Characters from The Tales of Hoffmann, introduced in The Tale of Giulietta.
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Captain Dapertutto
Captain Dapertutto
- Adaptational Heroism: A very mild case, but he "only" plays with the lives of those directly related to the actual conflict. Unlike his literary counterpart, he never encourages the protagonist to murder his innocent family, which he claimed would bring back his reflection.
- Adaptational Mundanity: In the 1916 film, he's simply a corrupt city official with no demonic powers to speak of.
- Bad Boss: He has no qualms about helping Hoffmann kill Schlemil. In one version of Act 3 he magically manipulates Hoffmann’s sight, making the poet stab Pitichinaccio instead of Giulietta. In yet another version of the act’s ending he deliberately stages Giulietta’s death at Hoffmann’s hands.
- Deal with the Devil: Giulietta has made one with him, and he uses her charms to tempt other people into making more of these.
- Decomposite Character: Based on “Miracle Doctor” Dapertutto, whose traits were split between him and Doctor Miracle.
- Evil Sorceror: Is at the very least this, though it's heavily implied to be something even more sinister about him...
- Master of Illusion: The 1951 film shows that the "precious stones" he provides Giulietta's with are merely enchanted candle wax. This only makes her more dependent on him, as he can easily remove the illusion if he's displeased with her.
- Poison Is Evil: Some versions have him try to poison Nicklausse, only for Giulietta to accidentally drink it instead.
- Satanic Archetype: The 1951 film even refers to him as "[Giulietta's] satanic master, a collector of souls." If he's not the man himself, then he's a pretty damn good substitute.
- Shapeshifting: In the 1951 film, he turns himself into a pole to spy on Hoffmann.
- Truer to the Text: Robert Helpmann's 1951 portrayal of him is much closer to Hoffmann's Dappertutto than Werner Krauss' take on the character. He is once more a supernatural being making deals with vulnerable people. His lanky frame and staring eyes fit his in-story description, as does his hooded cloak (though it was originally red, not dark green.) Having him share said cloak with Miracle — and having them both (and Coppélius) remove masks to reveal the same face — mostly undoes them being a Decomposite Character.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: One production of Act 3 ends with Dapertutto using sorcery to place his sword at Hoffmann’s hand and then pushing Giulietta onto it. He even directly says “I have no use for Giulietta now” while doing it.
- Your Soul Is Mine!: His whole schtick.
Giulietta
Giulietta
- Adaptational Heroism: Downplayed. While she does betray Hoffmann, Dapertutto has to talk her into it, and relies on magic and bribery for her continuing collaboration. This is a big change from the original story, where Giulietta herself seemed to be a malicious supernatural entity, who only ever pretended to love the protagonist.
- A Deadly Affair: She seduces Hoffmann despite already seeing Schlemil, who is not happy about this and challenges Hoffmann to a duel.
- Deal with the Devil: Has made one with Dapertutto, and helps him set up further ones with both Schlemil and Hoffmann.
- Death by Adaptation: She is sometimes killed by being stabbed or poisoned, which certainly did not happen in The Lost Reflection.
- Driven to Suicide: She commits a suicide in some productions, after Hoffmann had murdered her true love- Pitichinaccio.
- Hidden Depths: She is sometimes very reluctant to carry out her deeds, making her an outright Tragic Villain.
- Miss Kitty: Implied. Hoffmann meets her in a brothel, where she seems to be in a position of power.
- Ms. Fanservice: She's generally dressed in quite flattering outfits, usually going for a seductive and/or regal look. Definitely an Invoked Trope.
- Really Gets Around: Giulietta is seeing Schlemil while also playing with Hoffmann's feelings. She's probably sleeping with Dapertutto as well, and — depending on the production — might be quite close to Nicklausse and/or Pitichinaccio, too.
- Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: While not necessarily intentional om Dapertutto's part, productions where she dies can still have an air of this.
- The Vamp: Seduces men in order to claim an aspect of them.
Schlemil
Schlemil
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul:
- He and Giulietta are now bethroned, whereas in A New Year's Eve Adventure he claimed (accurately or not) that she was actually Mina, the wife of his servant, Rascal. And that only happened in a dream, so who knows if there was any truth to it?
- Also, he and Erasmus were actually friends and allies (Teeth-Clenched Teamwork nonwithstanding) in Hoffmann's story, and Schlemihl seemed to be the more rational of the two. He only antagonizes the narrator in his dream, and even then he didn't try to kill him.
- Berserk Button: Does not appreciate other men getting intimare with Giulietta.
- Casts No Shadow: Giulietta tricked him into giving it up for her.
- Composite Character: In The Lost Reflection, Giulietta's suitor was a man named Amoroso. Schlemihl was a different character with no confirmed ties to the woman at all.
- Death by Adaptation: Suffers this, due to being combined with Amoroso.
- Hero of Another Story: Much like Hoffmann himself, he was tricked into giving up a part of himself to a demonic being at some point in the past. This is a case were said story actually exists. The character originated in Adelbert von Chamisso's novella Peter Schlemihl The Shadowless Man, which Hoffmann was inspired by while writing A New Year's Eve Adventure. He then gave Schlemihl an extended cameo as an Inspiration Nod.
- MacGuffin Guardian: He protects the key to Giulietta's chambers. Subverted when it turns out to be completely useless for Hoffmann.
- Meaningful Name: "Schlemiel" is a Yiddish word, meaning an incompetent bungler.
- Punch-Clock Villain: The only real difference between him and Hoffmann is that he is in possession of an item the latter needs.
- Two-Faced: Portrayed as such in the 1983 film, with half of his face (including his facial hair) being painted grey.
- Unwitting Pawn: Ultimately just a tool for Dapertutto to use and then discard.
Pitichinaccio
Pitichinaccio
- Abled in the Adaptation: His 1983 incarnation doesn’t seem to have any physical deformities.
- Affably Evil: A seemingly fun-loving, pleasant (of perhaps a bit crazy) man... who just happens to serve a woman who collects souls for the Devil himself.
- Bald of Evil: In the 1970 film.
- Composite Character: Some productions give other characters some of his scenes. Both the 1916 and the 1951 film have Giulietta abandon Hoffmann for Dapertutto rather than him, with him instead becoming the "surprise" Hoffmann finds in her quarters in the latter. Other productions occasionally make this surprise Lindorff.
- Depraved Dwarf: Theoretically, though the "dwarf" part becomes an Informed Attribute (or goes unmentioned) in most productions.
- Gonk: He is generally made up to not look particularly attractive.
- Kavorka Man: Depending om the production, he may or may not be sleeping with Giulietta.
- Life of the Party: He is quite at home at Giulietta's party, seemingly having one heck of a time.
- Silver Tongue: Hoffmann praises his way with words, amazed that a man like him can be so well-spoken.
- Spared by the Adaptation: He dies in at least one of the opera's alternate endings, but not in all of them.
- Villainous Harlequin: He is Giulietta's jester, and more than willing to laugh at other people's misery.
