DAS BEDEUTUNGSGEFLECHT IN E.T.A. HOFFMANNS „DER SANDMANN“: EINE SEMIOTISCHE ANALYSE NACH GREIMAS’ QUADRAT
INTERWEAVING MEANINGS IN E.T.A. HOFFMANN’S “THE SANDMAN”: A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO GREIMAS’ SQUARE

Summary/Abstract: E.T.A. Hoffmann’s “The Sandman” is considered one of the most important works of German Romanticism and deals with central themes such as the conflict between reality and fantasy, reason and madness as well as love and fear. The story revolves around Nathanael, whose fears are deeply rooted in his traumatic childhood experience and distort his perception of reality. These distortions create a blurred boundary between reality and illusion, resulting in a dense space for psychological and emotional tension. In this study, Hoffmann’s story is analysed using the semiotic square developed by Algirdas Julien Greimas, which is used as a theoretical tool for analysing the deep structure of texts. The semiotic square makes it possible to grasp the meaning structure of a text through the relations of contrariety, contradiction and complementarity. This study shows how the dynamic relationships between the characters, themes and plot of “The Sandman” can be analysed using the semiotic model. A particular focus of this analysis is on Nathanael’s psychological world. His inner conflict, which is caused by childhood traumas and the associated fears, forms the central arc of tension in the story. By using the semiotic square, the deep interweaving meanings that influence Nathanael’s psychological instability are revealed. In particular, the role of the characters such as Clara, Olimpia and Coppelius/Coppola, who function in the narrative structure both as antagonists and as symbolic carriers of meaning, is analysed. The analysis emphasises that the semiotic square serves not only as a means of structuring literary meanings, but also as a tool for revealing the subtle and complex layers of psychological conflict. This enables a deeper understanding of the emotional and symbolic dimensions of Hoffmann’s story.

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