Coppelius and an accomplice, believing her to be real. The discovery of the trick drives him into madness, and he ultimately jumps to his death.

Elements of the story were later adapted (very loosely) as the ballet Coppélia. Subsequently, it was also adapted as Act I of the opera Les contes d'Hoffmann.

Contents 1 Characters in the text 2 Narrative summary 3 Folklore references 4 Interpretations 5 References

[edit] Characters in the text

• Nathaniel (the gift of God): narcissistic protagonist with a manic sense of mission.
• Clara (the clear one): Nathaniel's fiancée with a peaceful, judicious, yet fiery temperament.
• Lothario: Clara's brother and Nathaniel's friend
• Nathaniel's father: does alchemical experiments with Coppelius during Nathaniel's childhood which lead to his death.
• Coppelius: Fear-instilling, large and malformed man who spoiled the happiness of Nathaniel and his siblings in their childhood and may be implicated in the death of Nathaniel's father.
• Coppola (ital.: eye cavities): Italian trader in barometers and lenses, in whom Nathaniel recognizes Coppelius.
• Spalanzani: physics professor with whom Nathaniel is studying, and collaborator with Coppelius on building a lifelike automaton.
• Olympia ("she who comes from Olympus"; Classical context): "Daughter" of Nathaniel's professor, who later is shown to be an automaton and is a reason for Nathaniel's madness.
• Siegmund (Protection): Attempts to save his friend Nathaniel from unhappiness.

[edit] Narrative summary

The story is told by a narrator who claims to have known Nathaniel. It begins by quoting three letters:

1. A letter from Nathaniel to Lothario, brother of his fiancée Clara. Nathaniel recalls his childhood terror of the legendary Sandman, who it was said would steal the eyes of children who would't go to bed and feed them to his own children who lived in the moon. Nathaniel 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. Nathaniel 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 Nathaniel, explaining that Nathaniel had addressed the previous letter to her instead of to Lothario. She was touched at the account of Nathaniel's childhood trauma, and discussed it with Lothario, but she is convinced that the terrors are of Nathaniel's own imaging and urges him to put Coppelius/Coppola from his mind.

3. A letter from Nathaniel to Lothario, in which Nathaniel 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. Nathaniel adds that Spalanzani has a daughter, Olympia, whose briefly glimpsed appearance has made a considerable impression on him.

Shortly after this third letter, Nathaniel returns to his home town from his studies to see Clara and Lothario, and in the joy of their reunion Coppelius/Coppola is at first forgotten. Nevertheless, the encounter with Coppola has had a profound effect on Nathaniel, driving him toward a gloomy mysticism which bores Clara and leads to a gradual estrangement. Indeed Nathaniel's frustration leads him to call her an "inanimate, accursed automaton", which so enrages Lothario that he in turn insults Nathaniel, and a duel is only narrowly averted by Clara's intervention. Nathaniel pleads for Clara's forgiveness, and declares his true love for her, and a reconciliation is brought about.

Nathaniel returns to complete the final year of his studies, after which he intends to return to his home town for ever. 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 Olympia, and he is again struck by her beauty. Coppola calls to sell his wares, and offers "pretty eyes, pretty eyes!" which reawakens Nathaniel's childish fear of the Sandman. However, it turns out that Coppola has lenses and spectacles to sell, and also small telescopes, and Nathaniel buys one of these from him to set matters right after his earlier outburst. As Coppola leaves, Nathaniel becomes fixated on watching Olympia 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. Nathaniel is invited, and becomes enraptured by Olympia who plays the harpsichord, sings and dances. Her stiffness of movement and coldness of touch appear strange to many of the company. Nathaniel dances with her repeatedly, although her timing is not quite right with the music, and eventually tells her of his passion for her, to which Olympia replies only "Ah, ah!". In the days that follow he visits Olympia repeatedly, reading her the poems and mysticism that had so bored Clara, and Olympia listens to it all and replies only "Ah, ah!", which Nathaniel interprets as understanding. Most other people consider her dull and stupid, although pretty, and with strangely mechanical actions.

Eventually Nathaniel determines to propose to Olympia, but when he arrives at her rooms he finds an argument in progress between Spalanzani and Coppola, who are fighting over the body of Olympia 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 Nathaniel to chase after him and recover the automaton to which he has devoted so many years of his life. The sight of Olympia's eyes lying on the ground drives Nathaniel 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.

Nathaniel appears to recover from his madness and is reunited with Clara and Lothario. 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 Nathaniel again, and he tries to hurl Clara from the steeple. She is saved by Lothario, but in the crowd that gathers below Coppelius appears, and when Nathaniel sees him he 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 Nathaniel would never have given her.

[edit] Folklore references

The story contains an example of a horrific depiction of the folklore character, the Sandman, 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.'^[1][2]

[edit] Interpretations

In the three opening letters which clarify the situation in this book - similarly to an exposition in drama, the characters and the conflict are first defined. Furthermore the psychic conflict of the protagonist is represented, who is torn between hallucinations and reality. Nathaniel struggles his whole life against post traumatic 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 Nathaniel. The text clearly leaves the decision open in as much as it offers two understandings: that of Nathaniel's belief that there is a dark power controlling him, and Clara's postulation (together with Lothario) against this that this is only a psychological element.

The story is partly a subjective description of the proceedings from Nathaniel'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 was the interpretation from an enlightenment perspective makes sense against the Romantic view, whereby Clara represents the enlightenment and Nathaniel the Romantics.

Of central importance is the "eyes" theme (interpreted by Freud as fear of castration), the "steps", the robot and laughing. Consider eyes as a window to the soul, why would Nathaniel see life in Olimpia’s eyes but not in Clara’s? Which of the women is really the robot? The doll who can integrate herself into high-society or the bourgeois girl with her enlightened scientific views?

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".

Consider the Coppelius / Coppola character not as a real physical character, but as a metaphor, like Nathaniel does when he returns home. We can consider him to represent the dark side WITHIN Nathaniel. Notice when this character appears during the novella, at what dramatic moments. Are they the same? Note the fight between Spalanzani and one or both of them for the “wooden doll”. We hear Coppelius’ voice but see Coppola.

Consider the motif of fists. Coppelius is always described as having fists, never hands.

"Der Sandmann" is extensively interpreted by Freud in a famous 1919 essay, The Uncanny ("Das Unheimlich").

[edit] References