Born
Ernst Theodor Wilhem, which he changed to Amadeus because of his
admiration for Mozart, Hoffmann wrote excellent and innovative
short stories, many with a supernatural bent.
Novel
The
Devil's Elixir, Blackwood & Cadell, 1824 (2 vols, translated
by R.P. Gillies)
(Brother Medardus drinks from a bottle with which
the Devil had tempted St Anthony. He believes that he has killed
his double and takes up the life of the dead man, but the other
takes on the role as Brother Medardus and much confusion
ensues.)
ditto, as
The Devil's
Elixirs,
Calder, 1963 (translated by Ronald Taylor)
Short Stories
Hoffmann's Strange Stories from the
German,
Burnham Brothers (Boston), 1855 (generally poor
translations)
(Including: The Cooper of
Nuremberg: A prophecy is fulfilled. The Lost Reflection
(A New Year's Eve Adventure): an enthusiast in Berlin and
Spikher in Venice. Antonia's Song (Rath Krespel; The Cremona
Violin): Krespel's daughter is too ill to use her talent
and later dies. The Walled-Up Door (The Legacy): A castle is
haunted by the ghost of a murderer. Coppelius, the
Sandman: Olympia the dancing doll. Fascination: The Danish Major returns
after death with a different personality. The Agate
Heart: A story of animal magnetism. The Mystery of the
Deserted House: A young man attempts to discover who the
beautiful woman is who looks out from the empty house.)
(Including: Ignaz Denner: Compacts with the
devil. Little Zack: Through magic the horrible
dwarf is given
the credit for all that is good around him.
Weird
Tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann, Nimmo (London), 1885. (2 vols, translated by
T.J. Bealby)
(Including: The Cremona
Violin: Krespel's daughter is too ill to use her talent
and later dies. The Sand-man: Olympia the dancing doll.
The
Entail: A castle is haunted by the ghost of a murderer.
Master Martin the Cooper: A prophecy is fulfilled.
The
Serapion Brethren, George Bell (London), 1886 and 1892 (2 vols,
translated by Alexander Ewing.)
(Includes: The Story of
Krespel: Krespel's daughter is too ill to use her talent
and later dies. Master Martin, The Cooper, and His
Men: A prophecy is fulfilled. A Fragment of the
Lives of Three Friends: three stories of
supernatural occurrences: The Mines of
Falun: A Swede must take into account the supernatural
if he is to become a miner. Nutcracker and the King of
Mice: Marie dreams at Christmas of a battle between
mice and the toy soldiers. The Singer's Contest: A competitor uses
diabolic means. Eine Spukgeschichte: A young lady causes a true
haunting by masquerading as a ghost. Automatons: Information from
an automaton appears to have a supernatural origin.
The
Stranger Child: Children's fantasy involving a gnome.
The
Life of a Well-Known Character: The devil appears in public
as a gentleman. The Marble Face: Magic and a piece of marble
with a human face in it. Albertine's
Wooers: Magic is used by those who would have the hand
of Albertine. The Uncanny Guest: Life after death and evil.
The
Vampire: A corpse-eating ghoul. The King's
Betrothed: A fairy-tale satire set in the vegetable
kingdom.)
Tales of
Hoffmann,
Harrap (London), [1932] (generally poor translations)
(Including: The Sandman: Olympia the
dancing doll. The Mystery of the Deserted House: A young man
attempts to discover who the beautiful woman is who looks out from
the empty house. The Lost Reflection: an enthusiast in Berlin and
Spikher in Venice. The Walled-In Door: A castle is haunted by the
ghost of a murderer. )
The Tales
of Hoffmann,
Heritage Press (New York), 1943
(Including: A Visit at
Midnight: The illustrator Hugo Steiner-Prag is visited by
Hoffmann! The Sand-Man: Olympia the dancing doll.
The
Mines of Falun: A Swede must take into account the supernatural
if he is to become a miner. Councillor
Krespel: Krespel's daughter is too ill to use her talent
and later dies. The Mystery of the Deserted House: A young man
attempts to discover who the beautiful woman is who looks out from
the empty house. The Entail: A castle is haunted by the
ghost of a murderer. The Uncanny Guest: Life after death and evil.
Don
Juan: A mixture of music criticism and fiction
featuring the ghost of Mozart. The Vow: Death
portent.)
Tales of
Hoffmann, Wyn
(New York), 1946
(Including: Antonia's Song: Krespel's daughter
is too ill to use her talent and later dies. The Golden
Pot: A complex fantasy in which the hero exists on
two planes - the real and the magical. The Legacy: A castle is
haunted by the ghost of a murderer. Don Juan: A mixture of music
criticism and fiction featuring the ghost of Mozart.
The
Doubles: A story of magic, prophesies and confused
identities.)
Best
Tales of Hoffmann, Dover (New York), 1967
(Including: The Golden Flower
Pot: A complex fantasy in which the hero exists on
two plane - the real and the magical. Automata: Information from
an automaton appears to have a supernatural origin.
A
New Year's Eve Adventure: An enthusiast in Berlin and
Spikher in Venice. Nutcracker and the King of Mice: Marie dreams at
Christmas of a battle between mice and the toy soldiers. The
Singer's Contest: A competitor uses diabolic means.
The
Sand-Man: Olympia the dancing doll. Rath
Krespel: Krespel's daughter is too ill to use her talent
and later dies. Tobias Martin, Master Cooper, and His Men: A
prophecy is fulfilled. The Mines of
Falun: A Swede must take into account the supernatural
if he is to become a miner. The King's
Betrothed: A fairy-tale satire set in the vegetable
kingdom.)
ditto,
Constable, 1968
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