Ready Reference Treatise: The Sandman

By Raja Sharma

“The Sandman” by E. T. A. Hoffmann was first published in German in 1816. The German title of the story is “Der Sandmann.”

This story appeared in the author’s collection called “The Night Pieces” in 1817. The story has been interpreted by various authors, scholars, and reviewers from time to time over the years.

Ready Reference Treatise: The Sandman
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jul 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311089021

Raja Sharma

Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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Ready Reference Treatise: The Sandman

Copyright

Ready Reference Treatise: The Sandman

Raja Sharma

Copyright@2015 Raja Sharma

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Chapter One: Introduction

The Sandman by E. T. A. Hoffmann was first published in German in 1816. The German title of the story is Der Sandmann.

This story appeared in the author’s collection called The Night Pieces in 1817. The story has been interpreted by various authors, scholars, and reviewers from time to time over the years.

After about one hundred years, in 1919, Sigmund Freud wrote an interpretation of The Sandman in his essay The Uncanny. Through his essay, Freud tried to help define a literary genre of ‘the uncanny.’

He used the German words ‘heimlich’ and ‘unheimlich’ which means ‘homelike’ and ‘un-homelike.’ According to Sigmund Freud, the uncanny effect of the story on the reader is created by this homelikeness and unhomelikeness.

The Sandman has been adapted several times. It is referenced widely. In the mid 1800s there operas were also written. All these operas are in part based on the story.

In 2002, an opera called The Sandman was also produced. Likewise, a film of the same name was produced in 1997.

The story is widely discussed among several study circles and academic discussions. It is prescribed to the students of students for further reading.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

As the story opens, the narrator claims that he has known Lothar. At the beginning the narrator quotes three letters.

First letter is written by Nathanael to Lothar, brother of his fiancée Klara. In that letter Nathanael remembers his childhood terror of the legendary Sandman.

It was said that the Sandman stole the eyes of the children who would not go to