The characters in ETA Hoffmann’s work «The Sandman» are linked by many clues and references – with the student Nathanael taking center stage. At the same time they all exert influence on him, Clara and Lothar try to stabilize Nathanael’s condition with their rationality, the weather glass dealer Giuseppe Coppola and Professor Spalanzani deceive the protagonist with the automaton doll Olimpia. The Sandman scares Nathanael in the person of the advocate Coppelius.
From an early age, Nathanael developed a penchant for imagination and creativity. As such, he often delves into the chilling literary worlds of goblins, witches, and other fantastical creatures.
As a child, he draws the «most disgusting» figures with chalk or charcoal on all sorts of surfaces, such as tables, cupboards and walls.
As a child, Nathanael was so frightened by the character of the Sandman that he developed an inner tension and his anxiety accompanied him into adulthood.
At the same time he is traumatized by the mistreatment of the lawyer Coppelius. He seems to want to repress this trauma, but his fears suddenly seem to overwhelm him from time to time and he loses all autonomy over his own life.
Nathanael has a very sensitive nature – he is very emotional, easily aroused and has a strong penchant for fantasy and imagination.
After returning home, his relationship with Clara seems to be going well. However, Nathanael falls into ever more severe depression and is more and more convinced that human beings are not self-determined, but are guided by dark forces.
He insults Clara as an inanimate automaton because she doesn’t seem to show any sympathy for his dark poetry. This is somewhat ironic, as throughout the story Nathanael will actually fall in love with an inanimate automaton.
After the conflict with Lothar, Nathanael seems healed. The development into a fanatical esoteric seems to be stopped and he spends happy days in his homeland.
When he returns to his place of study, Nathanael is visited again by the weather glass dealer Giuseppe Coppola.
After buying the perspective, Nathanael becomes more and more introspective and projects his ideals and himself – without knowing it – onto the automaton doll Olimpia.
As time goes on, he distances himself from society and lives out his artistic nature by telling his chilling stories to Olimpia. Since she is actually a doll, she listens to the stories in peace.
This strengthens Nathanael’s illusions – he doesn’t let warnings from outsiders get to him.
He would even like to marry Olimpia, but discovers her true nature and falls into insanity, also due to his childhood trauma.
After an apparent improvement, this madness recedes in full force on the Council Tower. Nathanael can no longer tell reality and fantasy apart and throws himself to his death.