Nathanael
remains haunted by his childhood fear that the lawyer Coppelius, a strange
night-time visitor who used to come to his house to conduct alchemical
experiments with his father - the latter dying as a consequence of one of
these sessions - was none other than the Sandman, a mythical figure who was
said to steal the eyes of children who refused to go to sleep. When a
mysterious Italian salesman comes to town, Nathanael’s suspicions are
reawakened, pushing him to the brink of madness as extraordinary events
unfold.

First published in 1816, this classic of German Gothic fiction has
enthralled generations ever since, and has spawned countless interpretations
by critics intrigued by its powerful symbolism. Sigmund Freud famously examined
the novella in relation to his concept of the Uncanny , and an extract from
this analysis is included in this volume.