The Devil's Elixir, Vol. 2

Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus), 1776-1Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.1

Word count: 362K words
Chapters: 37

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Devil's Elixir, Vol. 2 (of 2) by E. T. A. HoffmannAuthor: Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus), 1776-1822,Language: English, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: Aug 8, 2011

Editor's review

The second volume of The Devil's Elixir picks up the monastery-escape narrative of the first and pushes Hoffmann's signature theme of the "double self" into darker territory. In this volume the protagonist is torn repeatedly between mistaken identity, religious vows, and erotic impulse; the pacing is tighter than in Volume 1 and the Gothic atmosphere more intense. Hoffmann excels at undercutting solemn scenes with absurd details—readers will find a tense suspenseful passage suddenly interrupted by an ironic interlude, and this tonal leap is precisely what sets him apart from his German Romantic contemporaries. The Project Gutenberg English public-domain translation preserves nineteenth-century English syntax, with many long sentences, but remains readable overall. Best read on consecutive autumn or winter evenings, to savor the sense of split personality beneath the "elixir" metaphor. If you have read Volume 1, this volume's resolution of the "double" and "guilt" will linger longer; if not, read the prior volume first, or some character relationships will be confusing.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers who enjoy German Romanticism and Gothic fiction
Literature students studying Hoffmann's "double personality" theme
Readers interested in nineteenth-century European monastery settings
English learners accustomed to reading public-domain classic translations

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced plotting and clear endings
Readers uncomfortable with depictions of religion, guilt, and madness
Beginners with weak English reading skills and little patience for long sentences

Reading tips

Read the first one or two chapters of Volume 1 first to clarify the cast of characters before starting this volume.
Keep a character-relationship card and note clues about the "double" and mistaken identity as you go.
Slow down during long passages of psychological monologue and watch for the separation between the narrator's voice and the protagonist's.
After finishing, compare with Hoffmann's short stories such as The Sandman to appreciate his blend of horror and irony.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I read this second volume without having read the first?

You can, but you will lose a lot of understanding. This volume opens directly on the escape that ends Volume 1; Medardus's origins, the abbot's attitude, and the origin of the "elixir" all depend on the first volume. If time is limited, at least read a summary or the first few chapters of Volume 1 before starting this one, or the characters' motives will seem abrupt.

Is this version the original German or an English translation?

This is the English public-domain translation released by Project Gutenberg, with the language listed as English. The translation preserves nineteenth-century English vocabulary and syntax, with many long sentences; it is not a modern translation. It suits readers with some English reading ability and can also serve as a companion to the German original.

What is the core theme of Hoffmann's novel?

At its core is the entanglement of the "double self" and guilt. Under the pull of monastic vows, erotic impulse, and the seduction of the "elixir," the protagonist splits off another self, and the narrative wavers between reality and hallucination. Through this Hoffmann explores the substitutability of identity and the conflict between religious repression and individual freedom—an aspect of his work that made him an important influence on later psychological fiction.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus), 1776-1 Author

E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, 1776–1822) was a major German writer of the Romantic era whose work spans fiction, fairy tales, and fantastic stories. The library holds 17 of his works, including Nachtstücke, Der Goldene Topf, Lebensansichten des Katers Murr, Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober, The Serapion Brethren, and The Devil's Elixir. His writing is marked by the grotesque, the supernatural, and psychological illusion, moving between reality and fantasy; it has had a lasting influence on later fantasy literature and the tradition of psychological narrative. His subjects range from fairy-tale invention to a searching look at the darker sides of human nature. Public information is limited, so no biographical details are given here; readers may approach this author through the subjects and styles of the works mentioned above.