History Literature / TheSandman1816

Can be read online [[http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Sandmann_(Hoffmann) in German]] or translated by [[http://www.fln.vcu.edu/hoffmann/sand_e.html J. Oxenford]] or [[http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/h/hoffmann/eta/sand/ J. T. Bealby]].

Can be read online [[http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Sandmann_(Hoffmann) in German]] or translated by [[http://www.fln.vcu.edu/hoffmann/sand_e.html by J. Oxenford]] or [[http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/h/hoffmann/eta/sand/ J. T. Bealby]].

Can be read in translation [[http://www.fln.vcu.edu/hoffmann/sand_e.html here.]]

Probably the most analyzed piece of fiction by E. T. A. Hoffmann; interpreted, among others, by Sigmund Freud in his essay "The Uncanny".

[[NamesTheSame Not to be confused with]] the comic book series ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' written by Creator/NeilGaiman.

* GoMadFromTheRevelation: "Then madness dug her burning talons into him and swept down into his heart, rending his mind and thoughts to shreds."

When Nathanael was very small, the mean, ugly Coppelius would often come at night to pursue alchemical experiments with Nathanael's father. Every night Coppelius came, Nathanael was sent to bed early with the words that „the Sandman comes“ (as in: the Sandman that makes sure little children sleep), and so, little Nathanael thought that Coppelius ''was'' the Sandman. His fears were in no way stilled when a nanny told him the Sandman was a creature that rips out the eyes of children that won't sleep.

Probably the most analyzed piece of fiction by E. T. A. Hoffmann; interpreted, among others, by Sigmund Freud in his essay „The Uncanny“.

* GoMadFromTheRevelation: „Then madness dug her burning talons into him and swept down into his heart, rending his mind and thoughts to shreds.“

* MeaningfulName: Clara means "clear". Spalanzani is named after Lazzaro Spallanzani (1719-99), who invented (among other things) [[spoiler:artificial fertilization in stockbreeding.]]
* MindScrew: Is Coppola Coppelius or not? If he is, how did he get the Italian accent? How can anyone, with early 19th century technology, build a lifelike robot which anyone could mistake for a human being?

* RomanticismVsEnlightenment: Nathanael vs. Clara.

* CreatingLife: From what Nathanael saw in his father's lab, it seems that Coppelius and his father were trying to create a homunculus or a mechanical human.

Nathanael is a young student, recently moved from his privincial home to a city where he attends university. It is there where he meets Coppola, a hawker of oculars and spectacles and a man whose looks and name have an uncanny similarity to the tormentor of Nathanael's childhood, the advocate Coppelius. Believing that Coppelius has assumed a new identity as Coppola and excited with the prospect of bringing him to justice, he discloses the circumstances of his father's terrible death in a letter to his friend Lothair:

* {{Doppelganger}}: Coppola and Coppelius.

* MindScrew: Is Coppola Coppelius or not?

One day Nathanael sneaked into his father's laboratory to watch the experiments and was severely traumatized when Coppelius discovered him and threw him into the fireplace, threatening to rip his eyes out. The father promised to stop his alchemical dabbling, but when he went to the lab with Coppelius one last time, an explosion occurred that killed him. Coppelius disappeared, never to be seen again.

Nathanael is a young student, recently moved from his privincial home town to a city where he attends university. It is there where he meets Coppola, a hawker of oculars and spectacles and a man whose looks and name have an uncanny similarity to the tormentor of Nathanael's childhood, the advocate Coppelius. Believing that Coppelius has assumed a new identity as Coppola, and excited with the prospect of finally bringing him to justice, he discloses the circumstances of his father's early death in a letter to his friend Lothair:

When Nathanael was very small, the mean, ugly Coppelius would often come at night to Nathanael's home to pursue alchemical experiments with Nathanael's father. Every night Coppelius came, Nathanael was sent to bed early with the words that „the Sandman comes“ (as in: the Sandman that makes sure little children sleep), and so, little Nathanael thought that Coppelius ''was'' the Sandman. His fears were in no way stilled when a nanny told him the Sandman was a creature that rips out the eyes of children that won't sleep.

One day Nathanael sneaked into his father's laboratory to watch the experiments. Freaked out by what he saw, he was discovered by Coppelius and severely traumatized when the latter threw him into the fireplace, threatening to put his eyes out. The father promised to stop his alchemical dabbling, but went to the lab with Coppelius one last time. That night he was killed by an explosion and Coppelius disappeared, never to be seen again.

Nathanael's fiancée Clara – sister of Lothair - tries to talk Nathanael out of his obsession, and indeed Nathanael's agitation wears off when he comes to the conclusion that Coppola cannot be Coppelius, after all. Anyway, his mind is soon occupied by something entirely different when he becomes acquainted with his teacher Professor Spalanzani and falls madly in love with the Professor's beautiful daughter, Olimpia. If only he wouldn't keep running into Coppola...

Nathanael is a young student, recently moved from his privincial home town to a city where he attends university. It is there where he meets Coppola, a hawker of oculars and spectacles and a man whose looks and name have an uncanny similarity to the tormentor of Nathanael's childhood, the advocate Coppelius. Believing that Coppelius has assumed a new identity as Coppola, and excited with the prospect of finally bringing him to justice, he discloses the strange and tragic circumstances of his father's early death in a letter to his friend Lothair:

When Nathanael was very small, the mean and ugly Coppelius would often come at night to Nathanael's home to pursue alchemical experiments with Nathanael's father. Every night Coppelius came, Nathanael was sent to bed early with the words that „the Sandman comes“ (as in: the Sandman that makes sure little children sleep), and so, little Nathanael thought that Coppelius ''was'' the Sandman. His fears were in no way stilled when a nanny told him the Sandman was a creature that rips out the eyes of naughty children that won't sleep.

One day Nathanael sneaked into his father's laboratory to watch the experiments. Freaked out by what he saw, he was discovered by Coppelius and severely traumatized when the latter threw him into the fireplace, threatening to put his eyes out. The father promised to stop his alchemical dabbling, but on the day he went to the lab with Coppelius "one last time", he was killed by an explosion and Coppelius disappeared, never to be seen again.

Nathanael's fiancée Clara – sister of Lothair -- tries to talk Nathanael out of his obsession, and indeed Nathanael's agitation wears off when he comes to the conclusion that Coppola cannot be Coppelius, after all. Anyway, his mind is soon occupied by something entirely different when he becomes acquainted with his teacher Professor Spalanzani and falls madly in love with the Professor's beautiful daughter, Olimpia. If only he wouldn't keep running into Coppola.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/SandmanHoffmann_Cover_191.jpg]]

An (in)famous short story by Creator/ETAHoffmann, first published in 1816.

An (in)famous short story by Creator/ETAHoffmann, published in 1817 as part of the collection ''Night Pieces''.

Nathanael's fiancée Clara –- sister of Lothair -- tries to talk Nathanael out of his obsession, and indeed Nathanael's agitation wears off when he comes to the conclusion that Coppola cannot be Coppelius, after all. Anyway, his mind is soon occupied by something entirely different when he becomes acquainted with his teacher Professor Spalanzani and falls madly in love with the Professor's beautiful daughter, Olimpia. If only he wouldn't keep running into Coppola.