IN THE NOVELLAS that I have analyzed here, there are a wide range of complex dilemmas arising out of the interaction between the artist, the work of art, and the recipient of that work of art. Since Hoffmann believes that art is inextricably bound up with society, we are presented with an additional set of complex relationships that spring from the tension between aesthetic and social considerations, many of which are closely bound up with questions of gender. It is clear that if a genuine synthesis of artist, audience, and work of art is to be brought about, then both socio-political and aesthetic factors will play a vital role.

In a world where philistinism prevails and art is seen as little more than a decorative accessory, the Romantic artist's struggle to express the object of his longing is liable to be greeted with either incomprehension or, at worst, complete contempt. This drives the artist to adopt a series of increasingly extreme positions that can soon lead to catastrophe, be it madness, death, or both.