E.T.A. Hoffman

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Did Poe read any of E.T.A. Hoffman's works or did Hoffman influence Poe in any way?

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2003

Answers

To get some serious opinion about this delicate question, the best thing you have to do is to go to three major works on this subject:

(a) COBB, Palmer: "The Influence of E. T. A. Hoffmann in the Tales of E. A. Poe" -- 1908. Sometimes reprinted. (Clever, but misleading study, because of various errors due to its too early date).

(b) POCHMAN, H. A.: "German Culture in America..." -- Madison, 1957. (Somewhat surer, and, in any way, well documented).

(c) POLLIN / HANSEN: "German Face of E. A. Poe" Camden House -- 1996. (The best - definitive? - work (( even with its unexpected and strange ommissions/confusions )) you can read to approach the truth...)

Yours sincerely,

Raven's Shade (Belgium).

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2003


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