Master Flea - E. T. A. Hoffmann

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Résumé :
Master Flea by E. T. A. Hoffmann is a fantastical narrative that intertwines the mundane with the extraordinary, centering on the life of Peregrine Tyss, a peculiar man living in Frankfort. Peregrine, who is deeply attached to his childhood traditions, celebrates Christmas Eve with the same enthusiasm as when he was a child, despite being in his mid-thirties. His life takes a bizarre turn when he encounters a mysterious and enchanting woman during one of his Christmas Eve visits to a poor bookbinder's family. This woman, who claims to be his Alina, brings with her a sense of the supernatural and a request that leaves Peregrine bewildered. She implores him to release a prisoner he supposedly holds, a request that confounds him as he has no knowledge of such a captive. The narrative then shifts to the story of a flea-tamer in Frankfort, who has trained fleas to perform intricate tricks. This flea-tamer, Anton van Leuwenhock, is revealed to have a connection to the supernatural, as he is believed to be a reincarnation of a historical figure. His life is further complicated by the disappearance of Doertje Elverdink, a woman he had kept under his control. The tale weaves together elements of romance, mystery, and the supernatural, exploring themes of identity, freedom, and the boundaries between reality and illusion....

Biographie:
E. T. A. Hoffmann (eigentlich Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, * 24. Januar 1776 in K?nigsberg, Ostpreu?en; ? 25. Juni 1822 in Berlin) war ein bedeutender deutscher Schriftsteller der Romantik. Au?erdem wirkte er als Jurist, Komponist, Kapellmeister, Musikkritiker, Zeichner und Karikaturist. Hoffmann gilt mit seiner Novellistik zeitlich nach Goethe und bis zum Durchbruch der Werke Kafkas nach 1945 als der einflussreichste deutsche Erz?hler. Ausgehend von den Gespenstergeschichten des 18. Jahrhunderts, der englischen Schauerliteratur und fr?hromantische M?rchen, beeinflussten seine Novellen und Erz?hlungen die Prosa zahlreicher bedeutender Autoren aus der russischen, franz?sischen, US-amerikanischen und spanischen Literatur. Seine Werke dienten als Vorlagen f?r Opern. Neben Robert Schumann war er der wirkm?chtigste Musikkritiker der deutschen Romantik.