Do not miss
this masterpiece of experimental fiction (publ. 1819-1821). In the book you
will find the funny autobiography of a self-taught cat: he was influenced by
the ideas of the Enlightenment, and he is able of writing brilliant
works. This is a coming-of-age story and a satirical book, a parody of
Bildungsroman; with still greater originality, it follows musical patterns, as
the author was also a composer. The life of a bourgeoisified cat is intertwined
with the confused story of musician Kreisler (an alter ego of the author). The
pretext for the narrative experiment is completely original: the cat pulled a
prank, as he used some pages from another biography, and they came out like
blotting paper.
Although Kreisler
is a Romantic musician, he has to deal with false courtiers; he draws on irony
and humour to question the artist condition in society. On the other hand, the comfortable
life of the materialistic cat is in great contrast with his erudition; writing
poems in a high style does not stop him from pouncing on birds, or from partying on
the roof.
Although the
central theme of the book is the conflict between life and art, there are other
intertwined topics: creative power, ideal love, fear of insanity… The theme
of doubles appears; there is an accentuated stylization of forms in the
passage in which Kreisler sees his own reflection in the water; it is a
nocturnal romantic landscape, with floating black clouds and thunder-peals. Suddenly, the face looks like Ettlinger's (the insane painter).
The reader
has to fill in some narrative gaps. It is also a quite heterogeneous work; it includes
parodies and the editor scolds the cat several times for plagiarizing. On the
other hand, Master Abraham and Murr are alter egos of the author; Hoffmann
really had a cat called Murr, and sometimes he signed off with the name of the
cat. Moreover, there are some autobiographical episodes, as Kreisler’s birth
and the cat’s childhood; the mention of Aunt Littlefeet refers to Charlotte Wilhelmine
Doerffer, who encouraged Hoffmann to develop his abilities in music.
Some passages,
such as the one in which the cat enters the awkard stage, or Murr’s speech on canine
character and linguistic differences between cats and dogs will delight animal
lovers. Additionally, it is a very interesting book for musicians, as various references
to musical instrument makers can be found in it.The author fully realizes that his narrative experiment is ahead of his time, as Murr proudly
states that his work “will be understood in a future age”. “I do not
belong to these times. I am alone, as in the deepest desert.”
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