The Nutcracker and the Golden Pot

by E.T.A. Hoffmann

Among the greatest writers of fantasy and a major figure in late German Romanticism, Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (1776–1822) created an extraordinary world of fantasy, poetry, and the supernatural. Remarkable characters come vividly to life in imaginative tales that move from the firm ground of reality to ambiguity, mystery, and romance. This volume contains two of his best tales. "The Nutcracker," a charming Christmas story which has become a perennial favorite for young and old alike, presents such memorable characters as the beloved Godpapa Drosselmeier, the brave Nutcracker, and the evil Mouse-King. "The Golden Pot," Hoffmann's first major literary work (and widely regarded as his finest), successfully blends reality and fantasy in a story that details the invasion of supernatural forces into everyday life. A master of allegory and symbolism, Hoffmann has long been popular in Europe. This volume now introduces a portion of his remarkable work to an even wider audience.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Christmas, Collections, Germany, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

128 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1993

About the author

Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, better known by his pen name E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann), was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist. His stories form the basis of Jacques Offenbach's famous opera The Tales of Hoffmann, in which Hoffman appears (heavily fictionalized) as the hero. He is also the author of the novella The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, on which the famous ballet The Nutcracker is based. The ballet Coppélia is based on two other stories that Hoffmann wrote, while Schumann's Kreisleriana is based on Hoffmann's character Johannes Kreisler.

Hoffmann's stories were very influential during the 19th century, and he is one of the major authors of the Romantic movement.

Reviews

[Audrey Lee]

"The Nutcracker" was great. I didn't understand "The Golden Pot" at all! Haha!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ummm....Marie was seven in The Nutcracker? How much time passes before she married the nephew?!?

Also The Golden Pot was too weird to read all of it. I felt sad for the poor student. Nothing but bad luck!

3, interesting to read the original Nutcracker but that was it, stars.

[Willow Redd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hoffmann is such an astounding storyteller! Here are two of his works, The Nutcracker and The Golden Pot. Hoffmann creates magic that feels like it could be real or could be entirely in the main characters imagination, and only the narrator knows for sure until the very last moment.

What better story to read during the Christmas season than the Nutcracker? Made famous by Tchaikovsky's brilliant ballet, here we are presented with a darker tale where a young girl falls in love with a nutcracker given to her by her godfather, a clockmaker. Of course, there is more to both the nutcracker and the godfather than anyone but the girl, Maria, is aware, as well as a dreaded seven-headed mouse king bent on destroying the nutcracker. Over the course of the story, we learn why the war between Mouse King and Nutcracker is being waged, and what exactly is at stake.

Also included here is The Golden Pot. Here Hoffmann creates his own fairy tale in which a clumsy student gets on the wrong side of an applewife and falls in love with a snake, sending him down a strange rabbit hole of magic and mayhem. But, is it all in his head? How will everything end for the young man? This is one of my new favorite stories, as I had somehow not read it before now. I'm glad this oversight has been corrected, because I absolutely loved it!

Two amazing tales here, excellent reads!

[Theresa]

The Golden Pot was good even if the romance was weird (guy falls in love with a snake because she has kind eyes) - the Archivarius and the evil witch kept it interesting with their mysterious motives. The Nutcracker was okay. I mostly enjoyed the parts about the history of how the Nutcracker had become cursed to look as he was and how the war with the mouse king got started. Got a bit bored though reading all the descriptions of The Land of Sweets.

[Max Wightwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

In both of these stories, Hoffman exemplifies his forte at immixing fantasy and reality. The Golden Pot is a strenuous read, not for its language, nor for its structure, but for having the reader decipher between the fantastical and the real. He slides between them, with some warning, though nothing of determinate note. The Nutcracker has been blended with greater ease, and the Land of Sweets is a realm which I shall be loath to forget, for a long while yet. The latter is perfect for such festal times, whereas the former is an unequivocal joy for those that love fantasy.

[Shadowzzz3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Interesting fantasy stories from the 1700-1800s . Strange. Weird. Different. They read more like fairy tales than today’s traditional fantasy, and ultimately a short and easy read. I would places these two stories on par with Charles dickens a Christmas Carol in terms of quality and style. Anyone who enjoyed A Christmas Carol May enjoy these two tales.

[Janis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t get interested in The Golden Pot. For the Nutcracker, I’m going to stay with the ballet, although it was interesting to read the original. I kept thinking to myself that Hoffman must have been on drugs.

[Debra B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like nothing I have ever read! I think it is the most imaginative book I have ever read. Truly remarkable!

[Luke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Truly horrifying, can’t look away. Of historical importance, like Black Friday.

“Who throws a shoe?! Honestly!” -Mic Myers

[Bambino · Rating 5 out of 5]

a criança descobriu o vaso de ouro do sr. Hoffmann numa tarde de suspensão do fôlego de ter sempre qualquer coisa na calha para ser lida. naquela tarde, nenhum eco de leituras passadas se insinuava com bocados de plasticina nos beiços.

a humilde biblioteca paterna revelou uma péssima tradução do vaso, daquelas típicas do círculo dos leitores - traduzidas do alemão para francês e do francês para mirandês e de mirandês para português.

o livro revelou um surreal/místico/fantástico diamante, em estado bruto, por polir - característica que acaba por ser, em simultâneo, o ponto forte e fraco de Hoffmann.

ao lado da criança que lia estava Poe - e os contornos deste pareciam muito mais elaborados e credíveis do que a realidade que era saboreada nas páginas; mas a barba pouco molhada do norte-americano indicava que este bebia do poço do terror de forma mais romântica e intelectual. Hoffmann parecia molhado até ao pescoço, a barba cheia de musgo.

naquela tarde brumosa, a criança sentiu que qualquer hipótese fantástica era perfeitamente plausível. a ciência, a alquímia, a bruxaria, a religião, a arte de contar, tudo exactamente o mesmo.

[Corinne Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Golden Pot. How can I describe you? A novella, to be sure. Translated from the original German. Your author was among the most popular German Romantics of his time. I've had to do some research because, frankly, I didn't get you. Not really at all. You've got some magic (witches, spells, talking animals) in you, and a vague plot, but mostly I was confused. Paragraphs would go by and I might as well not have read, it felt so obscure and poetic. Your descriptions of Dresden are lovely, however. When I was in Dresden, I felt firm ground under my feet and could follow, most of the time. I know you're trying to teach me about the supernatural converging on every day life, since we kept switching between loopy-land and a more modern setting, but in the end, I can't even decide what to get out of that.

It may be that I am not educated or intelligent enough to appreciate you, dear Golden Pot. I gave you my best shot. Perhaps another German novella would've been a better bet. Next time.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize how much of the nutcracker story I had forgotten, or maybe had never know. But upon reflection, I may have only seen the ballet and maybe read a children's book? It was fun to read the original. The other story in this book, "The Golden Pot" was very strange indeed. Lots of fantasy and magic going on which was fun, but at times just sort of confusing. The main character kind of seemed to be on an acid trip the entire time... Not my favorite fairy tale type stories, but I still enjoyed them.

[Enid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lloré con la historia del pobre Anselmo¡¡¡¡¡¡¡